Unscrew the broken bolt in a hard-to-reach place. How to unscrew a bolt with torn edges? Professional advice. Video: How to twist licked and rolled screws
During various repair work, people often face such a problem as a bolt that has torn off or licked edges. In addition to the wear of the edges of the bolt head, a situation may also arise when the thread wears out or deforms or the bolt simply breaks. Faced with such a problem, a person begins to look for a way out of the situation, which, of course, is. Let's try to figure out in detail how to unscrew a licked bolt or a bolt that has other deformations.
It is good if a special tool is available (for example, a stud driver), but if this is not available, then this problem can be solved using other methods using an available tool.
Some practical advice concerning how to unscrew a bolt with licked edges
- Using a hacksaw or other metal-cutting tool, it is necessary to make a slot in the bolt head. Using this method, you can unscrew the bolt using a large slotted screwdriver. When unscrewing the bolt, it is recommended to lightly work with a hammer on the screwdriver and on the verge of the bolt head.
- Another way is to try to simply pull the bolt out of the hole. This method may work if the threads are completely worn out and the bolt is loose. In this case, you can also use a sturdy slotted screwdriver, using it as a lever. If the bolt has big size, then you can use a nail puller. With the right approach, this method is very effective.
- Another option that allows you to solve the question of how to unscrew the licked bolt is to use the so-called "liquid key". This method is a classic among motorists. Having treated the surface of the bolt head with a special chemical composition you have to wait about half an hour. When the thread softens, the bolt can be easily removed from the mounting hole.
In addition to the head with a lapped edge, the bolt may also have damage of a different nature:
- thread wear,
- fatigue failure,
- stripped thread,
- stuck bolt.
Ways to unscrew a broken or deformed bolt
- A hole is made in the head of the bolt, into which a metal rod with edges is hammered with a hammer. After splitting the bolt, it can be freely removed from the mounting hole. When using this method, it is not recommended to use fragile and unreliable metal objects (for example: a triangular file).
- If the bolt head is located in an inaccessible place, for example, in the hole itself, then removing such a bolt is problematic. However, using a special glue or special tool "liquid nails" you can easily solve this problem. However, the range of application of this method is very limited.
Practical examples for loosening bolts
If it is necessary to clean the cooling system and ventilation of a personal computer, very often there are problems with unscrewing the mounting bolts. In this case, it is necessary to apply a small amount of glue to the bolt head, being careful not to get beyond its borders. When the glue is dry. Once hardened, the adhesive will increase the area of the head and seal the edges of the bolt. Now you can carefully begin to unscrew the necessary bolted connections.
By strictly following these tips, you can easily deal with any problem regarding broken or worn bolted connections.
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Video: How to twist licked and rolled screws
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With prolonged use, they may become unusable. When repair situations arise, it becomes necessary to remove the fasteners and very often mechanics are faced with a situation where the product has rusted or has become unusable. Most often this applies to bolts and nuts. Their edges can be licked off, the thread that has become unusable, the heads of the bolts are broken. How to unscrew a bolt with stripped edges or a stripped head? Consider several similar situations, each of them has its own specifics.
Removing a bolt with stripped edges
Not always available necessary equipment for such work, especially at home. You can use improvised tools that can be found in almost every owner.
1st way. You will need a hammer and chisel. This is the easiest way, but not always effective. The chisel is set at an angle to the product, then hammer blows are applied in the direction of unscrewing. For small bolts, this method, alas, is not suitable.
3rd way. In such a situation, the well-known gas key will come to the rescue. This device has a powerful enough clamp that allows you to capture even round objects. This method also has disadvantages, its use is impossible in hard-to-reach places of structures.
Removing a bolt with a broken head
The situation becomes more complicated if the head of the bolted product has fallen off. How to unscrew a broken bolt? Consider possible options problem solving.
1st way. The main condition for execution is the protruding part of the broken bolt. With the help of a grinder, a slot is made in it for a slotted screwdriver. Now you can start extracting.
2nd way. To do this, you need a tap with a left-hand thread. We drill a hole with a diameter of 2-3 cm less than the bolt. We begin to screw the tap into it, this action is performed until the broken part gives in and starts to get out.
3rd way. With the help of a core and a hammer. This method is similar to the action discussed above, which describes how to unscrew a bolt with torn edges, in paragraph one.
