How do you remove a broken bolt?


Quick Answer

There are several ways to get a broken bolt ou,t and these methods include using a vise grip, heating the bolt with an acetylene torch and drilling out the bolt. In some cases, penetrating oils can also help loosen up the bolt, but it may take some time for the oil to penetrate all the way through the bolt threads.

Continue Reading

Full Answer

The following shows some of the ways to take out a broken bolt.

Locking pliers

  1. If the broken bolt still has an adequate length of shaft protruding from the hole, clamp a pair of locking pliers tightly on the shaft.
  2. Turn the vise grip in a counterclockwise direction to loosen the bolt.
  3. Use penetrating oil for rusted bolts to help loosen it.

Acetylene torch

  1. Heat the bolt and the surrounding metal until it takes on a dark red color. The heat will help create separation between the bolt and the threads.
  2. Twist the shaft with a vise grip to loosen the bolt.
  3. Do not overheat as too much heat will make the bolt brittle, causing the protruding shaft to break off.

Power drill

  1. If there is not enough shaft for a vise grip to clamp on to, just sand down any protruding shaft until it is level with the surface.
  2. Using a power drill, preferably left-hand drills, drill a hole right down the middle of the bolt. If the drill is a left-hand drill, the bolt might even twist out halfway through.
  3. Use gradually larger bits until pieces of the bolt can be extracted with picked out.
Learn more about Tools

Related Questions