Dougs951S

I've been having repeated issues with the bolts holding my rack to my crossmember backing out fron vibration. I pulled them off today to add loctite and lockwashers and while I was snugging the upper driver side bolt up, it snapped off with most of the threaded section still tightly threaded into the crossmember. I know, I should have used new stainless hardware. I've already pulled the other 3 bolts out and I'm fishing for what I should do next..If I can get the bolt out I should be ok, I dont think the Xmember bolt holes are stripped. What would you guys do? Should I try a drill and 5/16 easy out first, or would a left hand drill bit be better? I'm not sure I'll have enough room to turn a bolt extractor in a T handle tap wrench. I REALLY dont want to have to remove the rack to fix this.

chrenan

This happened to me and JustinL when we were putting his race car back together. We made a valiant attempt to fix it in car, but no luck. Used an engine brace to support the motor from above, pulled the crossmember, and 5 minutes with my drill press and the bolt was out.

Dougs951S

Damnit that is not good, I dont have access to a drill press or anything like that and I'm really, REALLY not keen on pulling the X-member at this time. I absolutely hate to do so, but I might have to find a way to do a hack fix on this until later this year when I can attend to it properly in my own garage. I just dont want to go that far down the rabbit hole in a parking lot where I am currently forced to work. Hell its going to be a bitch just to get a power cord over to my car to run a drill. F*ck!

I might just have to center punch it and keep drilling it with larger and larger drill bits until I can pull the threads out, I dont want to drill it oversize and tap it because I dont think I'll be able to do that in car. I may need a right angle drill for this.

alxdgr8

Is there any bit left sticking out?

I've used these in the past with some luck.

Darwantae951

Unless it bottomed out, the bolt shouldn't be tight in the threads.

chrenan

It actually can't bottom out if I remember correctly, the holes go right through the cross member. However access is tricky, and in our case it broke off flush so there weren't any easy options.

Dougs951S

Broke flush, or at least behind the surface of the rack. I am also thinking it will not be in there too tight. I know the bottom holes go all the way through the x member, is that true for the top ones as well? Its hard to tell when looking at it from the bottom in the car. If so then it should be easy to walk it out with a left hand drill bit or smack a straight flute extractor into it and spin it out with vise grips.

Van

Weld method.

PorscheDoc

Drill it out, timsert. Done. Do NOT use an easy out.

For some reason I have seen the upper driver side broken off in crossmembers more than any other hole.

Tom M'Guinn

Exactly, and since you were just now installing it, it shouldn't be stuck in place. You might try a small reverse drill bit and see if it backs itself out -- it should. A little penetrating oil might help in that regard. Or even cut a tiny slot and use a tiny screwdriver. I'd avoid an ez out, since those like to snap off and make the problem worse. If you use progressively bigger bits, worst case you can helicoil it and make it stronger than new. I would not run it on three bolts personally as the steering may wonder that way...

adrial

+1

Mangonesailor

Is there a specific type of lock-tite that should not be used?

Dougs951S

Well guys I looked at it today with fresh eyes and it looks even more grim. My first real attempt to do anything is going to have to wait till I can get a hold of a right angle drill. Its a shame because I have a fine collection of air tools and my air drill is very compact, would easily fit and get the job done. I just dont have access to an air compressor at the moment. I'm going to disconnect the AC/alternator belt tensioner from the block on the driver side and lever the compressor out of the way, this will hopefully give me enough clearance to get an electric right angle drill in on center and attack with a 9/64 left hand drill bit. If that fails or I mess the threads up I'll be pulling the Xmember anyway, so lets hope it backs out and that I can drill it straight.

gruhsy

We have had the greatest success at work with left hand drill bits. Did you tap out your old threads and clean before installing the new hardware? You probably had damaged threads or crap in it before installing the bolt. The loctite will only cure in the absence of oxygen so you may get lucky with it not curing, especially if you did not use a loctite primer first....just speculating on the that. Loctite primer is recommended for use on aluminum.

We deal with Navy stuff that has seized and broken off quite often....after spending time at sea.
We always get the stuff out and most often using a left had bit.

The loctite was not the reason for your bolt breaking off. Something was damaged before hand.

Clean out and check the threads before reassembly.

Most of the protected threads in systems have used either Loctite or thread coating product.

Loctite is a Mil-spec product and has it's uses. Choosing the appropriate thread locker is what is important if using. It's not a one product for all locations.

And as far as it's use goes I think the Billion Dollar company I work for and our engineers know what they are doing

Good luck with getting out the broken stud. Try some penetrating fluids as well.

Dougs951S

No thats just the problem, it wasnt new hardware. The bolt I broke was one of the originals that I was planning on replacing but I decided to try snugging it back up first to see if it would hold. No loctite on it. I didnt put much torque on it at all before it sheared off in the middle of the shank.


Rob, thats very generous of you and I may take you up on that offer if it comes to that. If I have to go so far as remove the cross member, I think mine will be able to be saved. I dont think removing the bolt with it out of the car is going to be an issue, and I do not believe it is damaged currently.