other Another "must Have" Tool ??

[OriginalOwner]

it's gotta be good:  I just saw it on TV !!!

 

https://www.buyspeedout.com/

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

[ingramlee]

I worked PT last year at a larg hardware store where we sold those. Lots of unhappy customers returned them. Either they used them to solve their problems and then returned them, they bought them and didnt know how to use them, or they truly didnt work. I dont really know as I've never used it, just sharing what I know about them.

[thehackmechanic]

As I say in the book,

 

"First, if you have a set of “Easy Outs” – those counterclockwise-spiraled bits you’re supposed to insert into a hole you’ve drilled into a snapped-off bolt – go to your toolbox, right now, find every one of them, and throw them in the garbage. Trust me: If a bolt is so frozen that, with a clear access and ample amounts of torque, you snapped the head clean off it, the Easy Out is not going to loosen it. Ever. It is, however, almost certain to break in half and leave part of itself inside the bolt. And then you’re even more boned than you were before."

[Mike Self]

+ 1 with Rob...I've broken more easy-outs than had success removing stuff.  The only exception is when the steel bolt/stud is threaded into aluminum.  If you can heat the aluminum and then use penetrating oil, you have a better chance of success.  

 

mike

[lilmo]

Carpenter's tool?  Maybe.  Mechanic's tool?  No way.

[jgerock]

I have to partially disagree and agree with the comments.

 

My father gave me a set of these a few years ago and they work pretty well.  I was able to remove a broken timing cover bolt from one engine and the two ignition switch bolts from the column.  Sadly, they did not work at removing another broken timing cover bolt (different engine).

[golden809]

I've always found the best bolt / screw remover is PB Blaster. Applied liberally with patience. It is amazing. But for 20 bucks having a tool in your box is better than not having it and wishing you did.

[jgerock]

I've always found the best bolt / screw remover is PB Blaster. Applied liberally with patience. It is amazing. But for 20 bucks having a tool in your box is better than not having it and wishing you did.

PBlaster works well (it did not help with removing that stubborn timing cover bolt though).  Lately, the cans of PBlaster that I have purchased have all leaked so I have switched to Liquid Wrench.

[Andy74tii]

I mostly agree with Rob and the others on this, from experience. I had a number of bolts that had broken off, and I spent last spring on a long project to finally deal with them. In the process, I actually snapped another one, and unfortunately it was one of the "special" bolts at the bottom of the strut housing. I spent a couple of days trying to get it out with some of those extractors, and of course snapped that off inside. I then spent another few days lugging the strut housing around to machine shops, and they wouldn't touch it. The problem is that those extractors are harder steel than the bolt itself, so they said they didnt want to chance ruining their bits on it. I finally bought a set of diamond tipped drill bits, and started with very small, incrementing in size as I went up. After maybe 3 iterations, I switched to a reverse drill bit, and it fortunately came out. My impression is that this is just a very thorny problem and it often is just a matter of diligence, sweat and good luck getting the damn things out.

I mostly agree with Rob and the others on this, from experience. I had a number of bolts that had broken off, and I spent last spring on a long project to finally deal with them. In the process, I actually snapped another one, and unfortunately it was one of the "special" bolts at the bottom of the strut housing. I spent a couple of days trying to get it out with some of those extractors, and of course snapped that off inside. I then spent another few days lugging the strut housing around to machine shops, and they wouldn't touch it. The problem is that those extractors are harder steel than the bolt itself, so they said they didnt want to chance ruining their bits on it. I finally bought a set of diamond tipped drill bits, and started with very small, incrementing in size as I went up. After maybe 3 iterations, I switched to a reverse drill bit, and it fortunately came out. My impression is that this is just a very thorny problem and it often is just a matter of diligence, sweat and good luck getting the damn things out.

[thehackmechanic]

I will agree that extractors have their niche when used in conjunction with penetrating oil (I like SiliKriol) and heat, especially if it's a circumstance where, if the extractor snaps, you have another option. What the hell, try it. The problem is that, in most circumstances, when it breaks, you're screwed, and in most circumstances, it is in fact highly likely to break. As simple advice, it's best to advise people not to use them -- to go straight for drilling the bolt out. On the Porsche site Pelican Parts, there are long threads on this because the problem of head studs is so pernicious. 

[KFunk]

I don't know about the 'speed-outs', but maybe they're good for wood screws and such.  They look a bit too wimpy for automotive bolts, though.

 

As for the spiral extractors, I agree, they're crap and break off.  They dig in too much, and they're too flimsy in the middle and snap.

 

However, after finding straight flute extractors, I love them.  I bought a pack of five, and have used them a bunch of times.  Plenty of meat on them, and they dig in great.  I drill out as much as I can with left handed cobalt drill bits first (hoping it will pull it out, but it rarely does).  Then tap in the extractor with a ball peen hammer, and crank away on it with a tap handle or vise grips, and it'll come.  If not, drill some more, and use a bigger extractor. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Vermont-American-21872-Straight-Extractor/dp/B000CEMSHM

 

I used one to get out my broken head bolt, and have removed lots of broken suspension bolts from a rusty subaru with them. 

Edited February 9, 2014 by KFunk

['76mintgrün'02]

I have had success using a TIG welder to add length to a broken bolt and grabbing that with vice grips.  The intense localized heat has a lot to do with it.  If this fails, get out your drill.