stripped header bolt (phillips head), need help please!
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,594
Likes: 5
From: warner robins, ga
unfortunately no luck as of yet. tried impact driver method, dremel slot method (as best i could -- not enough space to get an even cut perpendicular to the screw), and chisel/hammer circular tapping. the limited room is the killer -- no drill i have is thin enough to get at the bolt without hitting header pipe. (the dremel *kinda* gets in there, but at an angle, and it didnt have enough oomph to bore a hole thru the bolt anyway. not with the drill bits i have, anyway -- and one came with an extractor set.)
so...
out come the big guns: gasless MIG welder.
the plan is to weld a nut onto the head of the bolt and just torque it out normally with a wrench on the "new" head. the heat should also help break up any rust and loctite, im hoping.
the downside: i have zip and pip experience with a welder, so im reading/watching videos/talking to folks about how to go about doing this. it *seems* simple enough for anyone with welding experience, so im hoping if i do a few practice runs, it should be possible.
(if anyone thinks welding a new head onto it is a bad idea, definitely let me know!)
so...
out come the big guns: gasless MIG welder.
the plan is to weld a nut onto the head of the bolt and just torque it out normally with a wrench on the "new" head. the heat should also help break up any rust and loctite, im hoping.
the downside: i have zip and pip experience with a welder, so im reading/watching videos/talking to folks about how to go about doing this. it *seems* simple enough for anyone with welding experience, so im hoping if i do a few practice runs, it should be possible.
(if anyone thinks welding a new head onto it is a bad idea, definitely let me know!)
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,594
Likes: 5
From: warner robins, ga
i think for any other bolt, any of the offered methods shouldve worked, but this one was just destined to be my nemesis.(if anyone does want to talk me out of welding a new head, you'll have at least a couple days since i have to snag a MIG & safety equipment and practice a bit.)
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,373
Likes: 4
I know I will probably get flamed but what the hell. These always work great for me. Used them to get some nasty stuck bolts out of my sons 84 nighthawk.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952151000P
I think welding a bolt on it would make matters worse, especially if that bolt happens to snap.
Try the heat method combined with the above tool. Trick is a the instructions say, "GO SLOW".
Good luck, let us know the outcome.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952151000P
I think welding a bolt on it would make matters worse, especially if that bolt happens to snap.
Try the heat method combined with the above tool. Trick is a the instructions say, "GO SLOW".
Good luck, let us know the outcome.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,494
From: Decatur, Alabama
Don't try and weld anything on. At this point you need to get someone over there to take a look at it and see if they can help.
Did you try one of those impact wrenches that you hit with a hammer? It takes bits just like a drill/driver. If you could get a drill/driver bit that was about 6" long in a #2 Phillips head (sears has them) then wail on it with a hammer it might work. The extra length will give you working room to swing the hamnmer.
Did you try one of those impact wrenches that you hit with a hammer? It takes bits just like a drill/driver. If you could get a drill/driver bit that was about 6" long in a #2 Phillips head (sears has them) then wail on it with a hammer it might work. The extra length will give you working room to swing the hamnmer.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,580
Likes: 7
From: The Internet (& Dyer, Indiana)
I don't know about welding a bolt on there, but I tell you what,..... if you did weld something on there, the heat alone would make that bolt become unlocked.
I'd shy away from the welder and try to think of a way you can get some super heat on it. Make the bolt almost red. Let it cool and go back to your earlier methods with tap & hit.
I sure wish you lived near me, because I would enjoy the "challenge". I've had some really bad ones that I always was eventually able to get. I consider myself good at it.
Your pics show some real challenging angles, but if they were stupid enough to put a phillips head on there, there must be "some" access to them. LOL
Gonna be watching this one closely for the victory dance.
I'd shy away from the welder and try to think of a way you can get some super heat on it. Make the bolt almost red. Let it cool and go back to your earlier methods with tap & hit.
I sure wish you lived near me, because I would enjoy the "challenge". I've had some really bad ones that I always was eventually able to get. I consider myself good at it.
Your pics show some real challenging angles, but if they were stupid enough to put a phillips head on there, there must be "some" access to them. LOL
Gonna be watching this one closely for the victory dance.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,477
Likes: 14
From: Western MD
I don't see anything wrong with welding a nut onto the head of the screw/bolt.. just weld on the inside of the nut of course. one thing.. you will need to grind off the shiny finish of the screw so the weld wire will have something to stick to. you will need someone to hold the nut in place with some needle nose pliers or some type of tool..
go ahead and practice on some other nuts and simliar bolt heads until you feel confident that you can do it..
even if you don't weld a nut on, you could put a weld nub on the screw head to give you something to grap a hold of with pliers or vice grips and turn it loose..
go ahead and practice on some other nuts and simliar bolt heads until you feel confident that you can do it..
even if you don't weld a nut on, you could put a weld nub on the screw head to give you something to grap a hold of with pliers or vice grips and turn it loose..
Last edited by FroggyFatBoy; Feb 28, 2011 at 05:59 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: USA
And if all these solutions/suggestions don't work, put the other bolts back in and sell it!
JK!
On the welding, just sayin you might want to find someone with experience to tack the nut for you or you could end up with a mess, Burning through the sides of the tapered head of that bolt and accidentally welding to the header flange. Heat will definately be your friend, and don't burn your friends fingers or you will owe him a beer............lol.
JK!On the welding, just sayin you might want to find someone with experience to tack the nut for you or you could end up with a mess, Burning through the sides of the tapered head of that bolt and accidentally welding to the header flange. Heat will definately be your friend, and don't burn your friends fingers or you will owe him a beer............lol.
Last edited by Steelhammer; Feb 28, 2011 at 05:36 PM.
Banned
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 2
From: Dirty Jersey
Can't you just drill the head off the screw, pull the exhaust and then attack the offending stud with heat and vise grips?
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,477
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From: Western MD
if he drills the head off there won't be anything left to grab a hold of. its what they call a oval head screw.. its actually conical shaped so the head sits flush with the surface of the part it's holding together..
