Easy Out Procedure

[MSSLGECKO]

Hi all,

 

I am going to attempt to remove a bolt w/ a rounded head on it this afternoon. I have a set of easy out bits and thought that I would make sure that I am doing it right before I dive in.

 

Do I need to drill some sort of pilot hole in the bolt, or do I just put the bit in the drill, set to reverse and push into the bolt while drilling?

 

Thanks,

[Sweet82]

Be carefull!!!

 

You already have a bad situation, don't take any chances to make it worse.

 

Yes you need to drill a pilot hole. This is critical. You must get it right the first time. If you don't you'll mess up your existing threads.

 

I'd center punch your bolt and drill it carefully!

 

Start small and work your way up with the bits.

If you stay centered you can drill most all the bolt out except for the threads.

 

I have found that with the center of the bolt gone, it's easy to remove.

 

If it still won't come out then try the easy-out.

 

Don't force the easy-out, if you break it you have a big problem. They are made of the same stuff as drill bits.

 

Good Luck,

(Ya I realize that the bolt are rarely in a convient spot)

[ShawnW]

LH drill bit. Try em, they work lots better than an Ez out.

[idosubaru]

EZ outs suck. they work sometimes but when they break it's not worth the trouble. i still have one under my daily driver by the fuel pump that i haven't gotten out for over a year! LH drill bits are the way to go. i removed two rusty bolts yesterday by drilling a hole through the center and spraying them with liquid wrench. after drilling the hole, they unthreaded smooth as butter with a pair of small pliers. not sure why, but apparently drilling loosened them up or something.

[ausubaru92]

i just had an idea,.. what if you got an expanding toggle bolt, put it into the pilot hole and tightened it so it expands and then unwind it,.. dunno your exact situation nor have i tried it but its just a passing thought:drunk:

[MSSLGECKO]

Just before I gave up and went to go get a drill (that was not available at the time), I broke it loose w/ a good old vice grip.

 

Thanks for the input and replies, I'll definately remember for next time I have to deal w/ this sort of thing. The bolt was difficult to access, and would have been probably the worst way to learn to use an easy-out.

[Craigar]

Here was my broken AC mount bolt   https://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/168114-ea82-one-broken-off-bolt-in-top-of-head-that-ac-mounts-onto-is-it-important/

1st Liquid wench, then followed suggestion here & got left handed drills, drilled a small hole about 1/2 inch deep - but the next one LH in the $12 set was too big so got a right handed drill 2 sizes larger and cocked drill motor to the right to compensate for previous hole being a little too far to the right - started slow and "all the sudden it looked like bolt HAD GONE IN FURTHER -about 1 turn.. stopped & got a steak knife, stuck it in my now chamfered looking hole, twisted CCW and it backed out!

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Craigar

[idosubaru]

Great.  Not surprising it was easy, those bolts dont see enough moisture/road chemicals normally to get that rusty or propagate deeply. Nothing like the Intake manifold bolts are capable of on that engine.   The heat from drilling was enough to loosen the minor corrosion. 

EZ outs are worthless for DIY auto work.  If a fastener can come out with an EZ out, it will come out with some other less risky and more advantageous method. 

EZ outs are excellent tools in highly controlled, precise, and curated machine shop type settings, but they’re trash in a shop that sees real live, on the road, significant corrosion in the middle of a job. EZ outs simply don’t work at all in rust prone areas / you need LH bits and heat.