i have succeeded in breaking two track bolts on my 953 b. i know i've always been talented that way:Banghead any how the bolts are naturally on the master link ointhead. I have drilled them out and gingerly tried an easy out. but it doesn't seem to want to move. should i try heat and if so how much?:beatsme any help would be greatly appreciated:notworthy
If nothing else this will bump you back up again I am not an experienced HEAT user and know some swear by it and others at it in about equal proportions :beatsme The problem with getting heat to the link is it will also heat the bolt and I am not sure about the consequences of heating a master link. Can you drill it out again with a bigger bit and then try the easy out again. You will obviously have given it a good soaking in something suitable while typing your query, I know the worse case senario is to break the easy out so DONT do that.
If the hole is not already all the way through bolt, finish drilling through. Heat bolt , not the link(as best you can) once you get the whole bolt red hot- quench with water- let everthing cool down - then try your easy out. This should shrink the bolt enough to come out easily.
Another option that I used on some busted lugbolts on my deere was to drill the bolt out enough to get a die-grinder with a rasp in there, grind it out until you could JUST barely see the threads and then clean the threads out with a tap. Dunno how well that'd work on the fine threads (at least on my dozer they're pretty fine) though. I've also been told that hitting the bolt with a blast from a fire extinguisher, or liquid nitrogen (-320 degrees F) will shrink the bolt enough to get it out. I've never used it, so no idea if it works. Best of luck, let us know what ends up working for you...if I know what works best, I'll never have to do it, right?
if you heat the bolt frome expierence it will swell in the hole and stick harder or heat the bolt and let it sit and cool down might free it up also soek in penitrating oil and also if you can drill it out until you are about to the threads then break the bolt in on its self and then clean the threads up on it
bobcat you are correct the bolt will expand while hot - but when you cool off quickly with water it will shrink - have used this as well as the other methods stated-and at times a combination of all just remember to do all drilling before applying heat grade 8 bolts become very hard after heating
:cool2 well what i did was drill and drill and then i drilled some more Banghead ointhead I found that using a lot of 'blue language' and throwing wrenches across the shop and then using some more 'blue language' really helped make me feel better :beatsme although it didn't really help get the job done, it did improve my morale: but i did get both bolts out!!!! now the condition of the threads wasn't what you might call 'cherry'. After about 6 or 8 passes with a $9.00 dollar 5/8" fine thread tapp they cleaned up pretty good.:drinkup did i mention that i used a lot of 'blue language':Banghead i got the track back together. whilst using mucho 'blue language' and all the bolts pulled up tight at whitch point i cranked my arc weldor and spot welded the bolt heads to the pads so that we might not have to have all this 'blue language' perfuming the beautiful south carolina countryside again:notworthy but i do appreciate all the replys and the lack of 'blue language' this is a great board and i certainly would not want to get :ban for using 'blue language'.
Congrats on getting them out . There are two ways i use to get broken studs/bolts out . If it is broken flush with the surface , i find a large diameter , thick flat washer with the correct size hole . I lay that over the stud and plug weld the washer to the broken stud . Then i weld a good size nut to the washer . Spray while hot with penatrating oil and then quench with water . Dont undo untill its a little cool as it will pick up a thread on the way out . If it is a wheel stud or similar that i can drill right through , i will drill a 1/4 hole all the way through (this must be done so the swarf can flow out) and then cut it into three pieces with a number 12 Oxy tip . The stud will glow yellow as it becomes molten and as you cut outwards the cooler female threads will show through as black . Stop at this point and do another cut on the oposite side . Then i simply knock the pieces into the middle of the hole and out .