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Broken Wedge Bolts


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Ok, 2008 RLXI Promo boat. Manual floating wedge.

The wedge was removed/installed a few times for tournament use, and someone cross threaded a bolt.

I broke said bolt. Cut the bolt to remove the wedge.

Now i have a headless bolt in the hole.

Any Advice? Current plan is to drill out (slowly), and replace bolt wiht a grade 8.

If i remember correctly, grade 8 is stronger than the stainless that was in there, correct?

I'm not too worried about corrosion, as the boat only sees fresh water, and really, i can change the bolts every time it gets removed.

Think its necessary to retap the stainless bracket? I don't think i have a tap strong enough.

Any other advice?

Anyone else have this problem?

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Ok, 2008 RLXI Promo boat. Manual floating wedge.

The wedge was removed/installed a few times for tournament use, and someone cross threaded a bolt.

I broke said bolt. Cut the bolt to remove the wedge.

Now i have a headless bolt in the hole.

Any Advice? Current plan is to drill out (slowly), and replace bolt wiht a grade 8.

If i remember correctly, grade 8 is stronger than the stainless that was in there, correct?

I'm not too worried about corrosion, as the boat only sees fresh water, and really, i can change the bolts every time it gets removed.

Think its necessary to retap the stainless bracket? I don't think i have a tap strong enough.

Any other advice?

Anyone else have this problem?

If you drill out the broken bolt with a small enough bit, then you can use an easy out tool to extract the bad bolt. Doing it this way will not damage the threads.

easy out screw extractor

You can pick up a nice set at Sears or Lowes.

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I am familiar with easy outs - but planned not to use one because the bolt is so jammed in the threads as it is. Main reason why the bolt broke when i tried to remove it.

Plus, easy-outs are super hard, and if i break one of those in the hole, then i'm really screwed.

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drill it out, re-tap and you're good to go.

I'm going to want to get a good tap, hoping i won't break it. Anyone know the size?

I know its a pretty fine thread.....and maybe about a 1/2" size (from memory......its been months since i saw them).

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I would hit it with some wd-40. Then drill a hole for the e-z out. Use the largest size drill bit and e-z out you can. Heat with a propane torch just before you try the e-z out. Hopefully, that will do it.

I broke an e-z out off once. It was well below the surface of the bolt. I was able to bang in a square headed masonry nail and turn it out with channel locks. The nail only had a tiny bite into the bolt, but it was enough. Also, I think all of the banging loosened the bolt as well.

Good luck!

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I would hit it with some wd-40. Then drill a hole for the e-z out. Use the largest size drill bit and e-z out you can. Heat with a propane torch just before you try the e-z out. Hopefully, that will do it.

I broke an e-z out off once. It was well below the surface of the bolt. I was able to bang in a square headed masonry nail and turn it out with channel locks. The nail only had a tiny bite into the bolt, but it was enough. Also, I think all of the banging loosened the bolt as well.

Good luck!

Before breaking the bolt, i knew there was more resistance in removal than normal. At this point, i hit it with PB blaster, let it sit. Didn't make a difference. Drenched it in WD40, same result.

So at this point, if i had enough grip on the bolt to break it instead of removing it, i doubt any of these removal methods will work. An easy out is not going to be stronger than the original bolt was.

Sounds like i'm gonna drill and tap it. Fun. Good thing i have a 90 degree drill.....just hope it hold up.

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drill it out, re-tap and you're good to go.

I'm going to want to get a good tap, hoping i won't break it. Anyone know the size?

I know its a pretty fine thread.....and maybe about a 1/2" size (from memory......its been months since i saw them).

I'd be less concerned about what size tap and more worried about getting the old one out. In fact, if I was doing it, I'd probably make sure I drill it out big enough to tap with good solid threads for the new mount.

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Could you through bolt it as a backup plan?

Currently, its threaded through the (thin) bracket, then has a nut on the back. This keeps the bolt in place, sorta like a double nut. If i through bolt it only, the bolt will wobble, because it needs to be loose enough that the wedge moves.

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I don't have any experience with the floating wedge so I can't even picture what bolt it is you are talking about. But you asked about fastener. I personally wouldn't use anything but stainless hardware in any marine application.

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It is the bolt that the wedge pivots on . Only difference between the regular and floating wedges are that the floating done doesn't lock in the down position.

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If you believe it was cross threaded you will need to tap it to fix the threads so that should not be a issue. It sounds like you will need to drill it out. I also would use stainless hardware. If it is necessary to drill and the hole size is increased you still have the option of drilling oversize and putting a Helecoil insert in to get it back to the same size as original used. Helecoil's come in stainless .

