Bolt Extractors

Looking for recommendations on a bolt extractor set and an idea about the cost for the recommended sets. Thanks!

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Best bolt extractor I have is a welder!...

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I have never had any luck with the "EeziOut" tapered left hand thread tap type . I have been considering buying the Teng branded straight fluted type that you hammer in as I once got a damage locking wheel nut off using a similar technique with a home made tool. Eric O has a video on a similar style tool on Ford exhaust manifold bolts.
I had a set of those special left handed screw extractor drills for smaller bolts and screws , they worked for Phillips or Pozi-Drive screws but broke easily. I recently bought a pair of Viper Screw remover pliers which are reportedly the dogs danglers for dealing with chewed up pan head screws and small bolts but haven't tried them yet.

Where you still have a damaged or corroded undersized bolt head to work on such as you find on a exhaust manifolds I bought Irwin Damaged Bolt Remover Sockets but now us a cheaper generic set that I find has a much better bite. With exhaust manifold bolts/nuts I usually don't even try normal impact sockets but go from the start with the damaged bolt sockets.
I recent used these sockets with great success on a very badly damaged male Torx head of a cylinder head bolt.

The universal tool is of course very localised heat either to break the bond between parts or weld a nut on to form a new bolt head. Traditionally this required either oxy-acetelene or as a second choice oxy-propane but the cost and other issues now make these unattractive for the small shop or shady tree mechanic. MAP gas torches are good enough for brazing or hard soldering but don't really provided enough localised "sharp" for freeing rusted bolts.

For heating badly seized nuts and bolts electric induction heating is very much the new kid on the block and prices are falling here in Europe mainly due to cheaper Chinese imports.

MIG or TIG welders can of course weld new heads even when the break is slightly recessed recessed and in the process apply local heat to break the bonds seizing the thread.

I have also seen reports of using MIG welders to apply very local heat to cast iron/steel parts in cases where the bolt head is still usable but threads are seized in the casting. ----NB I haven't tried this.

One thing I do find works to free off seized parts such as rod ends using heat is repeated heating , oil quench cooling, heating cycles. With a badly seized thread a track rod end if you have a steady had an angle grinder (a.k.a. the "Angry Tool" :evil: ) with an abrasive flapper disc can be used to generate enough heat to free the rod end, if the that fails you can of course very very carefully grind enough away just enough metal to expose the male thread enough to unscrew it.

Where a seized steel part is into Aluminium then careful use of a normal gas blow torch will normally provided enough heat to get things moving - we used to use this technique on old style Girling brake adjusters.

+1 for Welding a nut.

But when that fails, this set is awesome. The "Center Guides" are worth their weight in gold. Replace the right-handed drill bits with Left-handed drill bits.



store.snapon.com/Combination-Extractor-S...-Point--P630634.aspx

I've been using these from Mac tools with great success on smaller fasteners. The drill bits are sharp and the whole kit has a lifetime guarantee. I must have changed every bit in it twice by now, lol.

www.mactools.com/en-us/Extracting-and-Re...obalt-Drill-Bit-Set#


Like Ben and Andy, I also like the mig welder when appropriate. I'll start by welding a washer to the broken bolt, then a nut to the bolt and washer.

Also, like Andy mentioned, heating then quenching with penetrant oil works very well.

But plan your attack wisely! Sometimes heating the bolt will make it very difficult to drill if you end up needing to drill it after all else fails...

I have also had a measure of success using my air hammer dialed down to "tickle" with a soft faced brass hammer bit to kind of jar the threads lose. It can help get penetrating oil down in the threads and loosen any corrosion between the two parts.

Turbo Sockets are also extremely nice. They have 1/4" drive and 3/8" drive that are 1/2 sizes and have saved my butt more times than I can count. Just don't heat the turbo sockets up, they will shatter. Which is another reason why it might be best to spend the $200+ from snapon for these sets instead of buying them cheaper online.

Example
www.amazon.com/Piece-Combination-Turbo-Socket-Set/dp/B0080J97Q6