Bolt removal - use of specialized equipment
To solve this problem, a number of devices are successfully used, which are used very often by car repairmen. Consider the most common extraction options using special equipment:
Loosening a broken nut
There are also several ways to do this.
1st way. The connection is pre-cleaned with a brush and moistened with kerosene or a special WD-40 solution. A time interval of 10-15 minutes is maintained. Now you can start unscrewing the nut using a box or open-end wrench. Before the unscrewing process, you can tap the connection with a hammer, the blows should not be too strong.
2nd way. If the connection is in a free access zone, unscrew the nut with
torn edges can be done using a vise or an adjustable wrench. It is clamped between the jaws of the tool and rotated first a little along the thread, and then in the opposite direction.
3rd way. If it was not possible to move the nut by the methods presented, then extreme measures should be taken. With a chisel and a hammer, notches are made on the surface, after which the fasteners are disassembled. It is impossible to use the nut removed in this way in the future.
Removing the twist fastener
Sometimes situations arise when a bolt scrolls in a threaded hole, how to unscrew it, we will consider in more detail. First you need to pry the product with a nail puller and pull it out to the maximum possible height. Leaving the connection in tension, gradually unscrew the bolt with a key. If a nail puller is not available, you can create a lever with a screwdriver. If the bolt small size, you can remove it with wire cutters. The head is clamped and pulled up with effort. If the bolt does not come out immediately, then start rotating the head clamped with pliers counterclockwise, without weakening the effort upwards.
The problem of licked edges of a Phillips screwdriver has long been known to everyone. There are few solutions to how to get out of this situation and remove the broken screw. I will only offer you seven that I personally had to use.
How to unscrew the licked screw?
Unfortunately, there is no almost universal solution. And each presented method is good for its situation. Therefore, everything is known in comparison and applied to a specific individual situation and its screw.
First method: use a tourniquet
You will need a piece of thick rubber. It can be a piece of a medical tourniquet, a piece of a camera from a bicycle, or the like. The denser and stiffer the material, the more twisting force can be created.
Berm a screwdriver as close as possible to the groove of the screw.
We take a tourniquet.
We put the tourniquet under the screwdriver or bit and insert it all into the licked head. Next, with simultaneous pressure and rotational movement, we try to unscrew the screw.
Properly applied force can unscrew the screw with a significantly screwed-in force.
The second way: how to unscrew the screw with an impact screwdriver
If you have an impact screwdriver (or ask your friend), you can use it.
Of course, the screw cannot be completely unscrewed, but the connection can be significantly loosened, and then we use a regular screwdriver.
The third way: we use a special bit for bolts with ground crosses
Since the problem of licked edges is not new, ready-made solutions have long been sold on the market. For example - a special bit for unscrewing licked bolts.
We insert it into a screwdriver or screwdriver and unscrew it. Sharp edges at the right angle engage perfectly and the screw can be rotated.
Fourth way: extractor
An extractor is a special tool designed to repair broken screws, studs, bolts, and the like. It works exactly like the bit in the example above, but with a slight difference.
We insert the nozzle into the screwdriver and unscrew. You may first need to select the extractor according to the recess, since the diameters of the heads are different.
Fifth method: unscrew with the left drill
On sale, in addition to the usual drills for all of us, there are also drills with a left-hand helix. Such a drill can be used as a tool for unscrewing a broken screw.
Sixth method: use a core
This method is well suited for removing small screws. We take the core, rest it against the edge of the cap at an angle of about 45 degrees and gently hit it with a hammer in the direction of the cap rotation.
The core, due to its sharpness, has good engagement, which means that the screw is more likely to be unscrewable.
Seventh method: take a hammer and chisel
The method has become a classic, but it is problematic to use it for small screws. We take a chisel or chisel, remove the tip to the side of the cap and gently hitting turn the screw. Here the main thing is to move the hat from its place, and as it seems, unscrewing can be continued with pliers.
See the video for more details.
Any master will agree that the edges of the screw always break at the most inopportune moment. It seems to beginners that it is impossible to get it, but it is not. To feel confident, the builder must know how to unscrew a bolt with stripped edges.
This situation may occur due to the fact that the screw or tool that is being used has already worn out. When the contact of the screwdriver with the screw is not tight enough, the ribs begin to “lick off”.
