Practical Automotive Maintenance: Rounded Bolt Extraction
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Rounded Bolt Extraction
01.04
| 00:00 | If a bolt head has rounded off and a socket, allen key or spanner can no longer grip it, welding a nut onto it is a simple, but effective way to remove it. |
| 00:08 | We'll begin by cleaning the top of the damaged bolt with a wire brush or a grinder to remove rust, paint or oil. |
| 00:14 | Select a nut that's slightly larger than the bolt head and position it squarely over the damaged area. |
| 00:20 | Using a welder, preferably MIG, weld through the centre of the nut to fuse it securely to the top of the bolt, allowing the weld to fill the nut's hole and bond to the bolt underneath. |
| 00:30 | Once the weld has cooled slightly, but is still warm, use a wrench or socket to turn the nut. |
| 00:35 | The heat from the weld helps to break the bolt loose from corrosion or thread lock. |
| 00:39 | If needed, we apply a small amount of penetrating oil as it cools to help ease removal. |
| 00:45 | To summarise this process, when a bolt head has been rounded and tools can't grip it, welding a slightly larger nut onto the top provides a new surface to turn. |
| 00:53 | After welding through the nut centre and letting it cool slightly, the heat helps loosen the bolt, allowing it to be removed easily with a wrench. |
