What is the best type of easy outs?

[LEDCREATIONS]

I've been trying to remove the broken bolts from the hinge plates on my bronco.

I've tried wd-40, PB blaster, and welding a nut to it with no luck.

Now its time to face the facts and use easy outs....but who makes the best ones?

I can't use harbor frieght tools on the job... These bolts are STUCK in there.

I'll be lucky if easy outs work...
Its either that or drill the piss out of them.
I have 6 i need to do

Any ideas, thoughts, best tool to use(don't say plasma cutter)

 

[RV77]

When the bolts are froze as bad as you say...I have good luck with LH cobalt drill bits.The important thing is to make sure to drill in the center of the fastener.
Also when using them is to keep oiling them as you go and sometimes the bits grabs the bolt and back it out.I get these from Snap-on.

BTW -Can you use a torch to heat them up some or is paint an issue ?

 

[70_Steve]

Any ideas, thoughts, best tool to use

Don't know about the best tool to use, but one of the worst would be an easyout. Most likely they will not be able to back out the broken bolt, and there's a good possibility that at least one will snap on you. Now you've got hardened tool steel in the middle of the bolt...

 

[ransil]

I had the exact same problem on the hinge plates.
I even had them removed from the door post, still could not get them out.

I ended up having new plates made.

 

[gearida]

I would suggest left hand drill bits.

 

[Bronco Brian]

Drill most of it out and retap

 

[Pedestrian]

If welding a nut to them didn't work, easy outs will not work either, they will break off leaving you nothing but trouble.
Drill carefully, in steps, with good quality bits.

 

[Steve83]

Drill all the way thru before putting any kind of EZ-Out in. If it breaks, you'll be able to knock it out from the other side. But drilling (either direction) usually loosens the bolt enough to free it up, especially if you drill >.5 the bolt diameter. The heat, vibration, & loss of strength are often enough.

 

[DirtDonk]

There's also a new freezer-burn-in-a-can (Loctite "Freeze-n-Release) available from too. Should be on the shelves by now I would think, or at least in the distributors. You might try that.
Don't think it's quite what you need in this situation, but it might still be handy to have around for other rusty bolts too.

Paul

 

[bax]

another vote for drilling and tapping. I did it to my dads build. I had 5 on one side. I was able to fix them all. No way would I want any hardened steel broke off inside these plates. If that happened it would be plasma torch time. mad has a couple of good pictures of him using this method after he snapped off an EZ out.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Drill baby drill!

As stated, if they are that stuck (and the door hinge bolts are really bad about this even in AZ) then the bolt and the plate are now one. Drill carefully and I will be surprised if the bolt ever comes out. I expect that you will be retapping the hole.

I have never seen an EZout that would be strong enough for a typical rusted door hinge bolt.

 

[barronj]

The only thing easy about an easy-out is how easily $20 comes out of your wallet to buy it.

I have some amazing bolt extractors- they came in a tool kit I inherited from a friend. Too bad I don't have a pic for you. They're in TX, I'm in CO.

Color me in the drill/re-tap (or heli-coil) crowd.

 

[bigbadktm]

yup got some hardened steel in one of my bolt holes now thanks to a set of easy outs.