rounded bolt head-hydro drain plug

[aebsmithcreek]

hello all, i need some help here. while trying to drain the hydro fluid from my jd 5105 i found the plug must have been tightend with i one inch drive impact, couldnt budge it with a 3/8 turn handle and actually stripped the gears in the handle. rounded up a 1/2 socket and breaker bar and it just damaged the bolt head really bad. next i cleaned the burrs and managed to drive a socket one size smaller on and got my 1/2 impact, at first nothin happened at all but after holding steady pressure the socket started to turn!! i was elated for about 1/10 of a second, thats how long it took to realize the socket was turning but not the bolt. now i have a completely rounded bolt head that i cant grip with anything in my small arsenal. i live in the middle of no where and shutter to think of the travel and labor for the dealer to send a mechanic out to fight this thing out. any help will be much appreciated.

thanks to all.

earl.

 

[jon1996]

A Hammer and Good chisel may help you, Angle the Chisel towards the way it needs to loosen and hammer until you get the chisel dug into the plug, then nice firm taps, the vibration will usually do the work for you, Unless you have a welder then I would just weld a nut larger than the plug head onto it and bring it off, the heat helps when doing this,

 

[Fixemall]

File/grind it square and put a pair of 10 degree vise grips on it, hammer the grips with a five pound hammer and move on...if I had a dollar for every time I had to do ruin a good fastener because someone over torqued it I could fill my truck...twice.

 

[the6shooter]

Hey guy they acually make a socket for that very thing, And I cant think of the name. but its a socket that you drive on with a mallet, and then you add the impact driver. it's similer to an eazy out but for a bolt head. you can pick up a set at many auto parts store. I got my set at sears. hope this helps
david

 

[SandburRanch]

They make a wrench for round steel. It's called a pipe wrench.:laughing:

 

[Cpjlube]

The tool your looking for is a "strip socket". At least that's what i have seen them called. Irwin makes a really good one. So does Craftsman. Might be a good solution if your not comfortable with a chisel or don't have room. Also I have found that if you have a helper tap on the socket to keep it seated they will work pretty well.

Chuck

 

[MMagis]

They make a wrench for round steel. It's called a pipe wrench.:laughing:

Exactly. No need to go off searching for specialized tools when you probably already have exactly what you need, a pipe wrench.

 

[SimS]

If you can't reach it with a pipe wrench, Chuck gave a good suggestion. I've used these gizmos and they work. Good Luck.

5-pc BOLT-GRIP? Expansion Set - Tools - IRWIN TOOLS

SimS

 

[aebsmithcreek]

thanks to all, i already tried the pipe wrench and the head is to shallow to get a good bite so the wrench wants to roll, it would probably work had it not been over torqed. i will go today in search of a set of bolt grips and some good punches and chisels,all mine are el cheapos and break at every use. i really like the idea of welding another nut to it but i aint a good out of position welder and am afraid i will make matters worse than they are. @Fixemall, i can relate to that. one of the best mechanics i know in my trade has but one flaw that ive seen, his theory is who needs a torqe wrench, just tighten it til your scared somethin's gonna break. i hate goin behind him because of it. i do my best to never use vise grips for any thing but clamping but in this instance i may make an exception, i'll have to buy a good set of those to cause mine are chinese from tractor supply.
i really appreciate all the good suggestions and will get back on it tonight after work and i am praying to God that i will have good news to post before i go to bed tonight.
thanks again.
earl

 

[sweep]

i really like the idea of welding another nut to it but i aint a good out of position welder and am afraid i will make matters worse than they are. thanks again.
earl

If you are going to arc weld on a tractor like that, can't bearings in other parts of the tractor can be adversely welded by the welding process-it pits the bearings or something to that affect?? Maybe use a gas welder instead?

 

[Soundguy]

pipe wrench, small bottle jack.. usually gets them.. if it wont. sometimes you can take a cold chissle, start them intot he side and turn them out.

lastly.. and one that always works for me.. get a big hex nut and tack weld it to the rounded head of the plug.. then turn out with a wrench.

