A trick that will work is to heat the broken bolts up with a propane or MAPP gas hand torch. If you have access to an acetylene torch, that's even better. Work on one bolt at a time. Once you get the bolt hot and red, wipe a candle over it - candle wax acts like penetrating oil, only better. Once you've applied the candle wax, unscrew the bolts with some good locking pliers - Knipex work best for me, as the jaws are very hard and get a good bite on the broken bolt. This is how I got my broken CAD housing bolts off..

 

When I've got such a predicament, I apply heat then hit the fastener with CRC Freeze-Off, and knock it with a hammer. Wait a while, repeat. Wait another while, repeat again. All without trying to turn the fastener. Then, after the third such cycle, I'll take a screw extractor (EZ-out) to it, and continue using Freeze-Off and hammer if needed. If the EZ-out won't do the trick I say fuggit and heli-coil the damn thing.

The trick is to avoid breaking the screw extractor. That'll ruin your day in a fine hurry.

 

Well this is where I am at. Like I mentioned before I only got 1 of 4 bolts out when I started and that was the top left. I heated the top right up and it came right out. The bottom 2 well they are terrorizing me. I tried using a lh bit and heat and well they are a mess. While I was drilling the bottom right I broke a drill bit in it and now it is a mess. After I drilled the bottom left I ended up breaking the lh bit in it while trying to back it out. So then I decided to drill a little bit more but was really getting no where. I got it big enough so I tried retapping it. Well I broke the tap in it. I just want to blow this truck up, lol. On a side note I can not find the gasket anywhere. No parts store around my area or anywhere online. I found one store 4x4quad.com and the part is only 4.98. The problem is they wont process my order unless it is at least 10.00. I could get two I guess but what would be the point. When I finally get this back together I hoping not to ever take it back apart.

 

well i see the prob, tons of rust on your axle, no wonder those bolts wont move :P i think u need heat heat and more heat. as far as the seal, you can google the homemade tool yo use and pull it in. i think i spent all of about 5-10$ to make mine from lowes.

 

Dang bud, this is definitely painful to see!! I concur with comments like AtomicDog and Unregistered. However, you're out of protruding metal...lol

My approach if I had to do this would be:

1. Wire wheel to clean off all the scale on that sealing surface.
2. Flap disk to smooth out the surfaces on the bottom bolts, resulting in clean surface.
3. Have your heat source, penetrating fluid, 3lb hammer, and drift that would fit within the bolt holes.
4. Start off with 3 heat cycles on those holes. Run the flame pointing to put heat in the top, as well as on the side. Penetrating fluid on both. Try to see if you notice it getting pulled into the bore. Take the drift and place on the busted bolt and whack it a good couple times. Do a visual check after each single hit.

This above should get it loosened up, break the seal from the rust in the threads.

Then take small drill bits, maybe starting with 1/8" and slowly drill out. I mean patiently. Have some backup bits. Then repeat the above heat cycles. I would be looking for a condition where I could get a hardened tip flat head screwdriver in there. The bolt material would be softened to the extent of starting to get the blade to seat, thereby with the intent of turning the bolt out.


Otherwise continue going up in size to drill out, but not take out threads. To have a small enough amount of material to then break it out. Use a magnet, or air purge.

Safety glasses.



As for the gasket, forget it. Use some a nice bead of rtv.

 

You can use a hammer, and punch, to shatter the drill bit/tap, and then just pick the pieces out.

 

Yep, I don't know what it is but the whole underneath is nothing but a rust bucket. On the price that is about what I spent to make mine.

 

On my 2001 Dodge ram 1500 i currently have 1 broken bolt holding skid plate on and i need to know bolt size if anyone knows the info so i can get a tap.

 

Dodge part number for that bolt is 4137734. Not exactly sure what size it is and the size isn't listed as they are for other bolts. You can take a non-broken one to Lowe's or Home Depot and figure out the size with their bolt checker in the nut and bolt section of the store. If you decide to do that, please let us know what you find.

 

I coulda sworn they were 1/4-20. Did it take a 7/16" socket? Problem is 11mm is essentially the same.