Sheared bolts

[kippers daddy]

Hello everyone first post, seasonal greetings.

Pleased to report that I have overcome my sheared stud problem. It all kicked of when I found a sheered stud on the rear o/s stub axle on my 90 which has a RR axle on the rear.

I noticed that in the axle tube there was a large quantity of black grease. And within the grease to my horror I found remains of a roller bearing, and also lurking in the diff pan after pulling the diff of. I used a magnet on a telescopic rod, to investigate. A good idea when changing transmission oil.

The diff gears and bearings are in excellent order. So my assumption is that someone had filled the diff with grease to silence a noisy bearing, (a common trick when selling,) and when the bearing finaaly gave up, the person who repaired it did not clean out the axle case.

Taking of the o/s stub went ok apart from the allready sheared stud. The n/s was different as two studs sheared. After liberal applications of heat to the casing beside the studs the rest came out with no further shearing.

Fortunately on the o/s, there remained a few mm of stud so with lots of heat on one spot on the casing side, and a few squirts of Plus Gas, I managed to remove the studs with mole grips.

Going back to the n/s, the stud had sheared level with the case and had a broken drill in it. I first got past the broken drill using a masonry drill on hammer action. Then through repeated applications of heat and drilling using loads of oil and patience I slowly drilled right through the stud. If the drill is smoking you are going to fast and need to cool it using oil. The oil cuts the friction allowing the cutting edge of the drill to do it's work.

Then despite my misgivings I decided to try an easy out. Using patience and more heat and oil I worked the easy out back and forth, using just enough force to prevent it snapping. To my joy after about 10 minutes of tweaking and constant applications of heat and Plus Gas the stud came free with a screech. Please don't let any one tell you that WD40 is a good easing oil, it is not, compared to Plus Gas. I have Plus Gas in an oil can as you get direct application, not the wastefull spray of an aerosol.

The one significant lesson I learned that is that there is no substitude for using heat. I applied it only to one spot on the casing beside the stud. My idea being that I was expanding the casing away from the stud. When removing unbroken bolts you can feel the bolt getting tighter as the casing cools, so apply more heat.

I also found that by heating the actual stud from time to time the cutting action of the drill was improved using oil of course.

When using the easy out I applied the heat with the easy out removed so as not to influence it's performance.

I should add that all this could only be reasonably achieved with the casing of the vehicle and in the vice in my workshop. I have posted this as it may just help someone who when faced with changing stub axles or similar, hears that sickening click that tells you a bolt has sheared, and suddenly a wee job becomes a headache.

So in future if I am dismantling something like this or exhaust manifolds, I will use heat and Plus Gas. Clean it all up with a wire brush first and take your time.

[Marks 110]

This 'plus gas' sounds alright, what is it and where can you buy it?

Mark

[kippers daddy]

I got mine locally but I see it on Flea Bay http://tinyurl.com/9qwmcb

Use it with a flexi spout oil can as you can get it direct to where you need it.

Good luck.