While tightening my suspension last wknd, I broke one of the bolts that holds the front sway bar to the frame. Yes, half of it is stuck in there...

I have drilled it, and I have attempted to use a few different bolt extracting tools, no progress! I have added heat. I have tapped it with a punch. No movement.

What else can I do?

Drill it out and re-tap the hole. That's what I did.

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Happiness isn't around the corner...
Happiness IS the corner.

OK Any tips on this?

What size should I drill it out to?

Get a drill that is about the size of the bolt.
(NOTE: the size of the bolt center not the threads. If you drill the size of the threads you will need to tap 1 size larger than insert a heli-coil to be back to stock size. Or you can just use the next size larger bolt for that spot.)
Drill all the way thru it. Then get a tap the size of the stock threads and tap it.

[This message has been edited by Oreif (edited 10-11-2003).]

i have a brokmn one myself, how much does it affect handeling ? i need to fix it, but 5 hours under there today was enough

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Rich AIM one fast 2m8
WTB: 3.32 OR 3.65 4 speed tranny
'92 325i-- X-brace, eibach pro-kit, bilstein sport, S.T. brace, borla cat back,
'86 Fiero 2M8 ,350 bored .030 over,World Products s/r Torquers-ported, Manley valves, Weiand X-CELerator, edelbrock 750cfm.carb hypereutectic pistons, 1.5 rollers,lumpy cam, sanderson cc90's,2-1/4" exhaust4:10 tranny, Spec stage 3copper puck clutch, adj.Koni's, Eibach's,polly, tons more...
'86 Fiero 2m6, 2 inch drop, KYB's, coil overs, ocelot exhaust, No cat.

quote Originally posted by Oreif: Drill it out and re-tap the hole. That's what I did.

Same here, a very simple procedure.

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http://www.geocities.com/fierorulz/fieropage.html

I ended up breaking 3 of 4 (?!) of them on one car - after breaking I don't know how many drill bits trying to get through the seemingly harder than diamond material... we decided screw it! They're just tack welded nuts!

Got out the air hammer with a chisel bit, and in under a minute all 4 nuts were gone.

Now we just popped in bolts, and reached under with a nut! Could have saved literally HOURS of screwing around!

And let's face it, it's not like these are going to need to come off again for years and years, so the very minor hassle of having a free floating nut under there is totally inconsequential.

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87/88 V6 5spd "FormulaGT"

My page: http://www.fieroclub.com

UPDATE !!!

I drilled a hole in the bolt and tried using an extractor tool...didn't work, the drill couldn't hold it

I drilled a bigger hole and used a bigger extractor tool...same results

I used two other brands/kinds of extractor bits, same results

I bought a tap kit planning to tap the hole and put in a new bolt...the kit came with a tool that will actually hold the end of the extractor bits and it has two handles so I could get some leverage,,,first try,,,I break the FREAKIN extractor bit off inside the bolt...try to drill it out...that damn bit is HARD !!!

I'll try again next wknd...

Any suggestions?????