OK for starters, don't ask how this happened....... I need to remove a broken bolt that used to hold on the lower pulleys etc. on a 292 ci GMC. When I went to get an "easy out" the "professional parts counter guy" had two choices, the (normal to me, at least) and a square one........which one works the best, or is there any difference? Thanx for any info
None, the last thing I'd use to get a broken bolt out is an easy out. If you break an easy out off inside you're going to have a huge problem. There are better ways. I'd try to carefully drill it out staring with a small drill bit and a lot of oil and working up to a drill large enough to run a tap through.
I'm not sure which one is the normal one to you, but I'm ***uming is the one that is reverse twisted. Theres an easy out kit out there, and I cant remember which one it is, but the twist drills are also reverse twisted, meaning you drive the drill in reverse to drill into the piece. More often than not when I use that the broken piece comes out just with the drill. First I would add a little heat to it, melt some parafin wax into the threads, then go for the easy out. Thats what I would do, just my .o2
NONE......ever=most dum *** tool ever made=brakes off and makes it imbosibul to fix. ;hard pick and a small hammer/drive around tell ya can grab it[if not] drill with good bit three hole across it's top and make those into a slot for flathead screw driver or drill down center with bigger and bigger tell you can then retap it.
The no name mystery brands are total ****. Only use brand name ez-outs, like Cleveland. Check where they are made, if you wouldn't go there on vacation, keep looking. I usually drill the hole larger than specified on the chart.
I have a set of the square ones and they work as well as the twisted type..Just remember that if too much effort is used it gets tighter and can lead to the e-out breaking..As previouly mentioned a little heat, penetrant, even a healthy rap with the center punch helps..
The long splined type like this set from SnapOn is the best I've used. Other people sell them for less also. Comes with everything needed and since they are straight the broken stud doesn't bite tighter on the threads. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...&group_ID=1254&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
What we do at work when we need to remove a broken stud, bolt, etc. is firstly determine why it broke off. I'e. seized (as in galled threads, rusted in, heavy handed operator, whatever. This will often piont you in the right direction from the start. A lot of times you can tap it with a small centre punch to unscrew it. I think ez outs are rubbish. Never had luck with them. Best method is to drill out to the tapping drill size, pick out the threads with a scriber, and re-tap the hole with a worn tap. Good luck and lots of patience (and a little Rost Off) to you Louie
I have used the tapered square easy outs for years and they work incredibly well with absolutely no failures!!!! The reality is I use them to remove the square socket head pipe screws installed in many Chevy 6 & V8 engines. My father always said there should be a law against selling any of these extractors. I have always drilled them out and if there are damaged threads after the job is done install a Heli-Coil. Over the years I have made up various chisels that are ground at an angle to work on getting the broken piece to turn out. The best thing to do if you are not comfortable with drilling them out is to take it to someone with skills to do so: an experienced person at your local automotive or general machine shop for example. The first and most important step to take is to secure the part being worked on in a vise or on a workbench, do not try to drill a part that is flopping around the bench. If the balancer is where the bolt is broken remove the balancer. If the broken bolt is in the crank snout holding the balancer on that takes a high level of patience and skill since you will be in an awkward position. The drilling out method starts with getting a good center punch mark as on center as possible and then starting with a small drill (1/8" or smaller) and drill to the end bottom of the hole. Be attuned to the sound of the drill motor when you are at the end as the most common time for a drill to break is when you are breaking through the piece. Increase the size of the drills by 1/16 or so and you can elect to leave a step at the bottom once you get around 1/2 of the broken bolt diameter. Once you get close to the diameter of the bolt being paper thin then you can take a small chisel and try to turn the broken bolt. NOW you can also use a square type easy out if indeed you left a shallow step at the bottom and the rest of the bolt has been drilled. If you are off center a bit you can start rolling the bolt from the edge of the thin side and quite often the broken bolt will collapse and come out with needle nose pliers. We made a lot of money when people would bring in heads, manifolds etc with everything broken off in the hole so be prudent when working with hardened tools such as drill bits and extractors.
All good alternative methods. I have had little need or success with ez outs. Seems as previously mentioned it is best to determine the cause and then use the appropriate action to get the broken piece out. Drilling and picking is good, best is the punch to rotate it out if it is that kind of breakage. If corroded in then drilling may work still but heat and pour some oil or penetrant over the hot stud as the oil cools it, the oil is also drawn into the thread space which should help release it if frozen in. I had a real stuck exhaust manifold stud and managed to weld a bolt onto what was left of the broken stud and then used heat and oil and it basically wizzed out.
Big +1 on the left hand drills used with thought, patience,and preheat, wax, penetrant etc if possible. Hanson [Irwin] makes a 10 piece extractor set [with left hand cobalt drills], #11119. Got mine from local automotive parts supply house [non-national chain], had it in stock, just had to know exactly what to ask for from the right counterman. Last I knew McMaster Carr had them available mailorder. Have also found the deeper I can drill into the bolt/stud, the better the results, maybe something about relieving the wedge effect pressure. Don't rush the job, have found that is the fastest way to more work........been there more times than I care to remember. Ed
easy-out are not named right.they do not work easy and most times don't get it out. from what you discribed jut take the balancer off flip it over and drill the droken part out with luck the drill will catch and spin it out.
If the left hand drill bits don"t get it out I always drill and retap,ez-out are junk and just cause you to cuss alot more,paid $109 for a set from MAC-TOOLS first time I tried one it worked good 2nd time broke off and you can"t drill them out once broke off in bolt.should be called HARDER-OUTS.Good luck
I agree with this, they are the only ones I have had any luck with, You still need to use your head or they will break, I have had luck with a trick my high school auto shop teacher showed me for removing a broken tap or easy out, You use a cutting tourch with a fairly hot flame, don't try to melt the tap as you would to pierce metal rather heat for just a few seconds and then hit the o2 full on and leave it on. be ready for it to pop loudly a few times(tends to scare you and you let off the 02) leave the o2 on untill it stops popping, as I understand it the high carbon content in the hardend steel is what burns(more explodes) when done right it will remove the tap/easy out while leaving the surrounding metal intack.
Did you break it trying to remove an old bolt or installing a bolt too tight? If you broke it installing the bolt, what's left of the bolt may spin out pretty easily. If it's an old bolt, I'd say it will need to be drilled out to the threads.
I've used a Carbide drill to remove broken Taps. Takes time, and the right equipment. No reason it won't work on a EZ Out.
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