Broken Bolt - I'm LOST

XTP_Dyer

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Nashville
So at long last, my RLC bumper was finally finished and I got it painted. When I removed my factory bumper, to of the main mounting points for the RLC, the right side ones to be more specific, broke. When I went to loosen them, the heads off the bolts broke CLEAN OFF. So, I was left with flush, broken bolts and I can't figure out how I'm supposed to get them off. I'm at the point where I'm about ready to throw in the towel and find a shop to solve this issue. Can ANYONE help me out here?

NOTE: I tried a bolt/screw extractor and because I don't have a blow torch, the extractor can't cut into the bolt. Any other options?
 

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
So. Here's what happened. The threads on that are SO gone and rusted that it wouldn't back out of the captive nut. So it snapped. An extractor isn't going to help. That remainder of the bolt is so hard stuck in there that once you got an extractor to bite, it'd just break too. Is it only one? Or all of them?

What you need to do, drill out the whole bolt & run a tap into it for the new bolt.

If it's just one, I'd say screw it and just bolt it up.
 
Last edited:

XTP_Dyer

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Nashville
You hit the nailed on the head...or bolt. When the extractor "bit" it about knocked the drill clean out of my hand and slipped the extractor off the drill. Oh, and yes, I did first tap a point and then drill a small hole of the appropriate size prior.

I spoke with a guy who had a similar instance and a guy who makes bumpers..They both said to just drill straight through the frame horn to the other side and use a grade 10 bolt with a nut and washer to go all the way through. Seems like it will be sturdier than the stock option.
 

DewDrop

Test Drive
Location
Vermont
When I break exhaust manifold studs off, I drill a hold in the stud and weld a nut to it. You could use a washer so you don't weld the nut to the steel bumper as well. It works great with alum. heads. The combination of heat and weld always break the bolt/stud free. Although drilling a hole and new bolt sounds pretty easy.
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
The stock mounting points are just a hole with a nut welded on the inside of the frame. I ran into the problem that the tack welds holding the nut in place broke off...so the bolt just spun in circles. I ended up having to cut the bolt out and drill through both sides of the frame. Used a 1/2" Grade 8 bolt and washers to bolt all the way through.

Little bit of a different issue that you are having...but point is, maybe the tack welds on the nut in the frame rail are the weaker point. Maybe if you had an air chisel and vibrated the nut/bolt enough, the nut would break off the frame rail. Then the bolt just falls out. Drilling through the other side of the frame rail wasn't too bad if you have the first hole open and free.
 

granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
as said before, drill all the way through and fun the bolt all of the way through. The bigger the washer that you use the better, remember that you are bolting through the crush zone, so if you are not careful you can crush them with the bolt. one thing that you can do is put a pieced of plate instead of a washer to help spread the load.

 

diablo3662

Bought an X
as said before, drill all the way through and fun the bolt all of the way through. The bigger the washer that you use the better, remember that you are bolting through the crush zone, so if you are not careful you can crush them with the bolt. one thing that you can do is put a pieced of plate instead of a washer to help spread the load.

this is amazing idea I may have to do this to my X help make it a lot stronger
 

granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
1/8 plate welded to the frame horns, and the square rube is 1 inch but 1/8 thick wall, it was some scrap that i had sitting around.

And before someone mentions that it eliminates the crumple zone, the great big steel bumper that is there started it. I just finished it off.
 
Top