Broken strut pinch bolt...

[SHO M0nk3y]

My dad and I are currently replacing the struts and springs on my moms 95 and we've run it some problems but fixed them in to time, but this one we can't.

We're down to the last strut, drive rear and while removing the pinch bolt on the passenger rear our impacted wrench broke , so I took the bolt out the rest of the way with a flex handle. Now I’m on the drive rear strut I start removing what I need to and get to the pinch bolt start taking it out. I got it to come from what I can tell about 1/8 to 1/4 inch out when all of a sudden the flex handle slips. I'm thinking great I broke the flex handle , btw its a 1/2 inch flex handle, so I look at it and its fine so now I’m confused and continue. That’s when I see this....

... the head snapped off the bolt. Any ideas what we should do to get it out or should we find a new hub?

 

[SASHO91]

they have kits that you can get them out....
had the same problem on a manifold stud...
took some time but got it out...

 

[DHMag]

drill a hole in it and use an easy out. first, soak it in PB Blaster.

 

[Ishodu]

I have found that most of the time the shoulder of the bolt is what is causing most of the interference. If you can drill the bolt out completely from the back side halfway in to remove this shoulder. Then you can take a small bit and drill from the front right through, then take a larger bit and hopefully it will grab and turn the threaded section right out. Of course you can try the easy out first.

 

[silverknight]

when both my rears broke off we had to slow drill it with airdrill. lubbed up good the whole time, then used a different set to reverse it all so it comes out. took a good 1.5hrs each side

 

[SHO M0nk3y]

Thanks for the help guys, ended up messing the bolt good, so me and my dad ended up spending some time with some retired SLO's at pick-n-pull. The strut swap continues....

 

[djsSHO]

I feel your pain. Same thing happened in both rears for me....

Fun times had drilling those bad boys out.

 

[RAYJAY]

I broke one also just drilled it out and it was fine

found out spray them down with pb blaster and then heat the bolt, they come out real easy did any one know there red locktite on the pinch bolts ???

you can get new bolts from the parts store also monro makes them.(got mine from napa )

Jeff

 

[bittertech]

Had the same thing happen to me on one of my rears. ziz(?) wheeled the bolt in half, ez-outed the threads, drilled out the rest of the bolt. PITA. Didn't have a torch (other than my dads acetylen) set up.

 

[djsSHO]

Well, oxyacetelyene is as good as it gets for torches!

Those can get stuff hot in a matter of seconds..way better than propane or mapp gas. You have to be really careful though cause bad things can also happen very quickly

 

[RAYJAY]

Well, oxyacetelyene is as good as it gets for torches!

Those can get stuff hot in a matter of seconds..way better than propane or mapp gas. You have to be really careful though cause bad things can also happen very quickly

just use the mapp gas here have the full oxyacetelyene set just its faster to grat the small mapp tourch

jef

 

[Troglodyte]

Rear pinch bolts.... almost as common as cracked EATC buttons

This happened to me when I was stationed in England, the only recourse I had was to get some Cobalt drill bits and drill em out as even the titanium bits I had didn't do squat. As long as you keep the area well lubed (have a friend spray some **** in every few seconds) those drill bits go through the bolts in moments. Once the hole's big enough for an EasyOut it's complete cake. Took me 15 minutes to do both sides (once the drill bits finally arrived).

Only down side was the cost, those bits aren't cheap, but, I've had them for 5 years now and they're still as tough as the day I bought em. Even after several similar uses on other vehicles.

 

[Minnesho]

just be careful with the torch around the strut, they can release pressure very fast if cut.

 

[Rockledge]

You can add my SHO to the list. I ended up snapping the passenger's side rear strut bolt yesterday. It was seemingly coming out fine and then all of a sudden it's broken.

I suppose I can't complain too much, my SHO has been pretty good with regard to frozen bolts and studs, especially considering it's a native of the rust belt. This is really the first casualty I've had like that. But a hassle nonetheless.

Good tips in this thread, BTW.

 

[dstig1]

This seems to be a common problem. One of mine did the same back a few years. I got help from Mike Courtney at his SHOp near Minneapolis, and he fixed it up. The strut did come out of the spindle after the tab got torn off (I pulled the whole spindle). First he drilled through it most of the way, then took his oxy/acetylene torch and blasted out the remnants of the bolt. Thread were toast, so he drill out the hole clean, and put in a grade 8 bolt and nut (and washers) in it's place. The tab isn't critical as the clamping action of the pinch bolt is what holds it in place. I was doing Konis at the time so some things weren't critical to save.

Been like that now for 8 yrs.

