Craftsman Bolt-Out 6 pc. Damaged Bolt/Nut Remover Set

[FDF12389]

Text

I bought A used engine and threw it in my car before noticing the oil pan had a huge dent in it, but 4 of the bolts are pretty rounded, how well with the craftsman kit work?

 

[herm0016]

Originally posted by: FDF12389
Text

I bought A used engine and threw it in my car before noticing the oil pan had a huge dent in it, but 4 of the bolts are pretty rounded, how well with the craftsman kit work?

you got a used engine and did not inspect it? good job... those things usually dont work too good.

 

[radioouman]

If you threw it in your car that quickly, don't you think that it would be better to just pull it back out? It is going to be a PITA to extract rounded off bolts while laying on your back.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: radioouman
If you threw it in your car that quickly, don't you think that it would be better to just pull it back out? It is going to be a PITA to extract rounded off bolts while laying on your back.

I borrowed my brothers hoist, and he lives about an hour away so I'm probably just gonna give my forearms a workout.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: herm0016

Originally posted by: FDF12389
Text

I bought A used engine and threw it in my car before noticing the oil pan had a huge dent in it, but 4 of the bolts are pretty rounded, how well with the craftsman kit work?

you got a used engine and did not inspect it? good job... those things usually dont work too good.

It starts and compression is perfect, I'm not too worried about it.

 

[brblx]

those look just like a set of snap-on bolt extractors i keep in my toolbox. they'll pretty much take out anything, and the more rounded it is, the better.

however, knowing craftsman specialty tools, they probably have some design flaws. heck, even extractors i've used from other tool truck brands don't work nearly as well as the snap-on ones (never been able to put my finger on why- they just don't have the same 'bite').

those should work fine for oil pan bolts, though, so long as there's an extractor in that set that fits- again, just not enough thought going into a lot of craftsman tools. i'd be willing to bet there are gaps between the included sizes. i've got a set of craftsman lug extractors, and they work on MAYBE half of all lugs and wheel locks, at best.

 

[FDF12389]

Is there a better brand that I could pickup at a local retailer? I don't really want to wait for snap-on shipping but I'm all for buying quality tools.

 

[brblx]

try the craftsman ones, they're 20 bucks. my snap-on set was over 100.

thinking about it, i think the reason they work better is because there's probably a taper in addition to the twist, so if you tap them on with a hammer, they always bite good. this shouldn't be as much of a problem with oil pan bolts, which should be torqued to maybe 15-20 ft lbs at maximum. if they fit, they should work.

 

[Kaervak]

I have the full set of extractors from Craftsman. Never let me down, they've taken out everything I've used them on. You can get a nine piece set from Harbor Freight that from what I've heard work just as well.

 

[Squisher]

I've never been a big fan of extractors and 30% of my job for the last 18 years was getting out broken bolts. I'm glad others have had better luck.

I'd take a dremel and wheel a slot for a screw driver first.

Once the head is gone off the bolt most of what is holding it in is gone. Half the time you can spin out a bolt with a carbide burr if you touch the far side of a bolt. Baring that a prick punch can give some torque to get it out.

 

[alkemyst]

damn...used engine = replace water and oil pump always. You may as well do the front and main seals, pan gasket and valve cover gaskets too. Throw on some belts. All easy with an engine out.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
damn...used engine = replace water and oil pump always. You may as well do the front and main seals, pan gasket and valve cover gaskets too. Throw on some belts. All easy with an engine out.

Waterpump was replaced recently and head gasket and timing was redone 12k ago. He had receipts. So after I swap this oil pan it should be good to go.

 

[Bignate603]

I'd be worried why those oil pan bolts are rounded off. The bolts on the pan are supposed to be pretty lightly torqued. I'm wondering if somebody cross threaded the bolts and kept cranking on it.

 

[Black88GTA]

Can you get a vise grip on the rounded bolt heads? I'd try that first.

 

[lsd]

Take a smaller sized socket tap it on with a mallet. That usually works.

 

[bruceb]

Agree, with trying a Vise Grip first. If not, a gizmo called an E-Z Out will do the job. You drill a hole in the bolt (keep it as centered as possible) then the E-Z Out goes in, Left Handed, and if all goes well, out comes the bolt. You can get them at any decent hardware / tool store.
If all else fails, weld a nut to the bolt head and then remove it. A small MIG welder can do it easily.

http://www.brokentap.com/easy-outs.html

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
Can you get a vise grip on the rounded bolt heads? I'd try that first.

Not enough room.

Originally posted by: lsd
Take a smaller sized socket tap it on with a mallet. That usually works.

Wasn't working out.

Originally posted by: bruceb
If all else fails, weld a nut to the bolt head and then remove it. A small MIG welder can do it easily.

A free solution, I like it.

Thanks guys.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: FDF12389

Originally posted by: bruceb
If all else fails, weld a nut to the bolt head and then remove it. A small MIG welder can do it easily.

A free solution, I like it.

Thanks guys.

I had a favorite welder at work that could get out just about any bolt by welding down the center of a thick walled pipe with a stick welder. He got out bolts broken an inch below the surface all the time. Biggest problem was he was a real prima dona, and you just about had to prove to him that you had expended every effort to get the bolt out without him first.

btw-I've also had a ton of amateur welders weld the bolt to the side of the hole

 

[bruceb]

As Squisher pointed out, be careful if you weld. You just need to tack the nut on there with as little heat as possible.

 

[mztykal]

The Craftsman bolt extractors SUCK. I bought them to remove a stripped bolt on my header, and they didn't do anything. They went back the same day.

I used a Dremel and cut into the bolt to get it out.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: bruceb
Agree, with trying a Vise Grip first. If not, a gizmo called an E-Z Out will do the job. You drill a hole in the bolt (keep it as centered as possible) then the E-Z Out goes in, Left Handed, and if all goes well, out comes the bolt. You can get them at any decent hardware / tool store.
If all else fails, weld a nut to the bolt head and then remove it. A small MIG welder can do it easily.

http://www.brokentap.com/easy-outs.html

Use a center punch definitely. Also a lefthanded drill bit (drill in reverse) can sometimes back it out as well.

Use the proper sized extractor for the bolt (many use too small).

I have had bad luck with extractors. It's always been due to someone doing something improper to begin with, usually overtorquing or the wrong locktite (permanent is something you want to rarely use....many think 'stronger' is better though).

I once saw a bolt removed with a plasma cutter. I wish I paid more attention, it just vaporized it.

In the end if you do fuck the threads, I recommend going to the next largest sized bolt rather than a helicoil if possible.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: bruceb
Agree, with trying a Vise Grip first. If not, a gizmo called an E-Z Out will do the job. You drill a hole in the bolt (keep it as centered as possible) then the E-Z Out goes in, Left Handed, and if all goes well, out comes the bolt. You can get them at any decent hardware / tool store.
If all else fails, weld a nut to the bolt head and then remove it. A small MIG welder can do it easily.

http://www.brokentap.com/easy-outs.html

That's normally how I do it. Though I do have a set of the knock off extractors in case, but they don't work as well as tacking a bolt on.