Bolt Snapped Off Grab Your Welder!
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Date: 2026-04-12
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Comments and reviews: 20
CedroCron
Up here in the rustbelt of Canuckastan (Cana-DUH) we've always gone full nuclear on the nuts welding to the snapped off remaining bolt. We always quench it first to make sure the weld isn't soft from the heat, and it always comes off first time. We don't quench it too much, just enough that it's not soft so it doesn't snap off. It's a bit of an art, but one that our guys have perfected. Lots of practice on freaking exhaust manifold studs and also many other rusty fasteners. Thanks for showing it!
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Up here in the rustbelt of Canuckastan (Cana-DUH) we've always gone full nuclear on the nuts welding to the snapped off remaining bolt. We always quench it first to make sure the weld isn't soft from the heat, and it always comes off first time. We don't quench it too much, just enough that it's not soft so it doesn't snap off. It's a bit of an art, but one that our guys have perfected. Lots of practice on freaking exhaust manifold studs and also many other rusty fasteners. Thanks for showing it!
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ForfeMac
I honestly haven't bothered with extractors unless absolutely necessary in 20 years, just plug in the welder and fry on a nut, give it a chance to cool off before you go wrenching on it and it comes out pretty much every single time. If it's really bad I'll drill out the bolt and then go back to welding0 nuts on, I figure with the middle gone, as the bolt cools it has a place to shrink into the hole and gets smaller than the threaded hole it's in. It seems to work anyways.
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I honestly haven't bothered with extractors unless absolutely necessary in 20 years, just plug in the welder and fry on a nut, give it a chance to cool off before you go wrenching on it and it comes out pretty much every single time. If it's really bad I'll drill out the bolt and then go back to welding0 nuts on, I figure with the middle gone, as the bolt cools it has a place to shrink into the hole and gets smaller than the threaded hole it's in. It seems to work anyways.
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kenricrose
My take on one reason why heating a bolt or nut seems to break them free is that whichever part is heated expands at a different rate at first than the mating part. So, you heat the bolt and as the heat travels down it expands, but the nut does not expand at the same rate until the heat transfers to it and the temperatures equalize. During the time of differential expansion there has to be microscopic movement between the bolt and nut that breaks the bonds.
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My take on one reason why heating a bolt or nut seems to break them free is that whichever part is heated expands at a different rate at first than the mating part. So, you heat the bolt and as the heat travels down it expands, but the nut does not expand at the same rate until the heat transfers to it and the temperatures equalize. During the time of differential expansion there has to be microscopic movement between the bolt and nut that breaks the bonds.
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jack_0U812
This was actually really helpful. I was removing skid plates from my Jeep to make it stock to trade it in and one allen bolt was immediately stripped. One worked fine welding in a nut first time. Second one just would not keep from breaking away when turning it. But I guess I was too timid and kept the welder nozzle farther out. Your method putting it right to the nut and filling looks like it's key. I'll do that next time.
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This was actually really helpful. I was removing skid plates from my Jeep to make it stock to trade it in and one allen bolt was immediately stripped. One worked fine welding in a nut first time. Second one just would not keep from breaking away when turning it. But I guess I was too timid and kept the welder nozzle farther out. Your method putting it right to the nut and filling looks like it's key. I'll do that next time.
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courier11sec
This is by far my preferred method for dealing with broken bolts. My old boss taught me this sorcery at the shop where we built custom exhaust and did a lot of motorhome work so we got LOTS of practice often on exhaust manifold bolts in the head. Very high success rate.
Every time I've taught someone else to do it they've been just as in awe as I was the first time.
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This is by far my preferred method for dealing with broken bolts. My old boss taught me this sorcery at the shop where we built custom exhaust and did a lot of motorhome work so we got LOTS of practice often on exhaust manifold bolts in the head. Very high success rate.
Every time I've taught someone else to do it they've been just as in awe as I was the first time.
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matopezuta2050
I keep scraps of copper tubing in the shop. When I snap a bolt off below the surface. I cut a chunk of the largest copper tubing that will fit in the hole so it's just proud of the surface. Build up weld till I can weld a nut on it. Saves having the hole or even threads messed up in a hole. Works like a copper spoon for filling holes in body panels.
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I keep scraps of copper tubing in the shop. When I snap a bolt off below the surface. I cut a chunk of the largest copper tubing that will fit in the hole so it's just proud of the surface. Build up weld till I can weld a nut on it. Saves having the hole or even threads messed up in a hole. Works like a copper spoon for filling holes in body panels.
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0778drz110
I used your videos to help me remove snapped off exhaust manifold studs on a diesel Sprinter van with my welder. Had to work from the top and bottom at a 90 degree angle. No removable fender liner. Took two days of trying to get the 4 studs out. Thankfully I was smarter on the other 6 i used way more heat and they came out without snapping.
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I used your videos to help me remove snapped off exhaust manifold studs on a diesel Sprinter van with my welder. Had to work from the top and bottom at a 90 degree angle. No removable fender liner. Took two days of trying to get the 4 studs out. Thankfully I was smarter on the other 6 i used way more heat and they came out without snapping.
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steve-Fixit
The bolt does expand but its trapped in a hole so it can only expand so far. Then when it cools it shrinks and becomes loose. I have removed many bearing races by welding them then they fall out. If you have ever dealt with an old galvanized pipe the only way to get apart and still save threads is hot/cold until you break the rust bond.
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The bolt does expand but its trapped in a hole so it can only expand so far. Then when it cools it shrinks and becomes loose. I have removed many bearing races by welding them then they fall out. If you have ever dealt with an old galvanized pipe the only way to get apart and still save threads is hot/cold until you break the rust bond.