If the craftsman applies a small amount of force to the tool during operation, this can cause the edges to break.
What needs to be done?
In order not to aggravate the problem, you need to stop all actions immediately after the tip of the screwdriver began to jump off or scroll. You should not persistently continue to move, as this will not lead to anything good. Now the main thing is to get the bolt without damaging the material in which it is located.
Screwdriver change
The next step is to replace the old screwdriver with a new one, in which the tip is not worn out. With this tool, you can try to remove the screw. Before starting work, make sure that the tip of the screwdriver fits snugly into the grooves.
If the screwdriver still slips, you need to find other ways to unscrew the bolt with broken edges.
If the screw won't come out...
In the event that the bolt has not fully entered the material, you can try to pull it out with pliers. To do this, grab the head from the sides. It is necessary to turn slowly and in the opposite direction from the clockwise direction. As a rule, after several careful manipulations, the screw is removed from the surface.
A hacksaw can be used when the screw is not fully tightened. You should make a small cut, approximately 1-2 mm, and then try to unscrew the stuck screw with a screwdriver. The sting must be sharp, otherwise you can “lick off” the edges of the hat even more. 
Flame use
If the material is fire resistant and tolerates high temperatures well, you can try to remove it with a match or lighter. When heated, the screw will increase slightly in size, respectively, will compress the material.
When it cools down and will have its original dimensions, a tiny gap should appear between it and the main surface. Then, using pliers, it will not be difficult to remove the screw.
WD-40
This lubricating fluid is simply indispensable in situations where you need to unscrew a bolt with torn edges. It must be sprayed into the microscopic gap that exists between the screw and the material. The lubricant will reduce friction and be easier to get.
When no method helps, it remains to drill the screw. This can be done either fully or halfway, and then screw in the extractor and remove the bolt.
Helper Methods
Experienced craftsmen recommend cutting off the screw head with a grinder or cutting it with a chisel. Next, you should choose a smaller drill and drill out the bolt. If necessary, the steps should be repeated, slightly increasing the size of the drill.
If the screw is small, you should beat it in the direction of unscrewing. Left hand drills can also be used. The speed should be low. 
Stud driver
Craftsmen who often face the problem of how to unscrew a bolt with torn edges should consider purchasing a special tool. The stud driver helps to unscrew the screw with a completely torn off head. But from its use there will be a positive result only when it was possible to make several turns.
Basically, each repair does not go smoothly, but with the occurrence of small problems, the elimination of which takes time and effort. What to do in a situation where you need to disassemble the structure, and the bolt is rusted or damaged, we will analyze further.
At home, not every master will have the necessary equipment at hand, but this problem can be dealt with with improvised means.
How to unscrew a broken bolt?
Main methods:
- Clean the surface with a metal brush and treat with diesel fuel or kerosene. Trying to unscrew the nut with a wrench. Although there is no absolute guarantee that it will unscrew.
- With the help of a chisel and a hammer, strikes in the direction of unscrewing. This method is not suitable for a small nut.
- Gas wrench with powerful clamp good remedy in this situation. It is easy for them to grab even round objects, but heavier in hard-to-reach places. The longer the handle, the easier it is to unscrew operations.
- When fasteners with a large size and it is difficult to unscrew it, it is possible to apply a metal coating using welding equipment and prepare the desired turnkey shape with a file.
- A hole is cut with a drill inside the body of the fastener, an L-shaped rod is threaded through it, which will serve as a handle, and removed.
When there is enough space to use an adjustable wrench or pliers, this is good, but what to do in other situations?
How to unscrew a bolt with a hex or asterisk head
To extract an element use gas wrench with a compression of the part, they make a cut on the hat with a grinder and unscrew it with a screwdriver, an extractor of the appropriate size, special tools (a wrench, a stud driver), which are beneficial to purchase only if you have to deal with such problems quite often.
A TORX sprocket is selected in size (it should not be large and slots should go into the hole for the hexagon). It is inserted tightly into the cap and the bolt is unscrewed with a jerk to avoid breaking the sprocket slots. When driving stars with holes in the center, they break off, so it is not recommended to use them.
