Bolt head sheared off, oh $h..

So, I have a bolt rusted on the muffler clamp. Not very ideal, so I need to remove this rusted bolt.

I used my Dremel to carve out a notch for my screwdriver, no go. Tried my air ratchet, nope. Tried Vise Grips, heck no.

I've heard of using a drill, with a special bit, and heard of something called an EZ-out...

Anyone with experience? I have it sitting in solvent right now.

Maybe get a new clamp? Maybe I can use my Dremel to cut the old one off... hmmmm.....

Thanks

 

The Easy out system is a kit where you drill the top of the screw so there is a "divot" in it and then you take one of the easy out bits and with a good deal of pressure on the screw you slowly back it out. Don't go too fast or it will just grind off some metal, it really needs to get a good bite on the screw.

Using solvent will definitely help, anything that will break through the rust will make life a lot easier.

 

Here's what I think of when some one talks about an EZ out...



First, you drill into the center of the body of the bolt missing the head.

Second you take the EZ (which is any but easy) and screw it into the hole you drilled. The ez out has a reverse hand thread so ..the theory goes..as you screw the ez out in yo are doing it in the direction of screwing the broken bolt out. So as the ez out gets tighter and harder to screw into the drilled hole, it should screw the broken bolt out.

EZ outs are notorious for breaking, especially if you buy a cheap one (like the ones pictured here..) and if they break you are really up a creek with out a paddle in a leaky canoe.

I have had some (albeit limited) success getting a left hand drill that is just a tad smaller than the body of the broken bolt. Drill dead nuts down the center (good luck with that...). Sometimes the left hand drill will break the bolt loose and back it out...or just the threads left behind so you can run a tap through the hole to clean things up.

In any event it's a tricky proposition at best...if you can cut the old one off or even if you have to grind it off... you'll be time, effort , and money ahead...not to mention less of a headache...

 

Noooo not easy outs. On a muffler clamp I can promise you it will break. Best thing to do is weld a nut to the stub and back it out with a wrench. Welding it would heat it enough to break loose any corrosion. You could also use some heat (acetylene or MAPP). If that is not available could you drill all the way through and use a bolt and nut?

 

OMG, weld?

Boy, when I bought this bike, I thought I'd learn stuff, but welding? Woo Hoo!

I need to do some research on that first

I am just going to Dremel off the clamp parts right flush to the muffler and get a 'similar' clamp from my local hardware store!

I plan on replacing the entire exhaust next season anyhow.

You guys sold me on getting a new clamp when my canoe had a hole in it!!!