broken bolt

I snapped an an3 bolt off in a nutplate. I only have access to the entry side of the nutplate and main wing spare web. I was attaching the bellcrank brackets. How can I remove it with out distroying everything around it?

Robb....7A

Can you get a drill

on it. A friend of mine runs a machine shop and he sharpens an old drill bit backwards so when you run the drill backwards the bit bites into the broken bolt and it backs it out. This assumes that you can get at the broken bolt straight on with a drill. He uses a bit the is just smaller than the diameter of the hole so as not to damage the surrounding area.

rwshooter said:

I snapped an an3 bolt off in a nutplate. I only have access to the entry side of the nutplate and main wing spare web. I was attaching the bellcrank brackets. How can I remove it with out distroying everything around it?

Robb....7A

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Robb,

It is possible that by using the "gudentite" method you inadvertently overtorqued the bolt? Removing the remains of the bolt can be difficult. The first thing I would try is to use a widely available easy out extractor. To be successful, you have to center and drill a properly sized hole into the bolt. It is not uncommon to dull several drill bits during the critical drilling process. Good luck.

Tools known as E-Z Outs, EZ Outs, Easy-outs, etc. can be found most anywhere. Try Sears. Or Google.

Oops, Rick beat me to it!

I'm gonna head out to sears and pick up an extractor set and give it whirl....worst case would be I would have to remove the leading edge to get at it from another angle. Can you imagine drilling out all those rivets Thanks for the tips

Robb....7A

Sears has

an extractor wth a built in left hand drill bit. You just run the drill in reverse and start drilling. Most of the time the bolt will start backing out before the extractor engages. They are perfect for small bolts. Just be sure to drill the center.

cguarino said:

an extractor wth a built in left hand drill bit. You just run the drill in reverse and start drilling. Most of the time the bolt will start backing out before the extractor engages. They are perfect for small bolts. Just be sure to drill the center.

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And these actually work - once. You might get lucky and be able to use the tool a second time, but don't bet on it. They are not made of hardened steel and dull immediately on use.

technique question

been thinking about how to drill this hole right the first time.....what if I had a drill guide bushing made to fit the hole in the spar web....it's about .188 or so....the smallest extractor uses a 5/64 drill bit....it would be a thin wall bushing but should get me **** close to center....what do ya think?

Robb....7A

It is very easy to work harden a steel bolt if you're not careful while drilling a pilot hole for an easy-out. Go slow, use a lubricant, and use a fair amount of pressure. AN bolts are a little softer than typical Grade 8 bolts, so you should be ok drilling it out and use an easy-out. If you can't get a hole drilled through the bolt, the next step is to get a hold of a carbide drill bit.

I had a bolt break on my spar to fuel tank attach brackets. I was just snugging them up before using the torque wrench and it twisted right off. After sweating it for a couple days, I finally drilled a hole in it and used an easy out. To my surprise it came right out. Just take your time and get a nice hole in it.

Man I feel stupid!!

Went and got everything I needed to get that bolt out. Used a center drill that fit the hole in the spar perfect. Have a great started hole right in the center...... I think.... because I really cant see all the work going on....get out the 5/64 bit and proceed to get a deep hole so the extractor will work well....going real slow with boelube...snap off the bit....I get all the pieces out....get another bit and start again.....snap off another bit.....this time the bit is stuck up in the bolt above the spar so I cant get at it.....tryed redrilling off to the side a bit......broke another........As I slipped into a mild panic.....It hits me....Take the tank off, reach in the leading edge and remove the tie down bracket where the nutplate is attached and remove the broken bolt. So easy a caveman could do it....All that mayhem for nothing....Amazing what I didnt see in the very begining. oh well I'll consider this my first real repair.

Robb....7A

I did the same. I overtorqued the bolt and snapped it. I had to remove the fuel tank, remove the assembly and replace the nutplate, just to be sure.