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jamescaron6465
They don’t call at the hot wrench for nothing. Since you’re heating things up and these metals expanded different rates, you will break any adhesion you have between bolt and nut. My favourite is when you have them galvanise the hot wrench is the only way to do it short of cutting the bolt something you can’t always do
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They don’t call at the hot wrench for nothing. Since you’re heating things up and these metals expanded different rates, you will break any adhesion you have between bolt and nut. My favourite is when you have them galvanise the hot wrench is the only way to do it short of cutting the bolt something you can’t always do
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jimandnena4
Mr. O, You are THE master on broke bolt removal.
My son's Marauder had the AC compressor mounting studs snap off and we are going to try to remove and replace the bolts before the Texas summer temps arrive. We have looked at several of your videos from past years and you are the master! Watching from Texas.
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Mr. O, You are THE master on broke bolt removal.
My son's Marauder had the AC compressor mounting studs snap off and we are going to try to remove and replace the bolts before the Texas summer temps arrive. We have looked at several of your videos from past years and you are the master! Watching from Texas.
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tomwhitt4621
I’m from Florida and people will say we’re not in the rust belt you don’t understand the national we get but yet we have customers that live literally right next to the beach and their cars are so nasty and rusted and rotted out from the salt over there this is the exact method I use when a bolt snaps.
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I’m from Florida and people will say we’re not in the rust belt you don’t understand the national we get but yet we have customers that live literally right next to the beach and their cars are so nasty and rusted and rotted out from the salt over there this is the exact method I use when a bolt snaps.
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stevespra1
When you think about it, when we heat the nut it also tightens the bolt to nut connection. Heating the nut expands the metal that the nut is made of. Some of that metal goes out and some of it grows into the hole. When we heat treat parts, the holes always shrink. It's all about breaking the bond.
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When you think about it, when we heat the nut it also tightens the bolt to nut connection. Heating the nut expands the metal that the nut is made of. Some of that metal goes out and some of it grows into the hole. When we heat treat parts, the holes always shrink. It's all about breaking the bond.
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alskiontheweb7118
I was all bent out of shape the last time my 2019 ram was reviewed by the judges at the car shows. He stuck a mirror under there and knocked off about 3 in of frame rust flakes. I would have won the show if he hadn't done that. He should have been more careful with his mirror.
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I was all bent out of shape the last time my 2019 ram was reviewed by the judges at the car shows. He stuck a mirror under there and knocked off about 3 in of frame rust flakes. I would have won the show if he hadn't done that. He should have been more careful with his mirror.
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paulstandaert5709
Heat always makes fasteners move better. Always. Even though the theory is that heating of the bolt is going to make it expand and theoretically make it tighter, but it doesn't. It never does. The use of heat can't be stressed enough. And sometimes it doesn't take much.
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Heat always makes fasteners move better. Always. Even though the theory is that heating of the bolt is going to make it expand and theoretically make it tighter, but it doesn't. It never does. The use of heat can't be stressed enough. And sometimes it doesn't take much.
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capnskiddies
Don't have a welder. Disinclined to get that level could kill myself into my life. I usually just go for the bigger thing, the thing I want is bolted to. I hate breaking little bolts and it's so hard to break big ones you get an early warning that you're doing it.
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Don't have a welder. Disinclined to get that level could kill myself into my life. I usually just go for the bigger thing, the thing I want is bolted to. I hate breaking little bolts and it's so hard to break big ones you get an early warning that you're doing it.
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iamblaineful
GM Exhaust manifold bolts, I don't care where you live, you are gonna break one. Do you folks up in the rusty crusty areas chase threads afterwards or use the dreaded never-sneeze for the reisntall Honest question, or do you just put a new bolt in and Send It
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GM Exhaust manifold bolts, I don't care where you live, you are gonna break one. Do you folks up in the rusty crusty areas chase threads afterwards or use the dreaded never-sneeze for the reisntall Honest question, or do you just put a new bolt in and Send It
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ThomasN-r8z
Just did this today doing exhaust manifolds on a good old HEMI! 300k kms got lucky and only had to weld a nut onto 1 broken bolt. Came out 2nd try haha. Cheers from Toronto Canada! Keep em coming
Edit- next time I’ll try setting the welder to nuclear haha
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Just did this today doing exhaust manifolds on a good old HEMI! 300k kms got lucky and only had to weld a nut onto 1 broken bolt. Came out 2nd try haha. Cheers from Toronto Canada! Keep em coming
Edit- next time I’ll try setting the welder to nuclear haha
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Starchface
Bolts are sometimes fractured or compromised in some way that weakens them, rather than being rusted in place. That is likely why this one broke so easily. [My best Eric O impression] Why don't you get on down to that comment section and put some heat into it
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Bolts are sometimes fractured or compromised in some way that weakens them, rather than being rusted in place. That is likely why this one broke so easily. [My best Eric O impression] Why don't you get on down to that comment section and put some heat into it
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autorepair
Good trick, been doing that for ever(New England Farm kid/ hack wrench turner. Another trick an old Marine thought me is melt a half of a crayon on the threads, then eat the other half while it cools (purple tastes the best) and it'll come off super easy.
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Good trick, been doing that for ever(New England Farm kid/ hack wrench turner. Another trick an old Marine thought me is melt a half of a crayon on the threads, then eat the other half while it cools (purple tastes the best) and it'll come off super easy.
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farmermiyagi1338
Goooood evening kids! Mr O. Now yer just showin off. I'm glad I don't live in the rust belt. Nothing pisses me off like having to pull the torch out. Not something I have to do very often. Now the welder, I dig me some welding.
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Goooood evening kids! Mr O. Now yer just showin off. I'm glad I don't live in the rust belt. Nothing pisses me off like having to pull the torch out. Not something I have to do very often. Now the welder, I dig me some welding.
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