Hayk

iTrader: (1)

I snapped off the head of a 12mm Sway Bar Bracket bolt, and now I need to get the remaining piece out of there. Are there any tools or techniques that you guys recommend?

I tried drilling into the bolt, but my drill bits are just not cutting into the metal.

Found this tool called Grabit Drill-Out for 12mm Bolts. Has anyone used one in the past?

EEngineer

grind the surface flat, use a center punch to make a mark, use impact drill with titanium drill bit.

Power6

Give up on an easy way out of this one ;-) If you put enough torque on it to break the head off but it didn't budge, then there will not be any attachment to a drill that is going to back that bolt out. The only way now is to drill it out. Good drill bits and patience will get it done. Grind off as much extra bolt as you can to make less work.

This doesn't help now but the easiest way to deal with rusty bolts is to not break them. Over time with experience, you get a feel for when you are risking breaking a bolt, and back off. You'll learn to rely on PB Blaster, freeze-off, heat and impact techniques to free frozen bolts.

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I've had this happen before, a while back. And this time I just ignored all the signs and didn't use any penetrating oil.

I've noticed that some people prefer PB Blaster, while others use WD40. Is this a regional thing? I always use WD40.

Power6

I used to be a WD40 guy, I grew up in the Boston area. I switched over once I tried the PB. It is a product more optimized for rusty bolts where WD40 is sort of a "fix it all" solvent, or it seems so anyways, it def works better. They both smell the same so they are probably similar.

I've heard the "freeze-off" product is the new hot ticket for getting rusty bolts free.