How to remove broken Frankenstein stud?

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 9:55 am

As per the title, I have a broken stud which should have the hardtop Frankenstein fitting screwed onto it, I don't know where or how, but it is just gone. It has almost the depth of a nut protruding above the bodywork, no way enough for the double-nut extraction method.

My options are, as I see them:

1. weld a nut on to the stud;
2. drill it out, and risk damaging the thread; and
3. drill it and use an Ezy-out.

Any other options out there? Anyone else had this problem?

Option 1 seems likely to damage the finish, which is crap anyway (I can remove the chrome plate to improve the access to the stud and reduce the heat risk to the paintwork). Option 2 and 3 could be a problem if the threadlocker is still working well, but I have taps and dies if the thread needs repair afterwards.

I am leaning to option 3, but worried that the Ezyout will break, making a bad situation worse. That would presumably mean option 1 is all that is left.

All thoughts and suggestions welcome!!

:mrgreen:

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 11:03 am

I had a similar problem. The bolt is supposed to have the shaft attached. Nope, the shaft is stuck in the body. I left the shaft there. I put the bolt onto my new car and I had to cut and attach a new shaft.
Threadlock is horrible stuff.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:37 pm

bruce wrote:I had a similar problem. ... I had to cut and attach a new shaft.

New stud should be readily available, if needed, but self-sufficiency always a good thing!!

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:26 pm

Do u need to fit a new nut? Or u can cover it up with a m8 chrome domed nut.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 5:47 pm

bruce wrote:Do u need to fit a new nut? Or u can cover it up with a m8 chrome domed nut.

No, I want a fully functional Frankenstein fitting for my hardtop. I have one on the RHS, I want one on the LHS too.

In any event, there is not enough thread left for a domed nut, if there was there would be enough for the Frankenstein fitting. The stud has broken two or three turns up the thread from the plain (unthreaded) centre of the stud.

:mrgreen:

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 5:59 pm

And on the inside of the boot is impossible access!
I think maybe the stud fitting is factory, despite pictures showing it attached to the bolt.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:43 pm

bruce wrote:And on the inside of the boot is impossible access!

Pretty much. A hole saw could open it up, but I would still have the question of 'what next?'

I think maybe the stud fitting is factory, despite pictures showing it attached to the bolt.

Definitely - I have a collection of them, one of which has unscrewed itself from the stud when being removed, so I am good to go when I can get a new stud in there.

:mrgreen:

StillIC · Postby **StillIC** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:40 pm

Can you centre punch and hammer tap it loose, by punching near the circumference to turn it counter clockwise?

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:53 pm

It is a pretty small bolt.

StillIC · Postby **StillIC** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:59 pm

bruce wrote:It is a pretty small bolt.

Well it won't be pretty after being hit with a centre punch.

Danny · Postby **Danny** » Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:41 pm

Drill pilot hole, then Dremel with rat-tail bit. My usual go-to in similar situations.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 6:52 pm

Thanks all.

Had a close look at it today, looks like it is not broken (I mean, how would it get broken?), but I think someone has put a stud in there, long end down into the body, short end up for the fitting - understandable as the fittings that I have with the bolt are quite long (and pointed - why?). But they forgot about the chrome dress plate that goes under the fitting, leaving only a few threads for the fitting above the plate. It appears they have started to put a slot in the top of the stud, but it is little more than a groove and quite useless as it stands. That groove is what made me think it was broken.

I think I will use a pair of vice grip pliers first, in the hope that they didn't use threadlocker. If that doesn't work, I have the ezyout ready to go,

:mrgreen:

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Sat Aug 20, 2022 1:32 pm

greenMachine wrote:I think I will use a pair of vice grip pliers first, in the hope that they didn't use threadlocker ...

Easy as!

No threadlocker, though there was some whiteish crap on the bottom of the thread, maybe residue from the original factory threadlocker? The vicegrips turned it easily, I could easily clean up the thread if I needed to reuse it. The slot looks factory, for installing it presumably, no sign of mutilation so it looks like whoever put it there could have removed it with a screwdriver, but just left it there to mess with the head of a subsequent owner :oops:

Just goes to show that it is best to try the simple things first, before starting to catastrophise ... :roll:

Replacement installed, all good now.

Thanks again to all for your suggestions, noted for future use if/when I need to get a broken bolt/stud out.

:mrgreen: