Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[terry paget]

Thanks for the quick response, chaps.
The screwfix nut removers might work, but I am nervous of it giving enough grip on a tapering bolt head to undo it. I used a 24" breakr bar to undo the other two bolts. The smallest nut in the set is 11mm, the bolt head is 9mm diameter.

Attractive idea to grind off the head, remove the pulley, and remove the stub with mole grips. I have found a spare PSP pulley in my spares pile - the good news- but it is only 1.5mm thick in the centre, so would not leave much stub to grip with the mole grips.

I have never welded in my life. They tell me gas welding is tricky, electric welding less so. I hanker after the idea that the cheapest Machine Mart electric welder (£60) would allow me to weld the socket to the bolt. Tell me I am wrong!

[Nick W]

I think I see your problem: a 24" breaker on an M8 bolt. I'm surprised you only broke one.


You might struggle with the molegrips, but the grinder will allow you to cut a screwdriver slot in the remains of the bolt. The bolt won't be particularly tight once the head is no longer attached.


Weld on a nut, not a socket.


The £60 welder will be a stick, and will require some skill/finesse to weld such small parts together. You won't have that without a good deal of practice.

[terry paget]

Clarification, I broke no bolts. Last night one came out with a short ratchet and the aux belt on, and I damaged the head of a second. Today with the pulley held by the extension I got a second bolt out with the 24" breaker bar, but could not shift the bolt with the damaged head.

You were right and I was wrong. A rusted in bolt (as in exhaust sections) will be a sod to remove, after heat, and it will be hard to turn along its entire length. A bolt, tight but not rusty, is tight mainly by friction between the head and the top surface. In this second case, once the head is ground off the friction is removed and it should turn easily. The bolts in the PSP pulley were not rusty (see pic) and indeed were finger tight once cracked. I feared that the curved shape of the pulley would prevent me cutting a saw cut in the bolt stub, but of course once the pulley is off that would not be a problem. So that is my plan; thanks for your advice.

I am busy in the next few days ( High Wycombe meet Saturday) so job is on pause. Will report progress.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cbujty7umkcuwkh/PSPpulley%20bolt75%25.jpg?dl=0
   

[terry paget]

Ground head off the bolt, cut a slot in it, unscrewed it with a screwdriver. Thanks Nick, good advice, you've taught me a new trick. Now I can get on and change the cam belt.