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wonder if i can find a thin nut in that size. Then i could just drill out the threads on the bracket, and run a large nut on teh outside, and a thin one on the inside. There was clearance if i remember correctly. Would be way strong, and easy to remove.

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A pic of the problem would be helpful, but here is my 2 cents. Easy outs and re-drilling and re-tapping are not for the faint at heart. One of the most very important steps in the process you are about to take on is the pilot hole you drill. It is extremely important that you drill in the EXACT center of the broken bolt/stud and I have found the griding the broken off surface flat really helps. This of course assumes it protrudes out a bit from the surface. After you get a flat surface try and lightly scribe a cross on the middle of the stud so that you can place the tip of your center punch in the cross hair. If you get off to the side of the bolt the bit will more than likely "walk" off the side into the softer material. You do not want this to happen. Once you get the correct size hole drilled for the easy out I suggest trying it but avoid at all cost breaking it off cause that makes the next step, drilling it out to re-tap extremely difficult. The material that easy outs and screw extractors are made from similar materials to drill bits and really can't be drilled.

Just remember the 6 P's Perfect, Planning, Prevents, Piss, Poor, Performance.

-Dave

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I think it is time to break out the left-handed muffler wrench and drill bit.

SS harware comes in various quality of surface finishes. I am thinking that what yuo have described may not be the result of the fastener being cross threaded but caused by the SS "spalling". Typically this occurs when very fine splinters on both peices of the hardware become interlocked causing a sensation that seems as though the nut or bolt is getting more difficult to turn even though you are UNDOING it. Ultimately the bolt shears off regardless of the direction the bolt is turned. If this has occured do not under any circumstances attempt to remove with a screw extactor as it will in all probability join the other junk stuck in the bolt hole. As our other friends have suggested drill out to the largest possible size, this would be the minor diameter of the thread you are trying to save and retap with the correct thread. I would suggest purchasing the replacement bolts and match diameter and TPI accordingly. Alternately, if you are unable to drill in the exact centre of the broken fastener, you will need to drill a smaller hole that does not contact the thread you are trying to save through the broken fastener. This hole is to allow you to begin with small straight parrallel cutting files to cut the broken fastener into probably four equal peices so that you can then remove the peices with a smal punch or chisel. Also when reassembling suggest you use a product such as Never Seize for SS fasteners to minimse the risk of future occurance.

Good luck by the way.

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I think it is time to break out the left-handed muffler wrench and drill bit.

SS harware comes in various quality of surface finishes. I am thinking that what yuo have described may not be the result of the fastener being cross threaded but caused by the SS "spalling". Typically this occurs when very fine splinters on both peices of the hardware become interlocked causing a sensation that seems as though the nut or bolt is getting more difficult to turn even though you are UNDOING it. Ultimately the bolt shears off regardless of the direction the bolt is turned. If this has occured do not under any circumstances attempt to remove with a screw extactor as it will in all probability join the other junk stuck in the bolt hole. As our other friends have suggested drill out to the largest possible size, this would be the minor diameter of the thread you are trying to save and retap with the correct thread. I would suggest purchasing the replacement bolts and match diameter and TPI accordingly. Alternately, if you are unable to drill in the exact centre of the broken fastener, you will need to drill a smaller hole that does not contact the thread you are trying to save through the broken fastener. This hole is to allow you to begin with small straight parrallel cutting files to cut the broken fastener into probably four equal peices so that you can then remove the peices with a smal punch or chisel. Also when reassembling suggest you use a product such as Never Seize for SS fasteners to minimse the risk of future occurance.

Good luck by the way.

Rogen,

thanks for the very informative reply. Luckily, i was headed in that direction before you posted....no easy outs for this problem!

I was able to drill the bolt almost all the way out, but when i got up to larger bit sizes, they were too long to fit in the bracket, even with a 90˚ drill.

I had to give up for the day, but was able to find the bits i need at ace.

I am going to check my clearances, but rather than try to retap the threads, i think i am going to drill them out, and put a thin nut on the inside of the bracket, and a thicker one on the outside. This will allow me to sandwich the bracket between the 2 nuts, and end up with the bolt in the stock location. I am going to try it out with grade 8's, and see how it works.

Thanks for your help!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok, so IIRC, the bolts are 1/2"-20's.

I drilled out the bolt, once i got almost all the way through wiht a 7/16" bit, the back end of the bolt started smoking AROUND the threads. At this point i grabbed it with pliers and removed the remnants.

Drilled out the hole, tapped, and inserted a Heilcoil. Antiseized the crap out of both bolts, reinstalled, tightened up.

I'll keep you updated if i have any problems with this setup, but i doubt it. Only thing i see screweing it up is removing the wedge frequently, which i will try and avoid this season.

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