Broken bolts on front axle

[dirtymartini]

After the fact but I hope you washed the crud from around the assembly before you took it apart. That sandy crud will destroy anything inside the assembly if it gets in there..

Not too late, I haven't taken it apart yet but you are correct, this sand sticks to everything that has a little oil or grease on it. I'm going to spread out a tarp underneath and hope the dust devils stay away.

 

[Gord Baker]

Any guess on how that happened

It appears that she is still P'od with you and that you have been putting too much weight on the Front End. Get a Pro to extract the broken studs and replace all of them.

 

[dirtymartini]

It appears that she is still P'od with you and that you have been putting too much weight on the Front End. Get a Pro to extract the broken studs and replace all of them.

I started working on it yesterday. I removed 2 out of the three broken bolts easily. The third I had to drill and try an easy out. Even with heat I couldn't budge it. I'm going the HeliCoil route on that one.

 

[Gord Baker]

If it isn't too late, heat it up a bit and try some penetrating oil Do this a couple times. You can also put a washer and nut on top and weld it although that is what you should do first. Like I said, Pro Job. Good luck.
Give it a good straight on smack with a hammer. Helicoil is tricky last resort thing.

 

[5030]

I use with great success, the Howie machine method of removing broken off studs and bolts. My easy out's and spline drive extractors now stay in the tool box...

I place washer over the proud end of the broken fastener and MIG weld the washer to the broken part and then I MIG weld a suitable hex nut to the already welded on flat washer and use the hex nut to remove the broken bolt / stud. The heating of the fastener when welding on the washer plus the nut helps loosening the broken off fastener and it works (comes out) like a charm.

My extractors stay put away now, even the spline drive extractors are no match for the weld on method and if the fastener is broken off a bit below the surface, I just build it up with MIG weld and then add the washer and nut.

Of course you need a MIG welder and a steady hand to achieve the desired result.

 

[dirtymartini]

If it isn't too late, heat it up a bit and try some penetrating oil Do this a couple times. You can also put a washer and nut on top and weld it although that is what you should do first. Like I said, Pro Job. Good luck.
Give it a good straight on smack with a hammer. Helicoil is tricky last resort thing.

I tried all that first besides welding the washer and nut. I repeatedly soaked them in PB Blaster a couple days before I started in on it. The bolt had broken well inside the flange....

 

[kmesr9]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm in the same boat, it looks like only one bolt broke below the surface. I'm going to give it a shot. I had a similar problem a few years ago with the loader frame bolts. I will definitely blue loctite them when it goes back together.
I usually keep a lookout for these things when I grease the machine but a friend had the tractor for a couple years and I don't think it got much maintenance love lol.

What people don’t realize is most of the time drilling for the ez out typically produces enough heat to free up the bolt shank without taking a torch to it lol. Good luck!

 

[dirtymartini]

What people don’t realize is most of the time drilling for the ez out typically produces enough heat to free up the bolt shank without taking a torch to it lol. Good luck!

I wish lol. This one was really stuck. I had good purchase on the ez out and really had some torque on it. If I put much more on it I'm afraid the easy out would break.....and I definitely did not want that!

 

[kmesr9]

I wish lol. This one was really stuck. I had good purchase on the ez out and really had some torque on it. If I put much more on it I'm afraid the easy out would break.....and I definitely did not want that!

Then it was really stuck lol! That is when I’d break out the torch. Since you have a hole in the shank now the heat will get to the threads better. Also sometimes when working on stuck bolts I’ve found it’s good to stop once in a while, go away and get a sandwich then come back to it. Sometimes giving it time it would free up from the previous work.

 

[CalG]

this thread reminds me, I need to replace my lost set of LEFT HAND drill bits! At least an envelope of #10 or #11. ;-)