This morning, I removed a camber plate( trying to get more neg
camber). While tightening the three bolts, I end up breaking
one !!!!

The broken end is still IN the camber / body attachment.

ANY suggestions other than utilizing an easy out?

Thank,
Peter


STUPID ME!

I feel very sorry for you!!!
I have repaired these a number of times and it is not fun. Usually the bolts break when removing, but I had a customer who broke one during re-installation.
Were you using a torque wrench, or a 1/2" breaker bar?
The easiest solution is to drill it out as best as possible and use a through bolt. The best solution is to cut out the tube that the bolt is threaded into and weld in a fresh one.
I don't like the first option at all. The second option takes considerable expertise to do correctly.
Sometimes I have succeeded in drilling out the old bolt without totally ruining the threads, chased the threads with a tap and installed a new bolt. It involves a couple of hours on your back with metal chips and cutting fluid falling on you, trying to see into a small dark hole, and lots of cursing. Usually the drill ends up off center because the bolt is much harder than the surrounding metal and you wind up using a through bolt anyway.
Oh BTW, forget the easy out idea!

Racer Chris,
Thanks for the input. I have already started using the easy out
method

I drilled half of the bolt today...had to stop cuz the wife
always nags about me spending all my free time working
on my cars.. when I should spend MORE time with my two kids

She is usually right - but to make things a little easyer, I
sprayed some wd40 via the top hole tonight in hopes that it will
assit me in removing THE broken bolt.

Thanks for the input.

Peter

Peter,
I'm not sure this is do-able even with a right angle drill but,If you were able to drill down from above, the bolt might come free without drilling all the way through. What probably happened is the bolt went deeper into the threads because you removed the shim, but the threads were rusted at the top where the bolt had never been before.
Chris

makes me think, does someone make a drill that cuts on left-rotation?

Yes. They make drill bits for reverse rotation.


B

Chris,

My car was aligned years ago with longer bolts.
Not knowing that they install longer bolts because of the
extra shims, I upgraded to 10.5 bolts that were just as long.

This whole thing started when I was attemping to get more neg.
camber. So, I removed a large shim....

The bolt broke right where the treads started. Which means I
torque the heck out of it . and yes, I did use a two feet
torque wrench while laying on my back. I should have set the
torque or some thing!

Oh well, It's 4:00a.m.now and it's time to tackle the concern again.

Andy and Brad,
I'm using the left hand cuting drill bit too.


Thanks,
P

If you can locate a bit made with boron as they are so much harder and drill thru steel pretty easy. They cost a lot though but worth it.

Geoff

Easy out - your my HERO.

Here's an update, I started a pilot hole with my drimel set as suggested by Mike Mueller. Then proceeded to drill out busted bolt a little at a time ie. 5/32 then the next few sizes larger.
Finally removed the broken bolt with the second to the largest
easy out.

Then I chased it with a 10 x 1.5 tap so as to enhance
the 5% of thread I might have mess up!

Thanks for the input..now to drive my GT for some extra relief.

P

Congratulations!