Broke a winch bolt :(

[DUG]

Finally got around to installing my special shouldered winch bolts today. I had to make 2 trips to the hardware store since the lock washer is 9/16 and the flat washer is 1/2 inch. Got good ole American made stuff too.

Passenger side went good, just removing the temp bolts and installing the new stuff. On my 4th bolt on the drivers side (the long ones) the darn thing broke in two. That sucks. The special bolts were a PITA to find in the 1st place, now I need just one. Oh and it's broke off in there pretty deep too.

Not going to worry about it now since like everyone else I need a PTO and a shaft (though I know where one is - still thinking of selling the deuce and going bigger), but if I can't get the piece out I'll have to swap out the whole end of the winch. That sucks too.

 

[m16ty]

You could try a ease-out but if it's in there pretty tight it may not work. If you can perfectly center your drill bit it is possible to completely drill the bolt out and remove the threads with a pick. After I got it out I'd run a bottom tap down the hole to make sure the threads are ok so you don't break another one off. You are going to have to be very careful in this whole process so you don't ruin the threads in the AL winch housing. If you are off the least amount drilling the bolt out the bit will take the path of least resistance and into the AL. I might even consider removing the winch and maybe even taking it apart so I could get it into a drill press to make sure you drill it out straight.

 

[DUG]

How hard is it to swap out the end of the winch?

 

[doghead]

Nearly impossible. First you need to remove the transfercase, then you need to diassemble the steering gearbox, then remove the seats.......

 

[stumps]

You could try a ease-out but if it's in there pretty tight it may not work. If you can perfectly center your drill bit it is possible to completely drill the bolt out and remove the threads with a pick. After I got it out I'd run a bottom tap down the hole to make sure the threads are ok so you don't break another one off. You are going to have to be very careful in this whole process so you don't ruin the threads in the AL winch housing. If you are off the least amount drilling the bolt out the bit will take the path of least resistance and into the AL. I might even consider removing the winch and maybe even taking it apart so I could get it into a drill press to make sure you drill it out straight.

I understand that this bolt is broken off down in the casting, but here is a technique I use to drill out broken bolts and studs:

Take a piece of bar, about 1 inch square, and using your drill press, drill a hole through the bar that is the tap drill size for the bolt you need to remove. Then with the bar still clamped in your drill press, drill down into the bar the exact clearance size of the broken stud/bold threads. Only drill as deep as the amount the stud is sticking out of the casting.

Fit the bar's clearance hole over the stud, and clamp it to the casting (if you can). Usually you can use one of the other holes tapped into the casting. Take your electric drill, and using the hole in the bar as a guide, drill out the stud with a drill that is the tap drill size for the stud.

When you are done, either the stud will have followed the drill into the casting and be gone, or you can uncoil the remaining threads from the hole with a steel pick and a pair of needle nosed pliers.

Also, there are left hand drills available. They work even better as they wind the stud up out of the hole.

Now, for the case of a buried stud, you can often do the same thing, only you have to line up the guide bar by eye.

-Chuck

 

[Recovry4x4]

This sucks but maybe not. How hard were you cranking on it? More often than not, steel bolts don't snap off in aluminum unless the bolt was weak to begin with. I'd try a left hand drill and an easy out (what I'd really do is go out back and dig out another winch from the pile).

 

[nk14zp]

 

[DUG]

Nearly impossible. First you need to remove the transfercase, then you need to diassemble the steering gearbox, then remove the seats.......

Alright, I have that done, now what?

 

[DUG]

Dude - Picture in your funny little head a broken bolt. Now picture me with a POed look on my face.

While you're at it, picture Frodo stuck in China and DH's dog cruising to PetCo on the Mule.

Wake me up when you can picture the correct lotto numbers.

 

[DUG]

This sucks but maybe not. How hard were you cranking on it? More often than not, steel bolts don't snap off in aluminum unless the bolt was weak to begin with. I'd try a left hand drill and an easy out (what I'd really do is go out back and dig out another winch from the pile).

How hard? Impact gun until the seat the lock washer. They were used bolts, maybe it had a flaw. My wife is a former Machinary Repairman in the Navy, so she knows about extracting broken bolts. I'll let her check it out in the daylight.

Got an extra winch end plate in case this goes bad?

 

[hndrsonj]

DUG, Look on ebay. Do a search for M35A2 one was on earlier. By the way I still have the parts for your winch if you still need them.

 

[nk14zp]

Whats a mond?

 

[doghead]

JH, He really needs the gear-housing, not the end-plate. The bolthole threads are not in the cover, they are in the housing.

That's a lot of work, for a winch that's not connected to the transmission yet, and the owner is now considering selling to get a 5 ton.

 

[doghead]

Whats a mond?

Mond process - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[DUG]

Well since I had the seats out like DH said to do, I had the wife redo the passenger side in some khaki canvas we found and put in new foam.

And as for it being a lot of work for a truck possibly for sale, DH - it might be going to a friend. Either way I would have to help fix it. Besides, it's good business to fix what you can before you sell. I don't like to pass my problems on to someone else.

 

[DUG]

DUG, Look on ebay. Do a search for M35A2 one was on earlier. By the way I still have the parts for your winch if you still need them.

Jim - Good idea. I'll replace my 400 dollar winch with one that costs 850 plus shipping. I'm all over it.

 

[DanMartin]

Not sure if this is still and issue for you, but: Get yourself a set of left handed drill bits for removing broken bolts. 9 out of 10 times, the bit will grab the inside of the bolt about 1/2 way though the drilling process and back it out. They really are slick. I use them all the time.

 

[doghead]

No good Dan, I think Doug is right-handed(maybe he is ambidextrous).

 

[nk14zp]

Scrap the whole works.It aint worth fixing!

 

[nk14zp]

I'll give you 50$ for the junk winch you ship.