Stripped.....

So I stripped my first bolt and screw on the truck today. Got me thinking it would bee great if everyone shared thir best ways to remove stripped nuts, bolts, screws, whatever.

 

Big hammer, little luck!

Just kidding. The best ways I know of is an easy out or, if it is big enough that you are comfortable, I would drill it out. I am a machinist so drilling broken bolts doesn't bother me whatever the size. You may also be able to blow through it with a torch if there is nothing behind it.

 

Search the forum, My Friend, tons of info on removing broken, stripped bolts and studs, and broken screw extractors and E Z outs and..........

 

my go kart's engine bolts, i wanted them to be tight and i guess i didnt know my own strength and stripped the bolt with only a ratchet

 

I've heard of this method quite a bit. Does this involve drilling into it to the point that the bolt breaks? Usually I use a small hack saw and some vise grips but it takes time.

 

Cut one side of the nut with a cut off wheel then use a straight screwdriver and a hammer to break it.

 

Do yourself a favor and get a set of grip-tite sockets. Highly recommend them

you can get them at sears for 25.00

 

How did you know I just came back from lowes Stripped a bolt and nut. Seriously take out and replace.Retap helicoil if you have to. Heat ,easyouts. visegrips ,metric sockets ,Pipewrenches

 

Accompanied by a great deal of cursing. . .

 

Awesome tips everyone.

 

Reminds me of a kid I had in the shop about 30 years ago.

Me; "How did you break so many of those bolts off?"
He; "I didn't break them, they just broke."

Later, after demonstrating on one of them;; how to remove.........
Me; "Did you get the rest of those broke bolts out yet?"
He; "I tried, I can't."

Much later;
"Did you get them out yet?"
"I can't"

Me; "Okay, if you're sure about that; I'll just call up the owner and tell him his airplane is broke, can't be fixed, he can call the salvage yard to pick it up and go buy himself a new one."

.......silence..............
..

 

As far as bolts go,some times I weld another bolt to the stripped head,if I have the room

 

The single most important part of using a ez-out is to drill the hole dead centre, otherwise your in all kinds of shit.

 

And if you snap off an EZ out, your screwed!

 

Gas wrench, one size fits all.

 

Get a set of left handed drill bits. The others advice is good, as well.

 

Someone should put these tips together into a book!

 

My usual method is cussing, throwing offending wrench far enough to hit something expensive, going to the icebox for something cold, sulking a few minutes, then drilling, penetrating oil, EZ-Out. If EZ-Out breaks off in the bolt, a lot more cussing, using a needlenose to get what's left of the EZ-Out out, then drilling the bolt 90% and re-tapping to get what's left out. Worst experience of my life was replacing a water pump on a Toyota 20R, half the tiny little bolts broke off in the block, never again.

 

There are a number of techniques, but it depends on what is stripped, rounded off, broken or stuck, and where it is. No matter what others may advise on here, "gas wrench" does NOT "fit all". Some douche bags may actually try to use a torch to loosen a stuck gas cap or fuel line fitting, etc, but it's a fucking wonder they lived this long. Post a photo of what you are up against, there are a few INTELLIGENT and EXPERIENCED folks on here who will truly help you out.

 

weld a good bolt to the tip and extract with wrench, sometimes take cutoff and slice a deep slit in the remainder and get big screwdriver

also use a good penetrate, like zepreserve, or mix 50/50 acetone and ATF for a real good home made recipe