So I'll preface this by saying I'm an idiot who apparently doesn't know how to use a torque wrench properly. Anyway.
Snapped one of the cylinder bolts on my Hobbit and it's in there pretty deep (no threads exposed with the cylinder off). Whats the best way to go about getting it out of there?
take a picture w you cylinder off.
Top left bolt
Left-cutting drill bit. Start small, Get it centered exactly and sometimes the drill bit will walk the remains right out once it gets thin enough.
> Bob Naske Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Left-cutting drill bit. Start small, Get it centered exactly and
> sometimes the drill bit will walk the remains right out once it gets
> thin enough.
Thanks Bob - do you use the drill bit to pull it out of there or is that a separate tool?
that English dude in the vdo is bad ass
After drilling use an easy-out in a tap wrench handle. Most hardware stores sell them.
easy outs kind of suck, the taper is too short and they strip and don't grip well, I've found other ones with a better taper at the hardware store that have worked when easy outs fail.
use a center punch, and then drill it a little, reverse the drill and just the bit may get it to spin out … put some penetrating oil on the bolt, so the threads will let go of their grip.
your only real risk of damage is hitting the threads, but if you drill carefully, you should be good. It would also be a decent idea to chase the threads on those with a tap if/when you get it out. I'd just do them all if you do it to clean them up and keep things consistent.
Another up vote for the left drill bit as already said center punch (very important)
Start small and keep increasing drill size.
+1 on easy outs sucking, especially the squared shank ones. Get Screw extractors instead—WAY less likely to snap off inside the stuck bolt—available at good hardware stores. They work the same as an easy out, but won’t make your already sucky situation even worse. VERY hard to get out a broken off high carbon steel tip from a snapped off easy out. Combined with Kroil and some sharp drill bits, you can get that thing as the other guys described with the right sized extractor
you have so much meat to work with on that bolt, if you go slow and just do the steps you should have no problem getting that out. you torqued that thing off, so - you'll need a good grip to get it out, but when it lets go - it will just come right out.
I'd try using a sharp pick to hopefully spin the piece out , first .
Easy outs can work and I've had 'some' luck with them .
I will caution anyone that attempts to use them to be very careful to not set them too hard into the intended piece , as that can easily spread/mushroom the piece , making it much harder to remove . Use just enough force to get a decent starting grip for the easy out .
I understand the centerpunch technique but it will just jam an aluminum bolt in worse. Use the smallest left hand drill bit from harbor freight to make your pilot hole. Aluminum cuts easy and then step up to larger bits. You aren’t necessarily trying to drill it out completely. If you go slow,I mean by hand slow, you will feel it release and walk out. PB blaster or marvel oil helps and a quick blast with a torch to the case around it. God sake man cover the transfers. You might have to step up until you are same diameter as the inside of threads. The remaining threads will just fall out. Whatever you do chase that when done.
I like a little hand tool that holds easy outs and drill bits got at hardware store, makes it easier to get a grip and turn bolt without stripping. yea, a bolt that size you could probably just spin it with a small file and just tapping it with a hammer gently.
The centerpunch is used just once to make a dimple in the center of the broken bolt. This is necessary to prevent the drill from wandering off the center of the bolt and perhaps damaging the threads. The centerpunch is generally not used to drive the broken bolt out.
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