Alright, so i started to do the tc drop and snapped a bolt straight off. I've been soaking them for two weeks. Oh well.

I've never drilled and tapper before. Any pointers?

Can i use the new hardware that came with the kit, or do i have to make the hole larger than the original hardware?

 

Drill it as close to center as you can, heat it up with a torch (mapp gas works best) then spray it with rust penetrant. wipe off, reheat, spray. Do this a few times the heat will pull the penetrant in to the threads. Use an extractor to try to get the broken bolt out, you may get lucky and have it all come out in one piece.
before you try to unthread the bolt get it as hot as you can, then hurry up while it is still hot and try to unscrew it with the extractor tool.

*****CAUTION*****

BE READY FOR A FIRE!!!..........DON'T GET BURNT!!!.........DON'T BREATHE THE SMOKE FROM THE RUST PENETRANT!!!......DON'T CATCH YOUR SELF ON FIRE!!!

 

I've been told those extractors suck and aren't worth the time or money.

Truth?

That's why i was just going to drill and tap

 

Not too sure about those but I know for sure that these work. I've used them lots of times and never had a problem, that is as long as you don't count snapping the bolt off...

 

Woah-ho-ho!

What are those little toys of joy called?

 

They are Irwin bolt extractors. I got them at Lordco Auto Parts in Cranbrook BC. They cost me about $90.00 but worth the price. Just Google Irwin bolt extractors.

 

I hve and love those little toys of joy just beat em on with a hammer and I let my impact do the rest

 

It's been my experience that using heat can work for you or against you. If you're removing a rusted or cross threaded nut, heat will expand the nut enough to get it off a bit easier, as long as you don't get the bolt as hot as the nut. If you're removing a bolt, heat will make the bolt expand making it bind up even more, making it even harder to remove.

 

If the extract tool doesn't work, you'll have to go larger. Even if you could drill to the exact center, which is unlikely, the tap wouldn't align properly with the existing threads, and would ruin them.

 

As a Millwright I have removed cut broke fixed more bolts threaded rod etc etc than most likily all of you, but anyhow as far as using heat aka atorch whatever type and for your info oxy/ac, torch is the best hands down.( But most of you wont have one so map gas is the next one to use for cost reasons). As far as using heat if you know what your doing very seldom will it fail you,of course for exp. a bolt that is to rusted to be able to heat up can be removed with extractors,same goes for these you must know how to use them first and they do usaully work fine (size matching)So if you can remove the bolt etc and you can retap the threads you are good to go if you ruin the threads then well your answer is simple.Hope this get rid of some of the above myths.

 

Appreciate it. I don't have the extractors and Im strapped for cash with college in less than a month, so ill probably end up just drilling and tapping a new hole.

 

The extractors Rudy pictured are also sold at Sears. The Craftsmen ones are identical in design (and are probably made by Irwin), but because they are labeled "Craftsmen", are guaranteed with Sears' 'walk in, hand the bad tool over, leave with another' warranty.

 

What size bolts would you recommend i install? I don't understand bolt sizes at all...

 

the only thing I have to add is that Kroil is the best penetrating oil. I have found that if you cut the end fitting off one of those a/c freon charging hoses you have cold, free flowing freon. After you heat with the torch, immediately cool with the freon. The rapid heating and cooling of the bolt usually does a great job of breaking the thread rust/ junk free. Only downside is that the rapid cooling can (rare) crack the metal you are working on. The above bolt extractors work very well if you have some exposed boltto grab. My experience is that the extractors that you have to drill a hole in the bolt and stick the extractor in are the worthless ones. Good luck to you, broken bolts, screws suck. I almost always use grease on threads and stainless bolts when possible. I hate thread locker in almost all situations.