Messy stripped bolt

[Bordom]

Any ideas how to get this bolt out of the rear diff bracket?

[Bruch]

I don't see a picture, but maybe it's this iPad.

[Halfrican]

I don't see a picture, but maybe it's this iPad.

The picture is broken.

[zandrew]

Can't see it but take a nut and hold over the bolt and weld down through center of the nut. The heat from the weld will expand the bolt and break it loose from whatever that has it hug. You can use the nut to turn it off after letting it cool just a little bit. Not a lot though.

If the head of the bolt is in good shape take a torch and heat it up and the same thing as above.

[Bordom]

Here's the fixed image

EDIT: Having trouble getting the image to show

EDIT2: Fixed

[ElliottG]

Still broken. You need to take the direct link and use it in the [img] tags.

Here it is, though.

[Bordom]

Can't see it but take a nut and hold over the bolt and weld down through center of the nut. The heat from the weld will expand the bolt and break it loose from whatever that has it hug. You can use the nut to turn it off after letting it cool just a little bit. Not a lot though.

If the head of the bolt is in good shape take a torch and heat it up and the same thing as above.

As you can see in the fixed image, it's pretty much stripped circular. I don't have access to a welder either.

[Corrado_Guy]

The other option is to drill the head of the bolt off just leaving the stud of the bolt and then replace it. It is pretty tight there and may be hard to fit an extractor but a drill will make short work of it.

[bhusted]

Welding a nut on the end would probably be the cleanest method for extraction. Without that, I think you'll have to go with a sharp bit and drill out the head. Those hex key bolts are hardened, so it will take some work. Make sure you oil the bit as you drill. Once you've removed enough of the head of the bolt, you should be able to remove that bracket and grab the remains of the bolt with a pair of vise grips to remove the rest. Take the remains to your local hardware for a replacement.

To avoid this in the future, set the hex key in the hole with a hammer before you start wrenching. If you suspect if could be a tough one, heat the bolt with a torch and then hit it with as much water as you can. Heating and cooling the bolt will usually break it free from any rust.

[zandrew]

As you can see in the fixed image, it's pretty much stripped circular. I don't have access to a welder either.

I was in a pinch the other day with a head bolt that holds the caps on. I took a dremel and a cutting wheel and took my time and cut 6 sides on it so I could get a wrench on it. Came right out. I have also seen people use a cut off wheel and simply cut a groove in a blt and use a flat head screw driver to remove it.

If this don't work then simply drill the head off and remove with vise grips as stated. I have had to do this as well and it works.

[Switt23]

What i've done with several of mine is taken a 12mm socket and a hammer and pounding it over the bolt so it's on tight. Then you can pop it loose with the socket wrench and take a small screwdriver and a hammer and pound the bolt back out of the socket.

Not sure you will be able to fit a socket in the bracket on that bolt though.

[MrSnickelsnizer]

Take a torx that is a pretty good fit but the points extend past the stripped center hole. Then line it up and beat on it with an extension connected to it. Beat it in in till the points have cut new grooves in the bolt. I just did this on the three of the four crank bolts for the crank pulley. Then when it is in there nice and snug twist out the bolt. It works 90% of the time on stripped allen bolts.

[Bordom]

Thanks for all the replies and great suggestions! Failing any of the above mentioned (besides welding on a nut) would I be able to chisel/hammer it out?

[andyrew]

Soak it in PB every hour, Hit the bolt with a hammer medium strength (Not enough to do damage if you miss..), repeat. Then do above, and yes a chisel method works but you have to be very aggressive. I like to cut a slot with a dremel first then start chiseling.

[twofaze]

I would just get a Irwin stripped bolt socket set from Advance. It grabbed my two stripped allen head bolts
on the A/C adjuster pulley and cam gear when I did my timing belt. I had tried many of the methods
listed above. Bought me a set, five minutes later they were off.