f*$k stripped bolts!

[XxLuckyLisaxX]

Sorry for the profane language but isnt that the truth? i fucking hate bolts when they strip, its like ok what the hell am i going to do now, so i thought to myself there are tons of people up on AF maybe i can find a new way to get a stripped bolt off, so post up what you guys do when a bolt strips plz

the reason bringing me to this post is i was putting on the other alternator and the alty on the si the one i was replacing stripped and now we cant get it off, and even if i was to stoop to the level of taking it to a shop there all closed til monday boo hoo! lol

[ci5ic]

Buy what's called a "screw extractor" or also called an "eazy out".

Basically, it's a drill bit that comew with a weird square-shaped bit. What you do is use the drill bit to drill down throught he head and threads of the bolt, just making a little pilot hole (doesn't actually cut through the threads, just makes a little hole down through the screw). Once it's drilled down a ways, you put the square-shaped bit into the hole, and twist it. Some of them come with a handle to twist them, some don't, but you can buy the handle seperately. Each of the 4 edges of the screw extractor is cut with a sharp edge, and when you turn it, it grabs the sides of the hole you drilled, allowing the screw/bolt to be removed.

Hope that helps. I've had to do that several times on various screws/bolts.

[91lxdreamer]

I usually just get a pair of vice grips, and yank that bitch til it breaks loose. If that doesnt work and its bein really fussy, heat works too, but be careful with that, dont want to mess anything up. Also, remember with your bolts, the more leverage you have, the better chance you have to break it loose, so get some long kind of extension or something and yank it like theres no tomorrow.

[ci5ic]

Oh, one thing that I've found works pretty well...

a few times, while drilling the pilot hole for the screw extractor, I got to the depth I wanted, and I just reversed the direction of the drill, applied some downward pressure, pulled the trigger, and that alone was enough to remove the screw.

[XxLuckyLisaxX]

this shit is so gay, i dont think i could use the screw extractor because there is barely enough room for the wrench and my hand and i dont have vice grips ive been calling my friend all day for some...

[frozen_Joth]

Hell I've used tap and die sets to get stripped bolts out, that's a bitch as always. Good luck.

[1PhatCX]

if u have a pipe wrench(also known as monkey wrenchs) use one of those to get it off, i used that to get my brake fittings off when i stripped those

[jusg19]

i take a socket one size smaller than the bolt head. lets say you stripped a 10mm bolt head, i take the 9mm socket and hammer it onto the head usually with a slege hammer, then try taking it off. i'd say it works 60% of the time.

you might try the gatorgrip socket....one socket for all bolts...it works sometimes

Later

[iNgLi$]

or u could just listen to Bob Vila and get the Craftsman 13 pc. Bolt Out™ Set. LoL

[gunnmen01]

i take it you stripped the bottom bolt out, that one sucks to get to. Carefully heat it up with a torch and a big set of vice grips, like they said before the more leverage the better......


gunnmen01

[DarkImportGrey]

leverage is nice... doing my tranny swap me and 4g4dstore had this 1/2" socket that could extend from like 9" long to something like 18" long... helped SO much... not to mention AIR TOOLS....

[jusg19]

is the alternator on the bottom of the engine? i remember a few years ago mine went and i undidi the bolts and i couldn't get it out the bottom because the axle was in the way or the top because the fender was in the way. i ended up dropping the axle to get it out and the new one on....has anyone else had this problem...

sorry, don't mean to steal the thread

[i_a_n112784]

What bolt is it? It's been awhile since I had to replace an alternator on one of the 4 gens. If it is just a bolt that it pivots on, bust the head off of it with a air hammer, or a chisel and a big hammer and use a punch to tap it out. If it is a normal bolt, and you have a torch, heat it till it glows cherry red, and sacrafice a cheap socket by cramming a size too small (try non-metric sockets, sometimes they will fit a stripped bolt better) onto the red hot bolt, let it cool then snap the wrench onto the socket and try it.

[FourthGenHatch]

Craftsman Bolt-Out.

[MyFirst4G]

VISE GRIPPIES!!!!!!!!!!