How would YOU fix this?

Maybe a dumb question, but If I do try to weld on a nut, where do I put the ground clamp? I'd really prefer to not accidentally weld through the threads...

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

On the nut, then aim the wire straight down the middle to hit the end of the broken thing.

Yeah Robbie just clamp it to your nut.  Never done that before?

Have you tried to screw it in?  Sometimes that gets it moving and you can then work it out.  Otherwise what others have said.  Heat, wax and the liberal application of force is where I would go.

Even money says that's galled in place. It's going to be a bitch to remove no matter how you do it. It's also probably going to destroy the female threads when it does. 

I dump enough heat into the stud to cherry red. Let it cool back down to no longer red and put a set of vice grips on it. 

If that doesn't work, it's probably time for a drill and tap set. 

Stampie (FS) said:

Yeah Robbie just clamp it to your nut.  Never done that before?

So I am curious why no one has suggested a female thread extractor. I thought that was the de facto tool for this, so is there a reason not to do it?

cyow5 said:

So I am curious why no one has suggested a female thread extractor. I thought that was the de facto tool for this, so is there a reason not to do it?

The issue isn't how to grab onto it.  There's plenty of material sticking out.  It's that it's stuck in there firmly enough that the eye twisted off.  Unless you do something to unstick it nothing is going to work. 

APEowner said:

cyow5 said:

So I am curious why no one has suggested a female thread extractor. I thought that was the de facto tool for this, so is there a reason not to do it?

The issue isn't how to grab onto it.  There's plenty of material sticking out.  It's that it's stuck in there firmly enough that the eye twisted off.  Unless you do something to unstick it nothing is going to work. 

I just wanted to learn for myself if there was some pitfall I was missing. The thing I like about extractors is that you can use an impact gun, and the shock does wonders for things like this that a smooth application of torque won't. 

Second the pipe wrench.

cyow5 said:

APEowner said:

cyow5 said:

So I am curious why no one has suggested a female thread extractor. I thought that was the de facto tool for this, so is there a reason not to do it?

The issue isn't how to grab onto it.  There's plenty of material sticking out.  It's that it's stuck in there firmly enough that the eye twisted off.  Unless you do something to unstick it nothing is going to work. 

I just wanted to learn for myself if there was some pitfall I was missing. The thing I like about extractors is that you can use an impact gun, and the shock does wonders for things like this that a smooth application of torque won't. 

I'm glad you asked.  Sharing info is one of the things this forum does really well.  It's possible that putting an impact gun on it would rattle that out but based on the experience of others and myself it's unlikely. 

There are several of us who are thinking that it's galling that's got it locked in place and not corrosion.  If that's the case then heating the control arm so that the tube expands away from the remaining stud is going to be needed to get it to separate without damaging the female threads further.

If it's corroded then the techniques of heating the stud and letting it cool will cause the stud to expand and then contract to break the bond.  Combining the heat/cool technique with penetrating oil or candle wax helps to breakdown the corrosion.

I'm somewhat impatient and my experience tells me that it's probably hosed already so I'd go straight to the torch on the control arm method but there's no downside (other than potential time lost) to trying some of the other techniques first. 

Did you try a hammer?

I will try a different approach. 

Cut the end flat, center a pilot hole, progressively drill larger holes then tap the threads. 

Make certain that you do this in a drill press, I've tried something like this freehand and failed.

The part that a lot of people miss on this topic is that you twisted the joint apart trying to turn it out of the threads, so all the vice grips in the world are not going to help.

I like your plan of welding a nut on it.  I would supplement that with heating the threaded portion of the control arm cherry red, and then I'd order a new arm and bolt it on... 

How much is an arm?  How far away? Is it just mild steel so the heat won't bother it?  Do you have a tap or thread chaser to clean up the threadsif you do get it out?   How good are you at drilling dead straight?

I'd build a new control arm. There is going to be something wrong with the threads once you get what's left of the rod end out. Take the control arm off, make a jig and build a new one.

Just my .02¢

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

I'd probably just buy a new arm if I could, not sure anyone makes or sells these... It's from a formula 440 made in like 83 or 84.

I guess I could make a new one, id prefer not to have to of course.

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

Did you try a hammer?

What about a bigger hammer?

Sounds like all the good advice has been covered.

Now for the bad advice (that I can't believe hasn't been said yet):  If you get frustrated, use the shotgun!

I hear shotguns have been used to try to loosen stubborn lugnuts before.

So heat didn't work? 

Judging by the uh, white paint still being white? And adhered? Hmm. 

iceracer said:

Second the pipe wrench.

Giant arse pipe wrench.  Like, BIG.

It'll come out, but depending how chingered the stuck end is, that could be a problem. 

Rust?

If possible rust has it stuck, PB Blaster several times for a day, then giant arse pipe wrench.

NOTHING survives a giant arse pipe wrench.

OldGray320i (Forum Supporter) said:

iceracer said:

Second the pipe wrench.

Giant arse pipe wrench.  Like, BIG.

It'll come out, but depending how chingered the stuck end is, that could be a problem. 

Rust?

If possible rust has it stuck, PB Blaster several times for a day, then giant arse pipe wrench.

NOTHING survives a giant arse pipe wrench.

I have a big-ass pipe wrench AND a 5' pipe for it. Whatever it is, it's either coming apart, or breaking in two. 

If you have to drill, is there enough depth that you can pilot from the backside?

If you have to remake, can you not cut out the offending tube and just replace that end piece with the stuck bit? Bit of fancy cutting but doable.

Streetwiseguy said:

The part that a lot of people miss on this topic is that you twisted the joint apart trying to turn it out of the threads, so all the vice grips in the world are not going to help.

This is also why I kind of doubt welding a nut on will work very much.  The integral end broke off from trying to remove it, anything you weld on isn't going to be any stronger.

This isn't like removing a broken exhaust manifold stud where the stud broke because of shear forces and the threads are fine.  This broke because the threads are so damaged that their grip was stronger than the bolt (or rod end in this case).

You need to weaken the grip of the damaged threads.  That means getting parts orange.  The tool you will need to loosen it will need to be something that cinches tighter the more torque you put on it, like a pipe wrench, or parrot nose pliers (they look like regular channel locks but the upper jaw is concave and the lower is convex)  Vise-grips cannot apply enough gripping force.  Probably will need to chuck the arm up in a vise so you don't turn it into modern art.

And then the threads will be destroyed anyway so you'll be replacing the arm...

Remove it from the car before putting a wrench and 5' pipe on and trying to twist it out. Since it's on a 440, you will probably damage the mounts applying that much force to the end of the arm.

Little update here.

I started drilling a hole in the middle with the plan of drill hole plus weld but and try to remove. 

Then my 1/8 drill bit broke off almost all the way through, but left about 1 solid inch of bit inside what's left of the rod end. Then I got pissed and hit it hard with the welder, large hammers, heat, and the impact.

Now the nut moves about 1/8 turn back and forth, but doesn't go past that. I'm pretty convinced that whatever theads inside are totally shot.

Whelps, looks like I'm first going to try and cut this out and replace only the threaded tube portion. Good news is speedway sells the exact threaded tube that I need.