Transfer case lowering job problems! please help

Well, I tried to lower my transfer case today. I guess I did but as usual it was way worse than I thought it would be. finding those 10mm 2" bolts was 1.5 hour job...
My problem is the studs.
Double-nutting did not work.
Vise-grips did not work.

Is there any other way that anyone can think of to get the studs out? I've got 1 bolt on each side in, and i'm kinda worried about leaving it like that for any length of time.

I just drove it home, everything seems fine, though 2 and reverse do not seem to engage as "far"

please help -I don't know what else to do.

Thanks!

you said that you tried double nutting and vicegrips and neither worked... what has happened instead???
also pb blaster the thing and possible heat it up a bit...

other options are easy out, drilling out and some reverse drill jobber (might be same as easy out... not sure) ... but with those you risk
a. breaking the bit in the stud
b. damaging threads if you do it wrong...
so do those as last resort. Also someone posted a link to a stud remover tool at one time or another ...

HTH
Kejtar

Considering where you live,I would have started w/ the PB Blaster/Liquid Wrench about a year ago!Try a impact gun on a "LOW" settting,also if you can get it to move at all, move it in both directions.Do everything slowly,you'de be suprised the heat a frozen bolt can generate(it will burn you).

I ran mine with 2 bolts on the street for a month. It was ok, but probably not the best idea. Heat WILL work. Slap some vice grips and a torch on that mother and go to town. If you break the studs, you can try self tappers. That is what I have used for the last 2 years.

When i double nutted one i was taking it easy, thought it was turning and I was watching. It wrecked the nut and the end of the bolt pulled the threads pretty much right off. The vise-grips did nothing but move and shred the bolt. that one i was able to move a tiny bit then it would lock tight again. The other didn't budge a bit. I don't have access to an impact gun and i'm not exactly sure how you would use it here.
Heat is an idea.....if i can get.
whats easy out/reverse drilling?

Thanks

Then weld an arm on the bolt and try some heat!Tap on it,dont hit it.Also make sure the area is ventilated if you have recently used any penetrants on it!

A cheapo MAP gas torch from Home Depot should be fine if PB Blaster won't work. Heat the stud up and twist it out with some Visegrips and replace with a bolt.
HTH,
KY Chris

Sears has a couple of different style "craftsman" stud removers. The one that I found worked best was this disc that had a sliding wedge in the side and was 1/2" drive. As you twist it out the wedge slides and grabs the stud tighter. That is what we used to pull axle studs from transit bus hubs. The other styles led to many broken studs that needed to be drilled out. As stated earlier PB blast it daily for a while.

If the stud breaks start with a small drill bit for a pilot hole then gradually make the hole larger in diameter by increasing the size of the bit until not much stud is left, then hammer in the EZ out and remove. I like Snap-Ons EZ outs that are rods with splines that you hammer into the holes. They come with a special nut that you slip over the rod and it grips the splines. The splines are cut into the remaining stud piece when the rod is driven in for their grip.

Another tip when drilling out a broken stud, this is only if the hole is not blind, but a through hole, drill completely through the stud so the hole. This also weakens the studs grip and aides in preventing breaking the EZ Out. When twisting the wrench on the EZ out make sure that the wrench remains perpendicular to the stud. Any flex up or down will make the EZ out break off as it puts a strain on the EZ Out.

Good Luck,
Tom

jaybo said:

I just drove it home, everything seems fine, though 2 and reverse do not seem to engage as "far"

Click to expand...

No help on the stud removal, but I found the same thing with 4th and reverse. Fortunately, I found out that I didn't really need the tcase drop so I was able to remove it. I only drove it for 20 or 30 miles with the 1-1/4 inch drop, but it never did feel like the gears were completely engaging, either. I suspect that either there is a bind in the linkage, or (more likely) the drop moved the shifter back slightly so it is no longer centered in the hole in the floor pan.

Mine were tough too. Soked 'em with Liquid Wrench, got huge vice grips, and like you said, the grips just shredded the stud. Then I pounded on the stud with a BFH, straight up and all around the sides, and it rolled out like magic. I would suggest using the hammer as a last ditch effort before putting the heat to it.

Cujo said:

I would suggest using the hammer as a last ditch effort before putting the heat to it.

Click to expand...

Don't be afraid of heat. It usually does the trick. Try it before beating, EZ'outing, drilling, or any other method that destroys the stud.

Heat the frame rail

When using a torch, heat the frame rail not the stud. Heating the frame rail should expand the hole. Heating the stud would expand the stud making it even harder to remove (if thats possible).

2x on the frame rail thing...

PB blaster, and tight ace vice grips, and the heat, and you should be FINE!!! if not, weld a nut onto the end of it, and use a breaker bar and twist it off

I used a 14 inch pipe wrench, unlike vise grips the more force you put on a pipe (in this case the stud) the more it bits in to the pipe. It's a lot like how the stud removers work. Double nutting and such didn't work on mine.

Only thing is I'm a plumber and a pipe wrench was a tool I had very handy, But thought I'd suggest it, incase you have access to one.

just get 6 of your strongest friends and all you jump on them vice grips. get those mothers on their tighter than your butt cheeks at a gay bar, and wiggle it in either direction till it comes loose.

If you need to heat the stud. Heat it up nicely and then let it cool down - hit it with penatrant and then try turning.

You are correct, the heat will expand the metal. That is why you need to let it cool down.

Definately go with the pipe wrench if you have one. I used one after seeing it on here and the thread came out with no problem... Oh yeah, make sure you spray it down with some PB Blaster to make the job a little easier, i did it at 4 in the morning with it being cold and everything... there may not be a need to heat it up afterall...