Bolt heads rounded off

Me and my brother were going to install my lift this weekend.

We took off the front tires, and discovered that we could not get a single bolt off.

We said fuck it, and decided that we were going to bring it to our friend who has a shop.

When in the process of putting the drivers side tire back on... a wheel stud broke off.

Fucking cheap Japanese shit

So anyway... this bolt is completely rounded off. We can't get the brake caliper off so we can replace the broken stud.

We can't even pull the brake caliper directly off with the brake line pinched. The brake caliper bolts were tightened retard strength tight.

In the picture, the red highlighted bolt is 100% rounded off.

Is this going to make it a costly repair?

 

Is that the one for the swaybar end link?

I don't remember if the stud for the end link has a hex slot it it. If it does, shoot some liquid wrench on it and give it a go with a visegrip and hex key.

If that doesn't work, you can dremel the nut down to the threads and split the nut.

How'd it get stripped like that in the first place? Box end wrench and a hammer takes apart almost anything w/o damage, if you don't have an impact gun.

btw...I've owned cheap japanese shit all my life. Never broken a wheel stud. Did you over torque?

 

Were you using air tools if not that shit is hard to get off .

 

We stripped it just trying to remove it with a socket wrench.

The wheel stud actually broke while using a torque wrench. I might just replace all the bolts with longer ones. The studs are way too short.

Doesn't have a hex slot either. Probably going to end up having my friend do it at his shop. Either way it's time to buy an impact gun.

 

most of the bolts on this cheap japanese shit are lock tighted into place to prevent them from moving from the factory this is why they are so hard to remove also you are useing wheel spacers, the directions for those spidertrax wheel spacers are to tighten to 80 foot lbs. there is no way that should have broken a wheel stud unless something was wrong with it. installing a wheel stud is not hard. it requires a lot of beating the crap out of it with a big hammer, also if your having a hard time removing the breaks try starting the truck sometimes this really helps.

 

Were you using the proper sized tools?

The wheel stud probably broke because you have spacers.

 

impact? you will just round them off with more speed and theatrics.

did you use 6 pt sockets? i have never rounded off a nut that i could get at easy...ever. do you have cheapo tools? (no offense).

that highlighted bolt is a non-issue. go and buy a $25 kit from sears..called a bolt out. it would come out easy. they work amazingly well.

 

I've used impacts on a lot of bolts and haven't rounded anything off.

He's better off cutting the nut off and punching it out. No need to buy a kit.

 

that kit is priceless for anyone that wrenches. i keep it next to my vicegrips..for emergencies.

isnt he highlighting the drop link nut? you want him to split it and remove it off the threads?

 

Cheap tools is my guess. Decent wrenches and sockets of the CORRECT size won't tear shit up. Shouldn't be too much drama to get a stripped nut off if you take your time.

 

you need to find some one with a welder. weld a long tube to the rounded off head and then your set. just make sure the weld is solid and the tube won't break off.

i've used this method more than once, although they were on small stripped bolts. but the concept is the same.

your other option is to drill it out.



before you start either, do soak it with penetrating lube for a while. also try the heat and cool method right before you weld it.

those together should loosen it up.

 

the highlighted bolt is for the swaybar end link. the only way I got mine off was with a impact wrench, it spun fast enough to keep the whole unit turning. I first tried with a hand wrench and that was a no go...it would just free spin.
For rounded out bolts I have used an angle grinder to grind to flat spots on the nut and then use a pair of vise grips to grip it and get it loose.

 

Yeah I wouldn't blame the cheap japanese shit. The bolt wouldn't round unless you were using the incorrect size socket.

But a new replacement nut and split the old one. Just be damn careful not to over do it and damage the threads on the swaybar connector.

 

lol krazie is the king of spliting nuts. jk man

 

You're safe.



You require nuts in order for them to be split.

 

I've done all my brake work and suspension work on my rusty 2006 bolts and have never had an issue! Try spraying stuff with a generous amount of PB Blaster the day before, it helps alot! I agree with the other posters: quality tools and 12 point sockets will round off stuff faster too.

Impact guns are nice, but hand tools are best for breaking a bolt free. Impact guns do not provide constant torque like your arms can, which is sometimes needed to pursuade a bolt loose.

Also, in the pic, it looks like the sway bar link. There's a hex hole in the end of the bolt to hold the ball joint still while you loosen the nut. If you don't, the ball joint will just spin. If it's jacked up, I just replaced a sway bar link for $50 in parts and took 5 minutes to remove...simple.

 

lol kinda left myself open for that one

 

Insert unlubricated comment into opening here...

No shit hey? That would have been useful information to know when putting on my coilovers.

I just jacked up one tire putting pressure on the link which held the ball joint firmly in place with the tension put on the swaybar.

 

Yeah, check out http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/31862-how-front-shock-spring-removal.html

Here's a pic I included in that thread (post #274):