When I was first getting into cars, I had the privilege of being able to watch a very talented engine builder (V8s) who was very skilled at drilling out broken bolts. Back then, I had visited him a few times for those. He always let me come 'behind the counter' and see him work. He would use a hand drill and carefully get the beginning of the hole perfectly centered and then proceed to drill the whole thing out. He was always drilling for a thread insert, but he always got it straight and correctly aligned.

I think that having seen people like him work has really set my expectations for myself high. It's not every time that a broken bolt comes out this beautifully, but I think I can say that I've matched the skill of my 'mentor'. I'm very proud of myself for drilling out this broken bolt without disturbing the original threads at all. The threads in the case are not a new insert. Those are original german threads.

The circular bits on the floor are the threads of the broken bolt, which I used a 'dental pick' and tap to remove.

Nice Work!!

You deserve a for that one.

Ferg

There is great satisfaction on drilling out and extracting broken stuff especially bolts when you do it right and dont mess up the threads.

I spent the better part of an afternoon drilling out a huge 3/4 pin from a hinge on my lift this week, the bolt or pin had been broken for sometime (probably 40 years), this is a vintage lift and i purchased it knowing the pin was broken. When i dropped the engine last month the car was listing pretty good so i thought it was finally time to deal with it. Man it took everything i could throw at it to finally get it out.

What does this have to do with Brad Roberts Auto Group?

You didn't?!?!?

/looks up

Yep, you did. Bad doc!!

Nice job

It's a rewarding experience when one can follow in the footsteps of an accomplished mentor.









Looking back, I'm really pissed that I didn't have any mentors like Donald Trump

I am pretty sure that this is photoshopped, everyone knows that it is scientifically impossible to properly drill out a broken bolt...

I know why you are bragging. Its so rare to get it perfect.
I did two suspension ear bolts this past winter..I felt the same way..
It took a few days, and several trips to the store to get the right type of bit (I broke a few) but I was proud in the end.

Congratulations...not a cool place to be drilling.

Rich

The easiest way is to drill the aluminum all around the bolt then lift it out with your fingers. Then take it to a machine shop, have them weld the hole back up, drill a new hole and re-tap the threads. Jeez Mark, can't you do anything right?

I think this is one of the applications of JB Weld that Cap'n Crusty is so fond of using.

Rich