I have seen some use a file or grinder to grind flats into the old head to do the same.. IMHO.. welding a nut on is easier.. YMMV

I've never NOT gotten a drain nut off using one of those methods.

did have to drill a level check plug and ez-out it one time though..

soundguy

 

[aebsmithcreek]

If you are going to arc weld on a tractor like that, can't bearings in other parts of the tractor can be adversely welded by the welding process-it pits the bearings or something to that affect?? Maybe use a gas welder instead?

thanks Sound guy. in this case the heat probably wont be an issue because there is almost nine gallons of hydro oil to absorb the heat, i doubt if it would get any where near normal operating temp. another concern is the gasket but i am pretty confident using some wet paper towels wraped around the sump for a heat sink would solve that problem as well. it would be very little weld time and could be tacked on one side allowed to cool and then the oter side and so on until the weld was complete, i just doubt my skill welding over head.
earl

 

[Short Game]

When faced with that situation, I give up on the 6011 and use 1109. :confused2:

I know I'd be thinking about how to turn the tractor upside-down.

 

[accordionman]

HELLO,
i use an air hammer with a chisel. if you have
one, and the air compressor to power it, this is a good
way to remove bolts that have a rounded head, or drain
plugs.
caution, you have to real careful that you do not slip
off, and damage something else. when you get the part
out, then weld a large nut to the center, for future use.
good luck.
accordionman
wlbrown

 

[Kays Supply]

The heat of welding might be your friend. It could help make the plug easier to get out. Also, keep in mind hot hydraulic oil can burn/explode. I was inside a large machine at a cannery welding a broken lift arm. The hydraulic oil inside the arm exploded. It raised the whole machine off the ground with me inside. WHAT A RIDE.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Welding on a tank or in this case a reservoir is best done with the tank full of product. I have welded connections to diesel storage tanks and other flammable lines many times. The way to do it is to make sure you have good fluid coverage so it absorbs the heat and keeps the liquid below the vapor point. If you can't make the contents flow, then you need some volume to absorb the heat input. I doubt that welding a nut on would heat up 9 gallons of hydraulic oil to the flash point using an electric arc welder. Gas welding would for sure put more heat input into it and may never get it hot enough to fuse the metal prior to setting the whole thing on fire. Get a big enough nut to fit loosely over the rounded plug and hopefully the plug is sticking thru the nut a sufficent length to allow you to weld it when it is mostly flush. If not, just crank up the amps a bit and (I like to use 7018 for this) just bury the rod inside and keep it burning till it starts to fill the cavity. Let it cool and then try to remove the plug.

 

[Soundguy]

thanks Sound guy. in this case the heat probably wont be an issue because there is almost nine gallons of hydro oil to absorb the heat, i doubt if it would get any where near normal operating temp. another concern is the gasket but i am pretty confident using some wet paper towels wraped around the sump for a heat sink would solve that problem as well. it would be very little weld time and could be tacked on one side allowed to cool and then the oter side and so on until the weld was complete, i just doubt my skill welding over head.
earl

I've welded nuts to enough oil drain bungs to fill a 5g bucket. never.. ever had a pan gasket issue.. heck.. never had a bung gasket issue.. though I always repalce those anyway.

and if you keep the electrode and ground clamp close to each other, IE.. ont he same part.. there aren't any bearing / bushing problems to worry about.

just about every antique I buy has to have something welded on or welded OFF of it... never had an issue..

soundguy

 

[Cpjlube]

That's it! The previous owner tack welded it in to make sure it wouldn't loosen up over time. Haha. There's plenty of ways to get it out. I always try the least destructive way first and then work my way up the list. I usually get the plug out before I have to get the welder or the drill and easy out. Every way has it's advantages.

Chuck

 

[Fixemall]

I suggested the 10 degree vise grips because they have a built in notch for the filed head to catch on, trust me I know that it will work and there is no risk as there is with heat, chiseling etc.
As a bonus you get to go tool shopping! Just make sure you get the pair with the notch in the jaw, you will have a "lightbulb" moment when you see them.

 

[Soundguy]

That's it! The previous owner tack welded it in to make sure it wouldn't loosen up over time. Haha. There's plenty of ways to get it out. I always try the least destructive way first and then work my way up the list. I usually get the plug out before I have to get the welder or the drill and easy out. Every way has it's advantages.

Chuck

i do the opposite.

it's usually a 1-5$ plug I'm working on.. and I have no inclination of spending any extra time trying to save them.

if 'standard procedure' don't remove them.. a half a welding rod and a sacrificial hex nut takes all applicant.. none denied. takes less time for me to do that than assemble all the rube goldberg contraptions that I might use to extract and save a 'disposable' sump plug..

soundguy