Found out this morning that one of the bolts holding my right rear driveflange had sheared. Yeah, I know this has been covered, but read on.

We got a foot of snow this morning, temp is sub-zero and there is no way the Defender will go into the garage. So I'm looking for the easy route.

Question: is it generally possible to get the rest of the bolt out with the hub on the truck? MDE flange and 10-9 bolts (i think that is similar to grade eight, maybe a tad softer) if that matters.

I am thinking some good drill bits and a fresh bolt extractor might do it. Too optimistic? Need to take the hub to a shop?

I am thinking some good drill bits and a fresh bolt extractor might do it. Too optimistic? Need to take the hub to a shop?

Depends on how aggressive the loctite was when it was put together. What color did you use ??

The first stock drive flange I unbolted in my 96 was REAL tight, right from the factory...almost needed heat.

I suspect no loctite. Didn't do it myself, but I was there. Done by professional LR mechs, but around three in the morning the day of a wheeling trip to Alandia, Finland. We were more concerned about getting Mal Story on the phone for some last minute consultation on svivel ball mods.

The bolt end I got out had about 10 mm of threads on it, and no Loctite as far as I could see. Lots of GL5 from the leaking flange, though. The four remaing bolt had backed out some, so again probably no Loctite.

Worth a try in the snow? My fingers get stiff real fast...

I changed one of mine by:
heating with a blow torch then a centre punch tapping the broken section around
came out easy once the Loctite had melted.

if it is below the surface good luck!
Left handed drill bit? but not ezi out!

My local supplier doesn't do left hand bits. Why not ezi out? It worked fine the other day when a locking bolt had sheared from a winch drum.

I guess I should mention that all five bolts were loose, and I suspect the bad one was killed by the flange moving around.

you'll be using a small ezi out and it may well snap rendering the hub as useless!
try the heat/punch first.
thedrilling for the ezi ou may be enough the free the broken piece.

BTW my bolts also free up with the MDE flanges I think it is a frequency vibration thing due the the hardness of the flanges.
I used a tap to clean the threads then plenty of Loctite they have been ok since.

there is a good thread on Outer limits re a broken stud
I'll find it and get it for your to read.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27273&highlight=

Absolutely use a left hand drill bit. It the EZ out breaks inside you are screwed. Ask any machine shop what they use for that job. Wouldn't hurt to heat it as well.

Billster

i'm actually going through a similar thing right now..

trying to replace some worn oil seals on the drive pinion shaft (is that what Rover calls em?).

i found using WD40 and a torch works well, although I do it outside cuz the fumes are pretty nasty. have a bottle of Liquid Wrench sitting around here somewhere too..

I have an account with one of the bigger machinery and tools places in town, and they claim they can't get the left hand bits anymore. We'll see in the morning. Maybe the bolts place can help.

Anyway, thank's for the support. I'll report back.

Can speak from experience and say that do NOT use an Ezyout. Never had any luck with these fawkers, and they WILL break leaving you with an ezyout in there that cannot be drilled out without resorting to really expensive drill bits.
I'd try heating it and then tapping with chisel or LH drill bit.

Look for bolt removal kits that come with drill bits and extractors. These kits are the most likely place to find reverse-twist bits. Usually just drilling the bolt will spin it out.

Good luck!

Use the left-hand drill bit. If you need one, lemme know, I'll send you one to use.

Worst case, both Snap-On and Matco sell several varieties, including high $ Cobalt.

Don't use the easy-out, repeat after me, don't use the easy-out.

I'm 100% for removal since I began using left-hand bits.

Iv'e found the left handers for him, using one of the hardware specialists we use at work. Less shipping cost.
They were expensive, though, just over twice as much as ordinary bits.

Tobias

Actually, they have them in the catalog from my regular place, but they can't sell many, judging from the reaction in the store.

We go Tobias' route, and judging from the price, they may be of higher quality. I'm hoping for the snow to melt away, but no luck so far.

Actually, they have them in the catalog from my regular place, but they can't sell many, judging from the reaction in the store.

We go Tobias' route, and judging from the price, they may be of higher quality. I'm hoping for the snow to melt away, but no luck so far.

If the bolt is flush and you can't get a LH bit, you can try this.

Get a piece of steel and an arc welder. The piece of steel has to be roughly a foot long, what you do is you deposit a blob of molten steel on the bolt that's in the hub, and then cool it. Then repeat. Do this until you've built up a little mound of weldment, and then weld the bar of steel to the blob, in order to give you some leverage. By applying the weldment and rapidly cooling, you get heat down into the bolt better than with any torch. Then you have a lever arm to unwind the bolt. You have to start by wiggling the lever arm slowly and the work your way up to unwinding it.

This method has worked or me with a 100% success rate. If you are a good welder (or you know someone who is) you won't damage the hub, but this is more easily done with the hub in a vice.

Left hand bits work, but you already knew this.

The stars aligned today for the right opportunity to get the bolt out. Or maybe it was the combination of the first sun for weeks and me having safety inspection on Thursday.

Anyway, I found thet the bits bite best if you drill a pilot hole and then go up 1mm in drill bit dimension. Did another less crucial bolt too just for the hell of it. Amazingly easy.

Learned something new today. Grade 10.9 bolts are specific to the automotive industry, and my bolt specialist don't carry that quality at all. Had to order them at the dealership. Simple M10x45 hex bolts, but apparently rare hardening grade.

Learned something new today. Grade 10.9 bolts are specific to the automotive industry, and my bolt specialist don't carry that quality at all. Had to order them at the dealership. Simple M10x45 hex bolts, but apparently rare hardening grade.

Sorry the part about specific to automotive industry is not correct.

Sorry the part about specific to automotive industry is not correct.

You care to elaborate on that? According to the bolts place, who usually know their stuff, 10.9 is specified for driveline components and suspensions, and that's about it. They carry most everything is bolt materials, dimensions, heat treatments, and the weirdest threads, but shun away completely from 10.9 because car parts companies do it better.

because car parts companies do it better.

Do what better? Buy different bolts from the same supplier that makes all the rest of the bolts in the bin?

Having worked in the automotive industry, I'll repeatedly state that they all source their stuff from somebody else. Special coatings, heat-treatments, etc. are all done by secondary suppliers.

The factory where I worked most recently (in a tiny town in central Indiana) molded, painted and shipped in boxes labeled Jaguar, the covers for the spark plugs for the 2.0 litre V-6. We also shipped parts in boxes labeled Toyota, all the way to Japan.

Automakers make very little in-house.

Do what better? Buy different bolts from the same supplier that makes all the rest of the bolts in the bin?

Automakers make very little in-house.

Exactly. It is all about logistics. The car manufacturers stock the dimensions and grades they specify for their cars, so the bolts place stay away from that market intentionally. It's hard to believe when you first enter the store, but they conciously stay away whole classes of fasteners just to fit in their store, and continue to make money.

Btw, more than 50 percent of all fasteners sold in Sweden are made in China anyway.