How to unscrew a broken hairpin: the master's advice

Car repair is far from the easiest process, and it does not matter what brand the car is, and what year it is. All machines are subjected to serious loads every day, which means that breakdowns are unavoidable. Most of these malfunctions ordinary motorist with ease will correct in garage conditions, working slowly and accurately. If you show negligence in matters of car repair, you can often complicate the situation.

It happens that in the process of repair work when screwing or unscrewing the bolts and studs, the thread is broken. This is very unpleasant, especially if there is no knowledge of how to unscrew a broken pin. This situation confounds any repair. Let's try to figure out how to get out of this unpleasant situation. Often, the fasteners break down if the master is large in size and has a lot of physical strength, and the pin is attached or rusted to the thread. It's not about those machines that just got off the assembly line. Very often, similar problems are faced by the owners of old cars, which were stored and operated carelessly. And if we say even more specifically, then most likely this machine was stored in places with a high level of humidity. With the water almost constantly contact the details of the running gear - studs of wheels, hubs. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that these elements rust. As a result, the owner asks himself how to unscrew the broken pin from the hub.

However, the fasteners do not twist and break not only because of moisture, but also because of high temperatures. For example, the heating of the exhaust manifold can be carried out up to 400 degrees. As a result of exposure to high temperatures for a long time, the stud corrodes.

How are the hairpins broken?

These fasteners can break in various ways. The most unpleasant situation is when they are cut off literally flush. Then the master has to think about how to unscrew the broken pin, because without the use of special tools and technologies in this case can not do.

Much better if the part breaks already at the exit of the thread, when a small part of its "body" is visible and remains on the surface. In this case, if the bolt is already torn off, it will be turned out, and it can be influenced by pliers, screwdrivers and welding.

Effective ways to deal with broken bolts and studs

Professional locksmiths know several effective methods how to unscrew a broken pin. Before proceeding to this matter, it is necessary to prepare. Under these works it is necessary to understand the cleaning of the surface from dirt and grease. The threaded joint is recommended to be pre-treated with WD-40 or ordinary machine oil. It is also possible to alleviate the situation if several times you hit the wreck with a hammer. Often the problem is solved by heating - a pin or bolt, provided that it peeps out of the hole, is heated by a soldering iron. Then it can be relatively easily extracted.

How to unscrew the hairpin, if it broke above the thread

If in the process it was possible at least slightly to break the thread, that is, if the fastening element began to turn out, you can try using pliers or pliers. A good and powerful adjustable wrench will also help in this difficult matter . In the second variant, a hacksaw for metal or a Bulgarian may be required. Sometimes the chisel is suitable - the main thing is not to exert excessive effort. How to unscrew the broken wheel stud in this way? Make a transverse hole for the screwdriver and twist the pin with this tool.

If the screwdriver did not help, then you can use the welding machine. This operation is quite easy. Prepare a bolt, the cap of which roughly corresponds to the diameter of the stud. Then the bolt is welded to the debris protruding from the hole. Then, with the help of a key, and without too much effort try to unscrew the ill-fated pin. Experienced auto mechanics say that there are special adhesives with aggressive action that can be used as cold welding. But they are not always effective.

If the hairpin broke below the surface or in the hole

In this situation, you need a drill, a thin drill to it, as well as good skills in possession of the tool. Before you unscrew the broken pin from the engine block, you need to drill 2-3 or more thin holes in the body of the stud. Then these holes will have to be connected into one single one. Here they insert a screwdriver and try to unscrew the wreckage of the bolt.

Left thread in the hairpin

The second method is more complicated. It is used when it is impossible to unscrew the broken hairpin by any of the available methods. In this case, the measures taken will be even more drastic. This method requires an electric drill, a tap and a lot of time. The first thing in the hairpin is drilling a hole - right in the center. Then gently in the tap hole you need to cut the thread.

Note the important point: before you unscrew the broken pin from the head, make sure that the thread is "left". When a new bolt is screwed into the newly cut part, the thread of which is the same, then when it reaches the end, the broken pin will begin to turn out.

Drilling

And finally, the third and most radical way. They use it to extract broken bolts and studs from the hole. This is a drill. The method is very difficult. It is much more difficult than all the above and is the most dangerous. There is a risk of damaging the thread in the hole in the engine block or cylinder head. It is necessary to hold the drill securely, as if it is a cylinder block, then there is a serious risk of damaging an expensive part. The stud is often made of harder grades of steel, and the head is made of aluminum. The body of the collector is cast iron, so it is also softer than a steel stud. The drill will necessarily leave the hard stud to a softer metal. Especially often this happens if the work is done in a limited space, and the drill is installed at a small angle. The principle of drilling is as follows: it is necessary to make a hole in the center of the hairpin with a thin drill, first punching it, then install a thicker drill in the drill and repeat the entire procedure.

The main thing here is drilling in the center. When there is practically nothing left of the body of the hairpin, the wall will become thin. It can be broken. It is necessary to carefully break the rest of the hairpin with a pre-sharpened wire or tweezers. It must be remembered that any actions are carried out as slowly and carefully as possible. If you act in a rush, you will need to think not about how to unscrew the broken pin of the block, but also how to restore the cylinder head itself. And this is a significant cost.

Use the conductor

It is possible to considerably simplify the operation of drilling out broken pins. This is true for those who often repair engines. The simplest conductor will help the master. Part sizes are taken from real motors. On the conductor, and this is a metal plate, the same holes are drilled in the same places as on the head, and also on the collector. Even in the conductor make holes for the bushes. They will keep the part from moving on the block.

With the help of such devices it is possible to significantly simplify the task and understand how to unscrew the broken pin from the exhaust manifold by drilling, without damaging the collector itself.

Extractors

Extractor - this is a special device that allows you to remove the remnants of faulty fasteners or unscrew the broken pin. The device is very simple and at the same time brilliant. In order to remove a jammed or broken part, you need to hook it somehow, and then unscrew it. And all this is done very simply. It is required to drill a hole in the center of the hairpin, to jam any tool in the form of a cone or a cylinder in it, then with this tool you already have to unscrew the bolt. This is the extractor. These devices greatly facilitate the solution of such issues as how to unscrew the broken pin from the collector or from any other places.

There are several types of extractors:

• Wedge-shaped.
• Rods.
• Spiral.
• Screw.

Now these devices can be purchased in sets, but they are on sale and separately. Experts recommend using these tools. They greatly facilitate the solution of difficult situations, such as broken bolts.

Selection of steel for studs

Often, auto mechanics themselves are engaged in the manufacture of studs. They recommend making these fasteners of such steel grades: 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60. If a new fastener is made of such metal, the result will be a product with sufficient tensile strength. If the studs are purchased in stores, you should not choose the cheapest ones or those that you saw on the counter of the autoshop. The most reliable products have a part number - 13517010. The penultimate figure indicates that this stud has sufficient tensile strength.

Before screwing the stud ...

So that you do not have to think about how to unscrew the broken pin before you start to work, it is recommended to lubricate the part with graphite, and preferably with copper grease. Let it be better that the element will unscrew together with the nut, than it will break. Finally, the thread of the nut is also better treated with graphite grease. In the future, this will eliminate the breakage or fracture of the details.