Snapped bed bolt

Bed bolt was loose and was going at it with the impact gun when the bolt snapped off right at the top of the threads. Any ideas on how to get the rest of it out?

 

Screw Extractor? I haven't used it on anything as large as a bed bolt, but It should work the same

 

I've never have very good luck with them but I'll try it tomorrow, just figured if the impact couldn't get it out a screw extractor wouldnt be much help

 

drench it with some PB Blaster and let it do its thing for a few minutes then give the screw extractor a shot

 

If the box will lift off past it (which it sounds like it will) you can just take a zip wheel to the u-nut where it folds over the frame rail (cut it in half) and the leftover bolt should just fall out.
Or, weld a nut to what's left and finish twisting it out.

 

it was drenched from the start but I'm going to let it sit over night

 

What WHPLS3 said... right on target

 

there are still 5 bolts holding the bed down so there's still not much play in the bed and I don't have a welder

 

One of my bed bolts was loose and it caused a ton of play when off-roading or going over bumps

I would fix this for sure

 

Aren't the nuts for these bolts welded to the inside of the frame?

 

Are you taking the bed off? Or we're you just trying to put in bed stiffeners or d-rings?

 

Just trying to stiffen up the bed, the bolt that snapped was the only one that was loose

 

After a quick look at mine, I see that they are a welded nut... I was thinking they were like the Fords.
Unfortunately, I think the only fix is to remove the bed so you can get at what's left...

 

Well shit..let's hope I don't break anymore of them

 

I'm surprised the bolt twisted off like that... it usually the torx bit that gives up!

 

I'll take some pics tomorrow morning and it was just a husky bit from Home Depot, nothing special

 

Take the rest of them out, remove the bed and attack it with a cut off wheel

 

There's several inches of threads sticking out past the nut. Try double nutting it on the bottom and working it back and forth with plenty of penetrating oil. Maybe you can get it worked up high enough that you can grab the top with vicegrips. If grabing the vicegrips at the bottom is your only choice, work the bolt up till the chewed part hits the nut and then cut the end of the bolt off.

 

This is the front(closest to cab) drivers side one and I believe the only way to access the lower half is through a small hole in the frame

 

I'd take the bed off and dick around with it. Use heat instead of lube on the remaining bolts, it'll expand the metal around it and make it easier to remove. I've found that an oxy-map torch does the job well but map alone is fine too, getting them red hot would be optimal. If you wanna use lube try the acetone and atf mix. As for the broken bolt, heat it and try drilling it out with a left handed drill bit and extractor set. I haven't had much luck with extractors myself but left handed bits have worked. If the bit doesn't grab it and pull it out the first time then just drill into the bolt a good ways and use the next largest bit and keep going until it grabs it. Just my 2 cents on the situation.