[royo_oreo]

Hi all,

Just as the title suggests, I snapped the passenger side subframe bolt and I do not how to approach this. I was bringing down the subframe to replace my power steering rack and lines.

How would I go about extracting the broken bolt? I'm from Canada so the rust belt here along with Murphy's law really kicked my butt.

I haven't taken out the driver's side but it is drenched in penetrating fluid for the time being.

I would appreciate all the advice I could get.

Thanks!

 

[actionseeker]

You're going to have to drill it out, it's the only way.

 

[royo_oreo]

You're going to have to drill it out, it's the only way.

Ah man, that sucks, thanks for the advice, do you know by any chance what the size and pitch of the bolt is? I can't really figure out through the diagram except for its part number.

 

[Sheik Ya Bootie]

It will be the same as the other one on the other side, take that one out and go match it up.,,

except,

it won’t be a standard hardware store bolt, go down to your dealer and ask them to order you one in which you KNOW will be correct.

 

[royo_oreo]

Yeah they both snapped and I am in the process of drilling both out, however it looks like there's a very high chance it's a JIS M14 x 1.5. Thanks for the reply.

 

[actionseeker]

Just make sure to take your time. It's easier to do the job slower and have the bolt break free than it is to repair the threads if you drill against them.

Also apply a very light dab of anti-seize to the new bolts to prevent this again.

 

[royo_oreo]

Just an update for anyone in the future that comes across this issue,

I was about 25% through drilling one of the broken bolts when I realized the bolt (well I should say stud at this point) was sticking out of the frame. It had enough meat for an extractor socket to fit on despite it having no head at all. So I hammered an extractor on and threw my high torque impact on (mine is a DeWalt DCF899 if you're curious). First at low speed to make sure the extractor caught onto the bolt, then at max torque. Low and behold the driver side came out.

Next is the passenger, same thing, still has meat sticking out so I tried the same method... except my impact can't even get it off... It literally advertises "1200 ft lbs." of breakaway torque. Nonetheless I whipped out the breaker bar onto the extractor socket. I thought it would just snap off which I wouldn't have mind because I am already in the process of drilling it out; I'm just trying anything I can. But hey, I pushed that motherfucker as hard as I could and then I heard the sound, the "errrrk" sound, the "errrrk" vibration which you can feel through the breaker bar. It's that feeling you know it turned a little alright. I pushed it back and forth to loosen the rust until I could turn it relatively easy then zipped it out with the impact. The only problem now is that the motherfucker is stuck real good on the extractor socket.

Here are some photos, I'm going to buy a lotto ticket.

 

[jdzacheis]

I had something similar happen except the bolt didn't break, the spot welds on the nut inside the unibody broke. Had to cut a small hole in the frame, tack it back in place then weld back the piece I cut out.