Sheared bolt - helicoil

Hi all, has anyone ever sheered a bolt and had to drill it out + use a helicoil? each of my front wings have bolts sheard into the chassis, when i had my top secret front fitted, each side pulled my wings in (due to not having bolts) making my bonnet - wing gaps pretty tight, i want to drill the sheered bolts out and use some helicoils + tappers

has anyone ever done this, or sorted it another way? its really starting to do my head in:(

Questions

*what kind of drill bit do i need

*where can i get helicoils? and i havnt seen the tappers, what do they look like, guess it works like screwing a bolt down?

thanks Kev

IIRC Helicoil is a brand name which is no longer in use. Try Armacoil. We distribute this sort of stuff but I can't get you anything directly.

You should be able to get this sort of stuff from most hardware suppliers but not if you asking for a specific branded product.

I can't imagine which bolts you mean. Can you explain more?

You can't put a helicoil into sheet metal, it needs some 'meat'.

Ahh ok, Armacoil thread inserts, thanks for that:)

I can't imagine which bolts you mean. Can you explain more?

 

You can't put a helicoil into sheet metal, it needs some 'meat'.

let me draw up a diagram, ill be back in a few miniutes

ok quick pic, happened on both sides, any help, have a free week to get it sorted

You can't put a helicoil into sheet metal, it needs some 'meat'.

I get you, but where the bolt taps into, it wouldnt be thin as a sheet of metal??its part of the chassis?

I think you will find that it originally had a captive nut spot welded to the underside, if you can get to it then i would suggest grinding off the old and re-welding on another.

Oooo any suggestions to getting under there? would removing the wheel + liner reveal it?

Oooo any suggestions to getting under there? would removing the wheel + liner reveal it?

Its a box section Kev, so its impossible to get to the inside to grind/weld. Drill the sucker out and armacoil it.

Its a box section Kev, so its impossible to get to the inside to grind/weld. Drill the sucker out and armacoil it.

Sweeeeet:d ok cheers for the help there mate, got any tips on the drill bit?!?

Have you tried a stud remover?

Have you tried a stud remover?

nope, more info please:)

Basically you drill a hole in the said bolt so that there is a decent amount of meat left on it. Then you take an appropriately sized stud remover (actually a left handed thread tap) and tap down the hole. It will butt against the top of the stud locking itself in and when you keep on turning, it will unscrew it. Commonly called an "easy out".

Hard to explain lol.

Edit:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5PC-BROKEN-SCREW-EXTRACTOR-SET-EASY-OUTS-STUD-REMOVER_W0QQitemZ250284562404QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250284562404&_trkparms=72%3A1121%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

thanks for the help, ill give that a try first

No problem, take your time, use some heatnand soak it with some plus gas before you start (not at the same time as the heat, plus gas and then heat lol). Try to use a stud remover approx half the size of the bolt and work your way up. Have a feel for it to make sure you don't shear the stud remover.

shear the stud remover.

Likely outcome.

If you have to go the coil insery route, a decent tool supplier will be able to sell you a kit with the coils, dill, tap and insertion tool all together. IIRC these can be a bit on the pricey side, though.

......shear the stud remover.

Likely outcome.

With the additional problem that you now have a piece of hardened steel jammed in the bolt, which will make it more difficult to drill out

Likely outcome.

With the additional problem that you now have a piece of hardened steel jammed in the bolt, which will make it more difficult to drill out

Depends on the kit used and the method. I use stud extractors all the time and granted, when i was clumsy, i sheared them but now i can use the smallest of stud removers and get just about anything out.

Plus gas, heat and patience are the key.

Oh, its also very unlikely that the stud extractor would shear inside the bolt, if it was going to it would normally be at the neck where its designed to "let go". They can then be removed with pliers, usually without incident.

Depends on the kit used and the method. I use stud extractors all the time and granted, when i was clumsy, i sheared them but now i can use the smallest of stud removers and get just about anything out.

 

Plus gas, heat and patience are the key.

 

Oh, its also very unlikely that the stud extractor would shear inside the bolt, if it was going to it would normally be at the neck where its designed to "let go". They can then be removed with pliers, usually without incident.

Yes, experience and patience is the key when using these.

The last time I used one it was on one of the M6 bolts that hold the coilpacks in place, the previous owner had sheared off three of these. I drilled a lovely hole right in the centre of the sheared bolt, inserted the stud extractor and turned it slowly only for it to shear off right where it enters the hole. The galvanic corrosion between the aluminium and steel didn't help of course, then you're left with a sheared stud extractor which is too hard to drill out.

was speaking with my dad, he said, to aviod of the hastle of drilling and using these extractors, it would be best to drill a 2-3mm hole in it, then widen it, and tap a screw in, should do the job and hold the wing down well, opinions? its a standard 6m nut that hold the front wings down, along the engine bay, 3 have sheared, just soaked them in WD-40 ready for the weekend

was speaking with my dad, he said, to aviod of the hastle of drilling and using these extractors, it would be best to drill a 2-3mm hole in it, then widen it, and tap a screw in, should do the job and hold the wing down well, opinions? its a standard 6m nut that hold the front wings down, along the engine bay, 3 have sheared, just soaked them in WD-40 ready for the weekend

Wouldn't recommend that, i would either extract it or recreate it.

If you are really really handy with a drill you could attempt to shell out the stud and then run a M6 tap down it to clean out the threads. Would take a lot of time and accurate patience though. You would need a range of drills, a center drill, a dremmel and some long thin burrs for the dremmel.

In my opinion, if your going to do it... do it right. My first attempt would be stud extractors. I would use plus gas over WD40 though. Heat is VERY VERY important when trying to extract a stud, toast the thing before you do anything.

We used to use these http://www.avdel-global.com/en/products/threaded-inserts/thin-sheet-nutsert.html

We used to use these http://www.avdel-global.com/en/products/threaded-inserts/thin-sheet-nutsert.html

thses look but better! thanks