whats up guys. recentely, i've been breaking quite a few bolts and it's pissing me off! how can you prevent snapping them? obviously you've got to ease them out somehow. secondly, is there anything you can really do once you've snapped one? there has got to be some kind of tool to use to get those damn nubs out. if not, i'm screwed

 

Yeah, you're pretty much screwed once they've snapped. There are screw extractor sets where you drill into the body of the broken screw and then hammer the extractor into the hole and then back it out. but if the bolt was frozen so bad that it sheared, then you're probably out of luck. Not to mention drilling a hole in the jagged surface of a broken bold isn't likely to go well, the bit will walk all over the place.

If you pop the head off from overtorquing while tightening that's another story because the threads themselves are usually not frozen and that is the case where the extractor works, as does a left-handed drill bit. But breaking them while loosening is harder to fix.

If extracting it isn't an option, sometimes you have to drill the hole larger and re-tap it the next bigger size. If you can't go any bigger or just want the screw to be the same size as the original then you can use a thread insert (heli-coil is a name brand). Or, depending on the location you might just drill through and put a longer bolt and a nut on the backside. Say for example you were fastening two flanges together in the exhaust.

Did you soak them with penetrating oil or WD-40 before going at it? Sometimes heat works so you might try a propane torch.

 

been using penetrating oil, yes. seems like the guy that owned this car before has never had the bumper off lol. the two bolts underneath, securing it, both snapped =/

 

you can get screw extactor sets that are basically are reversed thread drill bits that get larger at the top, you drill a hole and then put it in there as it grabs more it will take the piece out. Or at least thats what it is supposed to do. You can make something called ATF acetone 50/50 mix with chemicals you can get at home depot, try doing a search for how to make it that is supposed to be the best by far but it will eat through paint. Liquid wrench performs the best of the products that are usually available, i read a magazines article that did an independent test. Just spray it on there and let it sit for a while. The key is to put never seize on every single bolt you ever put on your car they will never seize up. But be careful if you put it on something that vibrates alot it will loosen up over time so you need to check periodically if you put it on engine bolts etc.

 

What kind of tool were you using? I personally have also snapped bolts when it was not a good situation to snap bolts. Had to leave on what I was trying to get off. Sucked.