I am sharing a procedure for removing broken bolts or studs using a mig welder and a wrench. We have been using this technic for a number of years at our shop and it works well in most cases. Do not give up if your first attemp is not successful...like anything else practice and persistance along with honing your procedure will produce results. Good luck. broken manifold stud grind of the top of the broken bolt area only but not the area around it. set your mig welder as if you were welding 1/4" steel...cut your wire with some side cut pliers (this will promote good contact) make sure you have a solid ground connection from your welder to the part. center your gun/wire over the stud...weld as if you were putting down a heavy tach weld, try to cover the diameter of the bolt without going over the edges...try to make a steel pancake...not too much build-up...repeat this process stacking another thin steel pancake on top each time(on a 3/8 bolt you would likely make about six welds which would stack up about1/4-3/8" tall. you are now ready too set a nut on the stud you have created out of weld...choose a nut that will set on the stud that comes about halfway up thru the nut (squeeze in the vise or drill one out till it fits nice. cut your wire again with the side cutters (I do this every time) center your gun/wire over the stud weld to the stud first then let the weld wash out into the nut all around, filling it with weld until you are flush with the top of the nut...try to weld without stopping but also not melting off the side of the nut the nut and stud should be cherry red when you are done...it will cool pretty quickly..so wait a couple minutes. put your boxed end wrench on the nut applying some pressure left and then right...if you get some rotation stop...now apply your favorite flavor of penetrating fluid on and around the stud...it will smoke alot...then gently tap the stud with a small hammer as if to vibrate it...put the wrench back on and rotate back and forth...spray again..tap a little etc. when it moves with less effort continue to take it out. if you break off the stud or nut repeat the process over...I have got some of these *****s out on the fifth or sixth time...nuts are cheap and this whole process does not take a long time. This has worked well for me, and has saved alot of effort etc. Good luck, if any body has any questions...fire away, I will help if I can.
Donn, Yes, it will work...when the bolt is surrounded by steel you must be very accurate welding onto the stud only...small intervals of welds or pancakes help you stay on target...if you get some weld on the surrounding metal, stop and cut that area out with a small carbide burr on a die grinder and then continue on...I have had good results on any broken bolt in most any scenario. The idea is the weld expands the stud because it is super heated..but the surrounding metal is not. when it cools the stud shrinks and it breaks the tension around it. I have had several customers bring things to me after they have drilled (off center etc) and broken off easy-out, a drill or taps...and we can usaully still get them out...in a tricky case we will heli-arc weld them for more accuracy and heat, but a mig will work most times.
I read in the tips and tricks thread where someone had suggested putting a washer down first to avoid weld contact with the surrounding metal. Seemed like a good precaution. I will try that next broken stud or bolt I have to remove. Hopefully that won't be for a while.
Great write up on this. My dad taught me this years ago and it has worked almost everytime I have used it.
Jus want to report that I worked in the garage today and one of my many projects (bug) had a broken fender to body bolt that caught my attention. I used the washer tip and welded a nut on and the stud backed right out without an issue! Great tip I will use many times over from now on! Thanks.
I spoke too soon and cursed myself. Saturday night while blowing my COE apart, one of the grab handle bolts broke, Dang !
shortfleet, sorry to hear about the self curse..I hate when that happens...the tip on the washer is a good suggestion. Thanks for the comments also.
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