what do i do now...

[dougie30]

My subframe bolt snapped inside the frame of my car. I tried to use a bolt extractor to get it out, and that snapped inside of it.....so can some one please help me

[jlevie]

The subframe bolt is retained by a knurled head. Remove the rear seat and use a drift and sledge to drive it up and out of the car body.

[dougie30]

Sorry I didn't specify, but its the front sub frame, does the same apply?

[dougie30]

Damn I'm sorry guys this is in the wrong section..

[LJ851]

Sorry I didn't specify, but its the front sub frame, does the same apply?

No, unfortunately.

[Exodus_2pt0]

How did this happen? You cross threaded it didn't you.

I see a bunch of broken drill bits, a few can's of penetrating oil (keep the bit's cool and sharp), and many curse word's in your immediate future.

[jlevie]

Yes it matters. The threads for the front subframe bolts are part of the frame.

The easy-out can be drilled out with a solid carbide drill. The right way to do it is to use a small left hand twist drill mounted in a pilot the diameter of the bushing in the subframe to keep the drill centered. No more that 1" of the pilot drill should be exposed. Follow that up with a left hand drill just a bit smaller than the body diameter of the bolt's threads.

This is going to be something of a beech with the car on jack stands, but not too difficult on a lift. You might give serious consideration to flat-bedding the car to a good shop and have a pro work the problem.

The first choice in removing a broken bolt or stud is a left hand twist drill. Making sure the drill is centered and following the bolt's axis via some sort of jig or sleeve where possible is advisable. Many times the broken piece will back out under the torque of the drill. If not, drill out to almost body diameter, soak for several days with PBlaster or Kroil and then try an easy-out.

[dougie30]

How did this happen? You cross threaded it didn't you.

I see a bunch of broken drill bits, a few can's of penetrating oil (keep the bit's cool and sharp), and many curse word's in your immediate future.

nope, it was rusted in the frame and when i broke the bolt loose it just snapped... guess i just to strong ;)

no but really im so pissed this happend..

and jlevie, thanks for the info, i didnt even know left handed drill bits where a thing until i looked up how to remove a broken bolt. But i will give it a shot, i tried drilling with a regular bit into the broken extractor and it barley made a dent :( so do they make like a sharper bit??

[Exodus_2pt0]

I don't envy you right now. I would strongly consider paying someone to take care of this as Jlevie stated.

Broken extractor? Drilling into a hardened broken tool is even more of a nightmare. If it were me personally, I would drop the subframe completely at this point and see if I could get a grip on some stud left outside of the body to grip to.

You are literally living my worst nightmare.

[jeffnhiscars]

Im glad I read this since Im gathering parts to drop my front sub frame. Going out right now to hit the bolts with PBblaster.

Always run a tap to clear the threads especially on anything attached to the frame.

[jlevie]

i tried drilling with a regular bit into the broken extractor and it barley made a dent :( so do they make like a sharper bit??

An easy-out is harder than a regular drill bit. But a solid carbide drill is harder than the easy-out and will cut it.

[dougie30]

I don't envy you right now. I would strongly consider paying someone to take care of this as Jlevie stated.

Broken extractor? Drilling into a hardened broken tool is even more of a nightmare. If it were me personally, I would drop the subframe completely at this point and see if I could get a grip on some stud left outside of the body to grip to.

You are literally living my worst nightmare.

yea the sub frame is actually out, the snapped bolt is inside of my frame, its about a half inch inside of my frame.

[jlevie]

Been there, done that, and fixed as described above. Though I knew enough to avoid using an easy out. I put the subframe back into place so I could use the bushing in the subframe as a guide. The pilot drill (1/8") had no affect but a little bit of drilling with the larger bit backed the stub out.

[dougie30]

I made some good progress on this today. The extractor broke at an angle so I couldn't get a flat surface to try and drill it again, so I used a impact gun to flatten the surface, then I used a pin punch in the center of the bolt, used a new bit to start a hole. Eventually I drilled all the way through the bolt....but the hole is offset to the right, buttt I didn't hot any of the threads.

So now I don't know what to do.. I don't want to use another extractor and put my self in the same situation as before.

[jlevie]

The offset hole is why I always look for some way to guide the first (pilot) drill. You don't say what size drill you used and it sounds like you didn't use a left hand twist drill. If the hole isn't too big and isn't too far offset, a larger left hand twist drill may still work. Soak the stub down for several days with BPlaster or Kroil and then try a left hand twist drill.

Patience and the right tools will beat brute force every time.