What to do when you break an ease-out

[BadDog]

Ever broke an ease-out off in a bolt? Ever notice they always break flush? And they are harder than common drill bits so don't even try to drill them out without special stuff. Well, I broke the steering limiter off in the driver's side knuckle trying to adjust it. Took the hub off, set it up in the drill press, drilled a hole through the center. Next, I went through repeated sessions of penetrating oil, heat, work with the ease-out, oil, heat again, some hammer love'in thrown in here and there, not doing any good. Eventually, I got too pushy and broke the ease-out (doing it by hand so I probably go too much side load

). So now I'm thinking @#$#$, @#$%, and @##$ @%#5 just for good measure.

Then I looked over at my new welder and thought, WTF! Cleaned up what was left of the bolt real nice, and proceeded to "make" myself a new bolt head. Welded the ease-out into the bolt (nice and strong), built it up about 1/4" or more, ground two sides flat, add penetrating oil again, and worked it with a pair of vice-grips. Had it out in about 10 minutes!

(doing the Snoopy Happy Dance!) There was only one small problem, my hand slipped when I started one of the arcs and I welded the bolt into the casting just a little bit. A couple of minutes with a die grinder and small pointed stone took care of that by grinding down the minimal penetration (arc was there probably less than a sec) till I could see the bolt outline again.

So, if you're ever in that position, grab a welder and GOOD LUCK!

Russ

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, 205, D60/C14, 4.56 Locked, 4" lift, 42" tires
Some day: massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.

 

[K10ANDYKHAMNIC]

get a carbide drill bit and a dremel with a carbide bit and a truckload of patience .....

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4292257869&show_all=1&start=1>wheeling and carnage pics</a>

 

[Stomp]

Cuss and scream and start throwing tools

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/custar/index.html>Your parents WANT you click here, NOW!!</a>

 

[BadDog]

Yeah, it's possible to cut out or otherwise remove a broken ease-out. It's not the end of the world but, it is a real PIA. Besides, all I had on hand was TiN or high-speed steel bits and I was running VERY low on patience.

Russ

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, 205, D60/C14, 4.56 Locked, 4" lift, 42" tires
Some day: massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.

 

[87superblaze]

Through out the part and buy a new one!!

Had that happen to me on my brake bleeders. It was one of those days were everything goes wrong ( everytime I work on the blaze.) Anyway the tip of the bleeder broke off, whipped out the ease out set, heat, WD40, visegrips, broke off the ease out. Used the drill bits and when it was almost out, SNAP! There goes the bit!!! ARRRRR SON OF A @#%$^&amp;. There goes the tools across the garage. Luckily the new caliper is only $11.

Sucks when that happens to 3 out of 4 corners. Just decided to replace all calipers and wheel cylinders.



My Truck <a target="_blank" href=http://www.community.webshots.com/user/nicksm79>http://www.community.webshots.com/user/nicksm79</a>

 

[tori89k5]

I had a similar experience, I bought a set of drill bits made by "RODMAN" and they ate the crap out of the extractor i had broken off. These things work. The more you abuse them the better they work. I paid around $45 for a set of 5
I imagine they have a website..... but if you cant find info on them let me know and i will dig up my paperwork. Oh ya...
they have a lifetime guarantee too..... against breakage and dulling.... and they honor it with no problem!
These drill bits work !

1990 K5 4" lift, 33" MTR's, 14FF w/ Detroit locker, D44 w/ posi, 4.10's Raptor Tranny and Velvet Rides !

 

[aandpman]

Cuss loudly.

That happened to me once, on the CRANK BOLT on my wife's '79 supra (one of the first made). Could NOT get it out and could not afford to pull the engine and install another.
Finally let it sit there till I moved, and had a junk guy haul it off.
That was in my poor and stressed out days.....

No, it's NOT a gate, it's a "Deer Damage Preventer"
85 K10, 305 700R4 33's 3.08's (14bff & D44 in the works now, w/4.10's ;-)

 

[TorkDSR]

frame it, and leave a piece of blood stained cloth in the the frame to remind you of the good time you had while doing it

beligerence doesn't justify intelligence.
<font color=blue>wheelers hate posers.</font color=blue>
<font color=red>79k15/400/700r4/205/38.5</font color=red>

 

[Twiz]

Good thinkng Russ.

