Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I'm rebuilding a zook transfer case (got a set of series 3 'hoppers going into it) at the moment and am having a bit of a problem.

Basically i've snapped off bolts in the alloy case. I was taking off the short side mount arm and 2 of the bolt heads just twisted off. The rest of the bolts seem pretty nicely corroded in there, how do you suggest I get them out? They are snapped off pretty much flush with the case so there is no chance of getting a pair of vice grips or the like onto them. I thought I might be able to weld another bolt to the top of them, but i'm not too sure how successful this is going to be. The only other idea I had was to rig it up in my drill press and drill them out. Though i'd probably have to buy a good, new bit (cobalt perhaps?) turn the speed right down and give it heaps of coolant. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

There are these things you can get, they are called 'easy outs'. Find an engineering shop, bolt master is the one here I use.

Basically you drill a small hole into the bolt, tap a LH thread into the bolt, screw the easy out into the bolt, do it up tight and keep on doing it up. It will screw the remains out. A liberal squirting of WD40 or another type of penetrating spray twice a day till you can get to it wouldn't hurt either.


cheers

Busiboy wrote:There are these things you can get, they are called 'easy outs'. Find an engineering shop, bolt master is the one here I use.

Basically you drill a small hole into the bolt, tap a LH thread into the bolt, screw the easy out into the bolt, do it up tight and keep on doing it up. It will screw the remains out. A liberal squirting of WD40 or another type of penetrating spray twice a day till you can get to it wouldn't hurt either.


cheers

Considering the amount of corrosion I can see around the bolts applying something like WD40 (Inox might be better) for a few days would be a good idea I think.

I haven't had to use easy outs before, are there good ones & bad ones? I don't want to snap off an easy out in there

And how would you drill I hole into the bolt? It's an M10 thread I think, there isn't much meat to drill into. I'm thinking grind it off flat, centre punch it and set it up in the drill press? Or just hit it with the Makita cordless

Yeah soaking in WD40 is a good idea.

I think there are only one type of easy out, I may be wrong.

Take the busted bolt head in if it has any of the bolt left on it, or take in one you think is the same and they should be able to give you the right one, basically the best one is the biggest you can get. If you bust the easy out you can alway go back and get a bigger one and start again. Only thing is you might have to start tapping a new thread then.

Good luck.

PS grind centre puch and press sounds the goods, the more you try and get it right from the start the better your chances of sucess.

There are a couple of different types of "easi outs".

One has a very course LH thread and is screwed in after drilling the correct size hole, the other I've seen is hammered into the hole and is a "star" type cross section with very sharp edges to bite into the bolt.

They are available in different sizes and have the required hole sizes to be drilled in the broken bolt listed.

Been doing some searching on the web, found an idea that is to place a washer over the top of it and weld that to the bolt. Then weld a nut to the top so you can get a spanner on it. Sounds Ok to me.

Do you think the heat from the welding will affect the alloy of the transfer case? I reckon it would be Ok as long as I don't put LOTS of heat into it.

Thats sounds likea plan.

I broke one of mine of as well, but left it in there, 3 will be enougth to hold it.

cheers

whichever you reckon will work, plan A and Plan B.

I like the easyouts though, reckon if it is jammed no matter which you try first you may need the second. I would think the weld would snap before you budged it, only a little bolt not much room for welding, trying the easy out after the weld might make it harder too.

If plan a doesn't work you might have to look at gently heating the case around the bolt, not much just a little bit. Not even close to going red, just so you just can't touch it.

Careful either way.

Damo wrote:Been doing some searching on the web, found an idea that is to place a washer over the top of it and weld that to the bolt. Then weld a nut to the top so you can get a spanner on it. Sounds Ok to me.

Do you think the heat from the welding will affect the alloy of the transfer case? I reckon it would be Ok as long as I don't put LOTS of heat into it.

I wouldn't do that with the alloy, easy outs are prolly less mucking around anyway, and next time some thing does the same you have them....can pick up a set of four from memory from bunnings

used the weld technique last week when manifold studs snapped fitting extractors...worked for me on one bolt, but wouldnt on another..either did the easy outs...had to drill and helicoil..

My suggestion would be weld first, this will preheat the case to help break the corrosion.
You can also warm the case, you need to spread the heat over a wide area and no warmer then you can bear to touch.
This has worked for me many times, if your not confident about the weld it might be worth paying someone to weld it for you.
Good Luck
J Top

dont buy super cheap easy outs either u tight ass
they'll just snap on you and then you'll be farked drilling them out

Hoonz wrote:dont buy super cheap easy outs either u tight ass
they'll just snap on you and then you'll be farked drilling them out

If there is a dodgy way of doing something you would know about it