I started to do a fluid/rvt change for the first time since I bought my Jeep. the front went nice and easy once I jacked up the drivers side body to get the track bar out of the way. Then I moved to the back where I rounded off one head with a 12-point socket. No biggy, I grabbed a 6-point after getting the other bolts out and what I thought was the bolt breaking loose, turned out to be me snapping the head off clean in the pig...

The plan for tomorrow morning is to try to drill it out and use an easy out with some heat. Fingers crossed that it works, otherwise I may be drilling the hole bigger and using a nut and bolt

 

Before drilling into it, I always use a pin punch ( flat end punch) and whack the bolt hard a few times to jar the threads some. It seems to help when the time comes with the easy-out. Soak it with Liquid Wrench etc for a few minutes also...

 

I filled the back of the hole with pb blaster and will be doing my best to give myself a solid starting point for drilling. Wish me luck

 

Got a welder??
Put a hex nut over top the end of the broken off bolt.
Weld into the center of the nut.
Now the whole thing is red hot. the heat will help to break the stud section threads free.
Get your wrench on that nut while its hot and undue.
If the nut breaks off, get another nut, weld it on.
Always welding into the center cavity of the nut.
In a couple of really bad cases I've had to weld on three and four nuts.
But for most applications, the 1st time works.

 

It broke off flush with the pig, otherwise I might try that. If only...

 

I broke one of the bottom bolts when I did my axle seals a few months ago. I put it together just using the remaining bolts and its been leak free so far. Maybe Ill fix it this summer.

 

Where's the bolt? Top or bottom? If it were me and it was a bolt above the fill hole I'd probably leave it till I got around to fixing it. (Aka never)

 

I like your idea Wiggles !

 

That gives you an idea how often some people change their fluids in the differentials along with other things.


That's why so many of us here tell all the new guys to do a "Complete" Tune-Up and to change all fluids along with the steering section rebuilt. Before any other mods are done as all upgrades and mods are based on these. The cost can run as little as $2-300 or quite high depending on what needs to be replaced, before even considering a lift.

 

Welding a nut on is probably going to be your best bet. Other than that, heat the bolt as much as you can then drill with a left handed drill bit before trying an easy out. I've had bad luck with easy outs and tend to use them as an absolute last resort.

 

It is the bottom left bolt. I'm hoping that since the hole goes all the way through, that I can start drilling from the other side and maybe coax the threads out with a little heat and a good hit with a center punch.

 

Dude, it's so cold today you're going need a magnum torch to get anything warm, let alone hot. It was -13 in Lapeer, couldnt be much warmer in DEEtroit.

Hope you are at least out of the wind, maybe even with a heater. If using rtv, I suggest a hair dryer to help curing before cover install. Even if you can't get it ou now, either/or/and extra rtv around missing bolt, smaller self thread/tap screw until it warms up a touch (like April)

 

Thankfully she is in a family members heated garage with just about every tool I could need.

I'm still in the dog house because this was supposed to be a two hour project. Thanks to a shoddy trailer harness that tried to burn my jeep down, there was a big 4 hour search for the source. The upside there being that I rebuilt my turn signal/hazard light switch and those work properly again!

About to head over to attempt this drill out operation now. wish me luck.

 

So my uncle got bored of waiting for me and drilled it out. No struggle with the easy out after it sat soaking in PB overnight. Got everything gooped up and filled. Time to go for a drive to let everything warm up a little and make sure there's no leaks.

Thank God someone who has done it got their hands on it before I did.

Time to get back to Jeeping around!

 

I see you have the problem solved, but just for anyone who doesn't know...

If you shear off the head of a bolt flush like this, you can weld a washer to it. Then weld a nut (or nuts) to that washer. If you don't want to drill it out that is.