broke the head off of a bolt!! sheet

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Mar 11, 2006 | 07:30 PM

erikthegoalie

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From: Margate, FL

broke the head off of a bolt!! sheet

yeah...what it says above...i was helping my dad with his 1967 Plymouth GTX...we were tightening the bolt that adjusts the torsion bar in the front control arms...went in fine...
then backing it out to adjust it the bolt got TIGHT as a ****...and eventually, well we broke it off..what the hell happened???

PLEASE HELP! im guessing it got cross threaded somehow...but how

Mar 11, 2006 | 07:57 PM

JustAnIlluzion

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From: Canada

are you asking how it broke or how to fix this problem?

Mar 12, 2006 | 12:11 AM

Super Speed

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From: 'Merica

If its not too bad you can try to use some lock jaw pliers aka vice grips or if that doesnt work you can get a bolt extractor and try that!

Mar 12, 2006 | 12:33 AM

erikthegoalie

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From: Margate, FL

i was actually asking WHY this happens..it has happened in the past...by the way i finally got it out..anyways, i just dont see how a bolt can go in fine, and then all of a sudden cross thread, which by the way it did....i just dont get it

anyone?

Mar 12, 2006 | 12:38 AM

96formvert

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From: Cincinnati, Ohio

It could have had something in the threads or a bad thread, that will make a bolt lock up really quick. The bolt could be slightly bent also...

Mar 12, 2006 | 08:55 PM

mrhzk35404

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From: coatesville, pa

Maybe you stripped it when tighting it the first time.

Mar 12, 2006 | 09:15 PM

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

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From: Wash, DC

Maybe it was crossthreaded?

What I know is that if you put a force on a bolt that excedes the ultimite tensile strengh of the metal maybe it won't break the first time but you made a crack in the metal. Each time you keep turning it with that force the crack gets a little bigger. Finally, the cross sectional area left isn't enough to support the force and it shears off in one turn!