I did the same thing -kinda-. Snaped a rack-and-pinion mounting bolt off, flush with the fire-wall. I welded a little bead on the bolt, till I had enuff to get some vise-gips on it and twisted it out. No problem. It really worked great.

But...

I couldn't fit the helmet inside the fender well, and the welding goggles were too dark to see. So, I used some shades

. (don't even start preaching 'cuz I all-ready know, now

). Man, you wanna talk pain, eye-lids felt like they were 80-grit.
You'll never catch me doing that again.

<font color=white>.</font color=white>Eric
<font color=white>.</font color=white>Twizted

 

[WOODYJ]

I have found another way to extract e-z outs. It just depends where they are and whether you can get to them. Get a punch and break the easy out out of the bolt. Blow the extra metal out every now and then with air. The e-z outs are usually really hard and will break or shatter with a blow of a good punch and a hammer. In turn, it sometimes will loosen the bolt in the threaded area and will be much easier to extract. I know that there some places that this just won't work--but there are more that it will. Been buying these great breaking e-z outs now for the best part of 30 years---they still break just when you don't want them to. Hope this helps!

k5woody I Don't Understand The Jeep Thing Either!!!

 

[pcorssmit]

What to do when you break an EZ out:

1. Curse. This should come instinctively.
2. Locate beer.
3. Consume said beer.
4. Think to self...self, you're a dumbass. I told you to be more careful.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 as neccessary.

As for braking off the bleeder screw in a front caliper--I recently had to replace a rear '77 Eldo Caliper that I FUBAR'd trying to remove a broken bleeder screw. Was extrememly lucky though, walked around the junkyard with no luck, the last Eldo I found was rear disk, the wheel removed, the caliper pins out, all I had to do was cut the e-brake cable and the line. $10 caliper, ~$7 rebuild kit, and I was back in bidniss.

Pete

'83 K5, 350 TBI (ex 6.2), 700R4, NP208, Dana 60/14 bolt, 4.56s, Detroits, 3" lift, 15-39.5x15 TSLs
'97 Dodge 2500 4x4 CC LB Sport, Cummins 5 spd

 

[BadDog]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

I couldn't fit the helmet inside the fender well, and the welding goggles were too dark to see. So, I used some shades. (don't even start preaching 'cuz I all-ready know, now). Man, you wanna talk pain, eye-lids felt like they were 80-grit.

<hr></blockquote>
No preaching here, I did pretty much the same thing long ago. Helmet was in the way so I use a set of cutting goggles. I thought to myself, "Not going too be long so this should do ok. How bad could it be, and do have some protection." BS!!! It's amazing how BAD that hurts isn't it? That's something you will never do twice. You couldn't pay me enough to do that again (well, it would take allot anyway

).

K5Woody: Good idea on the punch. I didn't think of that.

One other thing I forgot to mention. I did repeatedly heat the thing with a torch trying to get the bolt out but, I think the much hotter heat resulting from welding on the bolt (and faster heat increase on the bolt alone) had a significant influence on the bolt loosening up enough to work out with the vise-grips.

Russ

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, 205, D60/C14, 4.56 Locked, 4" lift, 42" tires
Some day: massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.

 

[SkulzNBonz]

Another easy way (if you have access to a welder) is to weld another bolt on the bolt head of the stripped/stuck one. Then use your wrench. Works most of the time, and if it doesn't, the vice grips do.

1-800-MARINES When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight!!!!

 

[BadDog]

Yeah, that would work if there is some of the bolt still sticking out. Mine was flush (actually just below) with the surface. It would actually be easier to weld a nut onto a broken bolt if there is anything sticking up to weld to. If you can weld through the hole (without plugging the hole too soon) then you wouldn't have to worry about damaging the part by welding around the tip of the bolt. That was my first thought (use a nut) when I broke off the ease-out, but it would not work for me since there would be a gap under the nut which would have wound up with the bolt welded to the casting. Once I built up the pedestal, what's the point of adding the nut

. It was so small (the broken bolt, 3/8" or so) I doubt I could have effectively welded (to get good penetration) through the hole in the nut anyway.

All these things are possibilities that are viable in different scenarios. This will be good for the archives when others face these problems.

Russ

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, 205, D60/C14, 4.56 Locked, 4" lift, 42" tires
Some day: massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.