 

[Electricat]

This seems to be a common problem. One of mine did the same back a few years. I got help from Mike Courtney at his SHOp near Minneapolis, and he fixed it up. The strut did come out of the spindle after the tab got torn off (I pulled the whole spindle). First he drilled through it most of the way, then took his oxy/acetylene torch and blasted out the remnants of the bolt. Thread were toast, so he drill out the hole clean, and put in a grade 8 bolt and nut (and washers) in it's place. The tab isn't critical as the clamping action of the pinch bolt is what holds it in place. I was doing Konis at the time so some things weren't critical to save.

Been like that now for 8 yrs.

Mine is a similiar story....it is now held by a 1/2" stainless steel bolt and locknut, and has caused no problem in 20k miles of spirited driving. Obviously, getting the broken bolt out with the spindle threads intact is the best scenario, but it isn't the only option.

 

[Rockledge]

I was able to get it out cleanly, fortunately. I cut the bolt in half (there was room to get a sawzall blade in where the tab on the strut is) and then drilled a hole down the center of the two halves using cobalt bits. Then I used an EZ-Out on the threaded half which worked well, but I had to get the other half of the bolt red hot (used my plumbing torch) before I was able to punch it out of the hole.

As you can imagine, because of this experience I'm not looking forward to changing out the spring and strut on the rear driver's side. I've been nailing that pinch bolt repeatedly with PB the past couple of days and I intend to apply heat to the knucke this time to try and help loosen it up. Fingers will be crossed.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I was able to get it out cleanly, fortunately. I cut the bolt in half (there was room to get a sawzall blade in where the tab on the strut is) and then drilled a hole down the center of the two halves using cobalt bits. Then I used an EZ-Out on the threaded half which worked well, but I had to get the other half of the bolt red hot (used my plumbing torch) before I was able to punch it out of the hole.

As you can imagine, because of this experience I'm not looking forward to changing out the spring and strut on the rear driver's side. I've been nailing that pinch bolt repeatedly with PB the past couple of days and I intend to apply heat to the knucke this time to try and help loosen it up. Fingers will be crossed.

When the time comes, just use the torch to get the areas of the pinch joint around the bolt red hot as well while soaking your socket in a pail of ice. When you start turning the bolt out, after 2-3 revolutions, tighten it up 1 revolution, then keep backing it out. Repeat this a few times until the bolt is at least half way out, all the while trying to maintain constant movement of the bolt.

Might as well buy another new bolt if you haven't already, and if you have a tap or thread chase handy that will help too.

 

[Rockledge]

When the time comes, just use the torch to get the areas of the pinch joint around the bolt red hot as well while soaking your socket in a pail of ice. When you start turning the bolt out, after 2-3 revolutions, tighten it up 1 revolution, then keep backing it out. Repeat this a few times until the bolt is at least half way out, all the while trying to maintain constant movement of the bolt.

Might as well buy another new bolt if you haven't already, and if you have a tap or thread chase handy that will help too.

Sounds like a plan, thanks Chris.

I have the new Ford pinch bolts on hand, I picked them up when I grabbed the mounts and other stuff from SHONUT.

Unfortunately, I don't have a tap or chase that size, but what I did was use brake parts cleaner and a very small roundish wire brush to clean out the threads best I could. They looked good from what I could tell, and the new pinch bolt went in with a nice feel to it. And despite what I read in a few other threads, I went ahead and used some anti-sieze on the new bolt threads. My feeling is that the bolt ain't going nowhere, it doesn't need locktite. Besides, I'll be checking and re-torquing everything probably several more times as I move forward with my SHO's suspension upgrade. That bolt will be just fine. And just as importantly, if and/or when I ever want to take it out again, it will come to papa nice and easy.

 

[Rockledge]

Well I got the other side off without braking the pinch bolt.

I used the "fire and ice" method suggested by Chris and patiently worked the bolt back and forth, reversing it a little more each time. Came out clean which allowed me to remove the old spring and strut without a problem.

Hopefully by tommorow I'll be done with the suspension work so I can get back to re-installing the tranny after replacing the clutch. This is the longest my SHO has been down at one time for repairs/upgrades and I've put in a decent amount of work (new Eibachs and Tokicos all around, new front control arms, new TPR bushings all around, new Windstar endlinks up front and some new Napa units in back, new SHONUT reinforced mounts, new Midwest Stage I clutch, replaced a leaky rear exhaust cam seal, and some other things). So I'm looking forward to getting it back on the road and test driving it. Hopefully there won't be too many kinks to work out. Unfortunately, right now I can only peck away at things due to a busy schedule, but as long as I feel I'm making some progress, that's fine and dandy. Speaking of which, those broken pinch bolts sure do have the ability to slow things down, dont they?