What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Another possibility if you haven't cut off head. Clean slag off of bolt head and drill the smallest hole possible through the bar so it will fit over what's left of bolt head. Knock bar down onto bolt head remainder then run a weld bead all the way around. This method should allow good weld strength. Also before trying to loosen, use the torch on the case (as suggested by @Speedytech7).

 

I think another issue was that the welder wasn't getting enough penetration - I only have a dinky little 120v Lincoln Electric MIG welder. I ran out of shielding gas and haven't been able to get more gas so I've been using flux core wire.

 

Just went through this but with 2 of the 4 bolts.

Grind the tops off


Pull the stub shaft off


Grind 2 sides flat and remove with a good vise grip

 

I actually dont think Shittsburg sockets are that bad. I have a set of the 3/8 drive non impact that i use with my impact and have yet to break one.

 

Not surprised someone else had to go through this! Unfortunately the stripped bolt I have is the really short 1 inch one, not the long ones. There's still some bolt shaft but not much.

Why'd you have to remove the axle tube?

 

I think the reason why the HF sockets and hand tools aren't the best is not necessarily the quality of the tool, it's the hardness of the metal. That's one of the reasons why tools like snap-on are so expensive - their tools are made of some stronger metal alloy than most tools which tend to prevent the sockets and drivers to strip.

 

I feel like the method I posted still might work even if you aren't getting the best penetration. This will essentially form a socket around the item with molten metal. At least that's the theory.

 

I would drill and tap it then.
I added a locker.

 

Ah I see, so drill a hole in the angle iron the size of the bolt head into the socket, weld it down, and use it to break the bolt loose?

 

@BartMaster1234
One of the reasons why the bolt is harder to remove after welding on it is because you're adding heat to the bolt, and not to the surrounding diff housing. This is the opposite effect of what you want to do, and actually makes the bolt tighter in the threads. If you do weld it, wait until it cools completely, then heat just the outside of the diff housing before trying to remove the bolt.

 

Well said

 

You can do that too, but sacrificing a closed end wrench is much faster.

 

i have sacrificed many to the tool gods in lifting my truck one more reason to stop going to walmart to buy my hand tools lol

 

How would you weld one? They're mostly plated with something like chrome

 

a 6011 @75-90 will burn thru all the rust/coating, as long as the metal is steel. If you have DC you can burn 7018, these are full grown men though

 

I have a cheapo Lincoln Electric 120v welder from Home Depot with flux core wire, I don't think I can do that

 

We were using a 120v and it burned through the coating no problem. I was pretty impressed how well it did. Not sure on the wire though, I wasn't the one welding.

 

I'm sure I could do it if I had more shielding gas, but I haven't been able to get some more so I'm reduced to flux core wire.

 

yea... I had an exhaust bolt that never came out, turns out toyota made it out of stainless steel . The bolt is still right there...yours on the other hand will come out, there's some solid ideas posted. Good luck with it!

Here's one pic of the two nut stud removal...this works with the right weld

 

set the lincoln handy mig as hot as your flux core wire will handle...bump it up to 8, 9, or 10, then test weld on scrap. If the wire vaporizes, ease the setting down and test weld again. I think the max is 70-80amps for your welder, so you're gonna need to crank it up as much as possible to burn into a grade 8.