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Snapped top shackle bolt

xCWolf

xCWolf

Bring the Boom
NAXJA Member
Location
Boston
Snapped my top shackle bolt and I have nothing I can use to get it out with.

I don't have anything to weld a nut onto it with nor can I seem to drill a hole in what's left and my vise grips won't grip hard enough for it to turn.

Luckily (?) the weld nut is still in place.

Worst part is it backed out almost an inch before it sheared off right at the top of the threads.

I'm a little upset and now there's no sunlight left for me to screw around with it.

I think I have to take it to a shop just because I can't get this flipping bolt out. Needless to say I'm a bit crushed

thanks for reading my rant/venting lol:tears: :puke:
 
Have you tried a pipe wrench? Unlike vice grips, a pipe wrench will actually tighten as you turn it if you have it set up right. I've used them to get out broken exhaust manifold bolts before. What about something like a Dremel? You could try grinding some flat spots for a wrench onto what's left of the bolt. A file would take longer, but could also accomplish the same thing. What about a tap and die set? If you don't have a welder, but have a big enough die, you could try putting some threads onto the bolt, slathering some JB Weld onto those, and then running a nut onto it. Let the JB Weld cure and you should have a pretty strong bond holding the nut to what's left.
 
yeah I was thinking of notching it with a dremel or grinding some spots down but it's inside where the shackle mounts. I don't own a pipe wrench for some reason or I would try that. I also don't have a dremel but I can get one from work and use it.

The JB Weld idea isn't bad but if it sheared the bolt in the middle of it I'm not quite sure it will hold. Don't have a large enough die. I really wish I had two nuts I could stick on it I could stck them and use the deeper one to back it out against the outside one and should work but threads are wrecked too

Maybe I'll stop by home depot real quick and get a pipe wrench...

I REALLY wish I had the room to get an extractor in there or a drill bit..

I thought about drilling a hole through the bolt and sticking like a screwdriver in the side of it and trying to unscrew it like that but I don't think it'll hold up.

I'd kill for a welder.
 
Welder didn't help me with your problem. I ended up getting the shackle relocation boxes that required you to cut the existing mount out and bolt it up to the floor and the nutserts for the hitch. Works like a charm and I was able to get more shackle angle options as well.
 
It was seized so bad that it wouldn't budge. I just broke the bolt closer to the weld nut. Ended up just cutting it flush and forgetting about it.
 
Ah, okay. It sounded like there was a little bit sticking out the side to grab onto. I'd definitely try a pipe wrench before completely throwing in the towel.

I've got a little Harbor Freight 110-volt stick welder I bought new for a bit over $100. You won't be welding your own bumpers with it, but it makes steel stick to steel. Hindsight being 20/20, I would spent a bit more coin for a higher amperage 110 wire feed machine. If you look around, you can sometimes find Lincoln Electric 225 stick welders for a bit over $200. They're basically the AK-47 of welding machines- cheap, simple, reliable, and effective. Granted, you need 230 wired in your house or garage to run them, but I've yet to see a washer/dryer that didn't run on 230...
 
JeepNoob said:
Ah, okay. It sounded like there was a little bit sticking out the side to grab onto. I'd definitely try a pipe wrench before completely throwing in the towel.

I've got a little Harbor Freight 110-volt stick welder I bought new for a bit over $100. You won't be welding your own bumpers with it, but it makes steel stick to steel. Hindsight being 20/20, I would spent a bit more coin for a higher amperage 110 wire feed machine. If you look around, you can sometimes find Lincoln Electric 225 stick welders for a bit over $200. They're basically the AK-47 of welding machines- cheap, simple, reliable, and effective. Granted, you need 230 wired in your house or garage to run them, but I've yet to see a washer/dryer that didn't run on 230...
Click to expand...

Gas washer dryer.

And there is some sticking out but it's where the shackle would mount so I have about 2.5 inches in between the end of the bolt and the metal of the car
 
If you can get a grip on it with a pipe wrench, first turn it clockwise a quarter turn or so, then back to counter-clockwise.

You may have to work it out by going in a quarter turn and then out a half turn. Back in a quarter turn and then out a half turn. Pretend you are cutting new threads. It is pretty much the same game.

It might also help to remove the bumper and the bumper brackets so that you can spray some Kroil or ATF/Acetone on the back side.
 
It's not fun. The last time I had to replace my radiator there was about two feet of snow on the ground and I had to dig out enough so I could at least not walk around in snow. Good luck!
 
dan1977p said:
It's not fun. The last time I had to replace my radiator there was about two feet of snow on the ground and I had to dig out enough so I could at least not walk around in snow. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm gonna need it.

I'm probably going to try to stop by home depot today and see what they have for screw extractors (probably nothing useful). I already missed the snapon man due to snow :(
 
Indeed they did have a pipe wrench and a mismarked milwaukee 1/2" high torque impact for about half price.

But nothing for screw extracting that I thought would work
 
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