Sheared bolts

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Curt

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Well Uggga duggas are a problem when not used correctly.A tire shop that doesn’t torque your lug nuts is isn’t a place I’d take my truck.No one likes replacing broken studs,no likes using a 1” cheater on a 1/2” breaker bar cause some jackleg wants to crank on your **** with an over air supplied 1/2” thundergun.

what’s your damn ass teen supposed to do when they can’t break the lugs loose.....oh I know,call dad.
 

shiftpro

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That's impressive... they are pretty big bolts and only get torqued down to something like 45 lb-ft. I would get out the welder and weld a nut on the end, then back them out
Literally a 5 minute job once the welder is set up. I wouldn't even bother with a nut.. just use 60/10 and build up a knob with enough meat to grab it with a small needle nose VISE-GRIP.
 

Bennyt

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Every machine shop that I've worked with has had a torque wrench calibration thing mounted on a bench. Looks like a produce scale with a socket on front. Also, the local
Matco guy had one on his truck.

You can always just use a second torque wrench with corresponding socket and check against each other. I usually mount my Click type torque wrench in a vise at center of scale, so 75 on a 0-150 and use a beam type wrench, which I find to stay very true unless damaged, and torque to see if they match.

I only use my click type on lug nuts, and to quickly torque bolts that need to be brought up in phases such as a head bolt that gets torqued at 50, 100, 150 and do final torquing with a beam or dial. So 50, 100 with click, 150 with beam/dial.

Also torque wrenches, and most gauges, are most accurate at center of scale, and deviate farther from there. A 0-100 might be accurate at 50 but off by 5 pounds, an exaggeration, at 25.

To the OP, I too recently tried to torque the bolts on my son's diff cover and found 20-25 pounds to be way too high. I wonder if there is a misprint in manuals that has carried forward for 40 plus years. I wonder if it's inch pounds? I felt like 10-12 foot pounds was enough.
 

hip2bsquare

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"....You're going to have lots if people say use an EZ out. That is always my last resort seen way to many of them broken off in the bolt which just complicates things..." well this has just happen to me...aaarrrgg!!:mad: any suggestions on how to remove the bolt? I am guessing the welder & washer trick? but my bolt is inset the hole a bit so not sure if able?:(
..thanks!!:oops:
 

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I would use a punch and try to tap it counter clockwise before drilling or welding anything. The bolt should not be under that much stress if the head is gone.
 

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Well shoot tried everything can’t get them out. Gonna have to take it to someone with a welder
 

Bextreme04

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"....You're going to have lots if people say use an EZ out. That is always my last resort seen way to many of them broken off in the bolt which just complicates things..." well this has just happen to me...aaarrrgg!!:mad: any suggestions on how to remove the bolt? I am guessing the welder & washer trick? but my bolt is inset the hole a bit so not sure if able?:(
..thanks!!:oops:

If it was tight enough to break an EZ-out of in it, you only have two choices. Either completely drill out the bolt and tap the hole, or weld on a nut.
 

rpcraft

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When you have your own air gun, that only you use , you can be sure of the ugga-duggas over a period of time!!!


Everyone says that and then when you break out a good torque wrench you usually find out the opposite. I used to say the same thing until I lost 100 bucks on a bet. I had been wrenching on stuff for about 35 years at the time that happened.
 

rpcraft

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I am not sure what all ideas were thrown out originally but if you don't have something broken off in the bolts you can use some left handed drill bits and just start small and size up until you get close enough to just skim the inside of the bolt. Once you get pretty close to the threads you can probably go with an EZ out at that point if it doesn't come out. Also start with a good center punch to get your starting point in the middle of the bolt.
 

Camar068

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I am not sure what all ideas were thrown out originally but if you don't have something broken off in the bolts you can use some left handed drill bits and just start small and size up until you get close enough to just skim the inside of the bolt. Once you get pretty close to the threads you can probably go with an EZ out at that point if it doesn't come out. Also start with a good center punch to get your starting point in the middle of the bolt.

totally agree, but with that process I feel you have to be SUPER square/center on the bolt. That's one reason I always use this procedure as a last resort.
 

Italianwagon

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I tried drilling, center punching, left handed bits etc. I can’t get anything to make hole or even a start of a hole in the sheared bolt.
 

idahovette

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I am not sure what all ideas were thrown out originally but if you don't have something broken off in the bolts you can use some left handed drill bits and just start small and size up until you get close enough to just skim the inside of the bolt. Once you get pretty close to the threads you can probably go with an EZ out at that point if it doesn't come out. Also start with a good center punch to get your starting point in the middle of the bolt.
When it's your own gun and you use it to make money with, it gets checked quite regularly!!!...sorry quoted the wrong post..shoulda been the one about the air guns,,,,D'oh
 
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rpcraft

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Not trying to be combative but just saying, never be to proud to check with a torque wrench. Some things may actually cost a life. The smaller the fastener the larger the error is often times, maybe unless you are using torque sticks....
 

Turbo4whl

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I tried drilling, center punching, left handed bits etc. I can’t get anything to make hole or even a start of a hole in the sheared bolt.

You probably need a good quality carbide tipped drill bit. Many bits sold at auto parts stores are junk. I get what I need from MSC, but they will not sell to the public. Need a business account.

You need to drill slow and lube the bit with a good cutting oil. Bolts are case hardened, that means the center is softer metal. If you weld a nut to the bolt before drilling and it breaks off, this will heat harden the bolt center too.

When you finally get the drill bit to cut, drill all the way through the bolt. Starting in the center of the bolt is most important as, stated. Since the center is softer the bit will usually stay in the center. By drilling all the way through the tension on the threads is lessened.

If you choose to use a bolt extractor, I prefer the Ridgid brand. Tapered extractors are not as good on steel. Do not break the extractor. If the bolt does not easily screw out, pull the extractor out (Vise grips and pry it straight out). Then continue drilling to the bolt tap drill size. Then run in a tap, slowly. (Also previously stated)

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Ridgid Screw extractors
 

idahovette

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Not trying to be combative but just saying, never be to proud to check with a torque wrench. Some things may actually cost a life. The smaller the fastener the larger the error is often times, maybe unless you are using torque sticks....
Jeez @rpcraft ,didja read the post, I said it gets checked regularly....ok?...sorry I didn't elaborate
 

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