Broken primary bolt in transmission case
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 2,441
From: CT/FL
That's why I avoid extractors. With a full set of left handed bits I can walk my way out to the threads, and it always works.
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Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 34
Likes: 18
From: Pennsylvania
Heads up, the Harbor Freight reverse drill bits will work, but they are pretty darn brittle and break easy.
Get thru this small issue slowly and take your time. You pretty much have one good chance at this before having to go to a plan B. If you can't get a drill hole started at the center of the broken bolt, then stop.
If having trouble keeping it center, then find and/or fab some type of a drill bit guide so you get a starter hole drilled in the center of the broken bolt. The way that bolt looks right now, the drill bit is gonna walk. The last thing you want to do is eff up the aluminum around that bolt. Take your time and get it right. Small starter hole in the middle of the bolt (1/8" bit or less), then once you get a good starting hole/indentation, work that hole larger using the next size larger bit in steps till you get to the final size of the reverse bit you going to use. Then switch over to the reverse bit. Slow speed on the drill, and it will come out.
EDIT AND HEADS UP: The bolts in that area right where you are working (at least on mine) have one bolt that is slightly longer or shorter (sorry can't remember) than the other two above it and below it and is often over looked that it is slightly a different length. Get the wrong length bolt in the wrong location and something like this can happen (although I agree with others that it was over torqued). So double check the lengths of bolts and locations with a good parts manual for your model. I did have this different sized bolts thingy on my Dyna 5 speed, but sorry it has been a while so don't remember the fine details. Just check it out.
Get thru this small issue slowly and take your time. You pretty much have one good chance at this before having to go to a plan B. If you can't get a drill hole started at the center of the broken bolt, then stop.
If having trouble keeping it center, then find and/or fab some type of a drill bit guide so you get a starter hole drilled in the center of the broken bolt. The way that bolt looks right now, the drill bit is gonna walk. The last thing you want to do is eff up the aluminum around that bolt. Take your time and get it right. Small starter hole in the middle of the bolt (1/8" bit or less), then once you get a good starting hole/indentation, work that hole larger using the next size larger bit in steps till you get to the final size of the reverse bit you going to use. Then switch over to the reverse bit. Slow speed on the drill, and it will come out.
EDIT AND HEADS UP: The bolts in that area right where you are working (at least on mine) have one bolt that is slightly longer or shorter (sorry can't remember) than the other two above it and below it and is often over looked that it is slightly a different length. Get the wrong length bolt in the wrong location and something like this can happen (although I agree with others that it was over torqued). So double check the lengths of bolts and locations with a good parts manual for your model. I did have this different sized bolts thingy on my Dyna 5 speed, but sorry it has been a while so don't remember the fine details. Just check it out.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,703
Likes: 7,887
From: poway
People mess more stuff up with torque wrenches.
How can someone not feel that it's getting over tightened?
Or maybe it's just me, after tightening a couple million of bolts, one knows when it's hitting the "wall".
Careful when drilling or using an extractor, if you break anything hardened in the bolt, then you in trouble.
An extractor that size will break easier than that bolt.
How can someone not feel that it's getting over tightened?
Or maybe it's just me, after tightening a couple million of bolts, one knows when it's hitting the "wall".
Careful when drilling or using an extractor, if you break anything hardened in the bolt, then you in trouble.
An extractor that size will break easier than that bolt.
The problem with most extractors is that they are tapered. When you drive it in and twist it expands the screw remnants and jams it even tighter in the threads.. The beauty of the Rigid extractors is ath they are straight. They grip the screw with minimal expansion.
One thing that really helps when extracting stuck screws is drilling the hole all the way through. If corroded in place, the hole releases pressure on the threads plus allow for driving a broken extractor out if the hole is deep or not blind.
When I worked as a MC mechanic in a shop, I was the one that got most of the broken screw / stud jobs that cam into the shop. Another thing to remember is to run the drill slowly. If you run drill bit too fast on a screw in aluminum, you can harden the screw to the point where a high speed drill won't cut..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 20,850
Likes: 7,391
From: Poolville
People mess more stuff up with torque wrenches.
How can someone not feel that it's getting over tightened?
Or maybe it's just me, after tightening a couple million of bolts, one knows when it's hitting the "wall".
Careful when drilling or using an extractor, if you break anything hardened in the bolt, then you in trouble.
An extractor that size will break easier than that bolt.
How can someone not feel that it's getting over tightened?
Or maybe it's just me, after tightening a couple million of bolts, one knows when it's hitting the "wall".
Careful when drilling or using an extractor, if you break anything hardened in the bolt, then you in trouble.
An extractor that size will break easier than that bolt.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 142
Likes: 75
From: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
People mess more stuff up with torque wrenches.
How can someone not feel that it's getting over tightened?
Or maybe it's just me, after tightening a couple million of bolts, one knows when it's hitting the "wall".
Careful when drilling or using an extractor, if you break anything hardened in the bolt, then you in trouble.
An extractor that size will break easier than that bolt.
How can someone not feel that it's getting over tightened?
Or maybe it's just me, after tightening a couple million of bolts, one knows when it's hitting the "wall".
Careful when drilling or using an extractor, if you break anything hardened in the bolt, then you in trouble.
An extractor that size will break easier than that bolt.
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