This weekend my uncle and i went at a broken bolt under the fender closest to the door. We went and bought the right size easy-out and set the whole thing up and the easy-out broke. SO i thought we could send a 1/4 bit up the rest of the way to break the bolt in half but no luck. I have heard of the heat cool method but what else do yuo guys do on your own cars.
Tim Lawlor
69

Oh the bad memories of when I had to get mine off. Lots of rust and the J-bolts broke and spun. I either used a vice grip on the J-bolt with a breaker bar/pipe set-up on bolt...or I just cut it off.

Mark M.

memcgraw
your not the first to have problems with that lower cowl bolt. It has had many years to hold water and rust. Sometimes heat trick will work, but often as not,it won't. I've never had any luck with an ez out,they just break off and make the problem worst. If your lucky and the heat works, the j bolt will probably spin and you won't be able to get a new bolt back in. The only good fix is to cut a small hole in side of the cowl. About 2 inches square. Then you can remove the bolt and rusted weld nut. Weld a new nut in, then weld up the hole. There is no ez fix for that bolt. You can use a 3/8 self tapping body bolt to hole the fender. Drill a slightly smaller hole right next to the broken off bolt, and put in the self tapping bolt. It's not right,it's not as strong but it will work.
Good luck Bill

Tim,
I have the same problem. I haven't attacked the broken bolt yet so if you have success please post your solution.

Thanks.

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'69 307 - first time restorer.

at work we weld a nut to the broken bolt then heat it with a torch. it usally works pretty good. even if the broken bolt is in an aluminum part just don't heat it when its in aluminum the welding usally gets it hot enough to remove it. it may take a couple of nuts but it does work.

That rear bolt goes up into the bottom of the air box that brings outide air through the kick panel vents. It has a cage nut similar to the ones that hold the sub frame onto the body, except smaller. It you try to muscle it out it will tear out the welds on the cage and just end up spinning inside the body. The cage is not accessible from anywhere on the car, as its in a double wall part of the body.

Luckily my bolt broke off before I twisted the cage nut off so I just drilled it out, retapped the hole and put a new bolt in.


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Mark Canning
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

The heat an cool method is the BEST and only way I ever take out a stubborn bolt. It works like MAGIC. http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

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Fan of anything that is interesting and moves human beings.
1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
1948 Chevy PU with 401 Buick

I also did the drill and retap method. Otherwise you need to cut a square hole, retrieve the pieces, weld a nut on and patch it up. I was lucky in that the caged nut hadn't broken.

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Rick Dorion
69 RS Conv,355,M20,4.10's

Here is how I got mine out. I got a chunk of steel 1 inch thick. Next, drill a 3/8" hole the same depth as the broken off bolt. Then drill it the rest of the way through with a 3/16 drill. Place it up against the broken off bolt and drill 3/16 right down the center of the broken bolt. Then drill it out to 1/4, then 5/16 (tap drill size), then tap it 3/8-16. The steel block works as a guide to keep you on center. Worked great on both sides. With a broken easy out you are out of luck. Easy outs do not work on a very rusty bolt.

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1969 Camaro 350 & 1969 Impala SS 427/ 4-speed (restored)

However ( not fun ) you can drill out the e-z out with a cobalt drill. How do I know these things.

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Rick Dorion
69 RS Conv,355,M20,4.10's

DanBnis, that is a GREAT way to drill a hole in a broken bolt!!! http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

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Fan of anything that is interesting and moves human beings.
1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
1948 Chevy PU with 401 Buick