In any construction and auto shop extractor kits for sale. Outwardly, this device has the form of a metal rod with a conical thread on the left side and a faceted base on the right. With their help, unscrew the nuts with torn edges. To do this, a hole is drilled strictly in the center of the bolt, an extractor of the desired size is hammered into it and unscrewed with pliers. This is done simply and quickly, because the extractor has the opposite cut.
A drill with a reverse is an irreplaceable thing. Make a hole at the bolt with a thin drill. Take a left-hand drill with a smaller diameter and drill out the damaged bolt in reverse rotation mode.
If the bolt head is broken off
In this case, you need to be patient and choose suitable option actions.
Three ways:
- A hole is drilled 3 cm smaller than the diameter of the bolt and a tap with a left-hand thread is screwed into it until the broken part begins to unscrew.
- If part of the bolt protrudes, then a cut can be made on it with a grinder under a slotted screwdriver and proceed to unscrewing.
- A hole is made in the base, into which the extractor is screwed counterclockwise. Then the damaged element is removed with a key.
The process takes a few minutes, but there are countersunk head products under the hexagon, the edges of which are easily torn off. Torx of a suitable size will help to cope with such a problem.
How to drill out a broken bolt
Professionals advise using a small diameter drill and making sure that it does not tilt to the sides when working. When buying, you need to focus on the country of origin and cost. High-quality drills cannot be cheap, sharpened in a special way and made of hardened steel.
Unscrewing nuts and bolts produce slowly and consistently, in this case it is impossible to rush, otherwise unforeseen problems will arise later and the loss of time to eliminate them. For example, many auto repairmen are in a hurry to unscrew rusty bolts that break. It takes a lot of time to fix bugs. Therefore, it is necessary to plan the course of action immediately. How to deal with rusty bolts, we will discuss further.
How to loosen a stuck bolt
Often, car repair is complicated due to the presence of corrosion and oxidation of fasteners. For example, at the factory, during assembly, the master did not treat the thread with lubricants, and during operation water got into it. As a result, the bolt stuck, it would seem, tightly, but such a nuisance can be dealt with in several ways.
Loosen a rusted bolt or nut by tapping
When tapping with a bolt remove rust and scale, so it becomes easier to unscrew it. The operation is carried out with a hammer, turning with a special tool in order to create a torque. With caution, as you can damage the product and have to drill it. After removing the fastener, it is cleaned of rust and treated with graphite grease. If available, put anther on the connection.
With solvents
In the arsenal of any experienced car enthusiast there is always a set of liquids to combat rust and other plaque. Mostly use WD-40 with good penetrating ability into micro gaps, the cost of which starts from 100 rubles. Along with it, brake fluid, white spirit, kerosene, Coca-Cola are used. Unlike WD-40, other liquids have a weaker effect, and it is better to pour them into a container and place the boiled compound in it for greater effect.
If the bolt is stuck on the front pillar, the solvent can be carefully poured into the "glass". The main thing is not to damage the rubber bands on the racks, otherwise you will have to change them.
Moisten a rag with any means, wrap the nut and leave for a while. Then the bolt is tapped to destroy the softened rust and proceed to unscrewing.
thermal method
When the solvent does not do the job, you can try exposure to fire and cold. Any major auto or hardware store sells a gas burner that heats the bolt to a bright orange color. Then they cool it with engine oil and try to loosen it. If the attempt fails, the process is repeated anew.
This method does not always help, and when close to the paintwork, the fuel tank is very dangerous. When working with a gas burner, you must follow the rules fire safety and do not use it unless a fire extinguisher is at hand.
Apply freezer sprays to save the bolt for further use. But such reagents are mainly used by professionals, since in domestic conditions this business is costly and unprofitable.
How to unscrew a licked bolt
When scrolling the bolt, it is hooked with a nail puller and pulled out to the maximum possible height, left in tension and gradually unscrewed with a key. When a nail puller is not available, a screwdriver can be used. A small bolt is removed with wire cutters by the head. If it does not lend itself immediately, then rotate it, clamping it with pliers counterclockwise with an upward force.
Use tap, insert it all the way. If it is not at hand, then a screwdriver with a cone-shaped edge will do, which is carefully hammered all the way and they try to unscrew it.
To prevent such situations from recurring, they must be treated with graphite grease before tightening the bolts. But solid oil or lithol is not used for this purpose, because they are used for rubbing parts, and after lubrication, bolted joints are wedged.
