How To Remove Broken Bolt In Recessed Hole - The Worst Of The Worst Made Easy 

Been a mechanic for 20 years, learned a lot of neat tricks over that time, but this is a new one for me! I’m going to file this in my brain because I’m sure it is going to come in handy at some point in the future! Thanks!

I was a mechanic for 26 years. I have tip my hat to you, that was genius.

Nice to see someone actually use a corded drill, no need to mess around with batteries especially if you're near outlets with good access to the work.

This is why Uncle T is above and beyond all other car people on YT.

Thank you Tony. Not only for all these techniques, tips and tricks you give us, but also for all the times you pump the brakes and bring folks back to reality in terms of wild automotive myths.

I really like this drill guide idea, my left hand drill bits have been helpful at removing seized fasteners, as always thank you for sharing your knowledge

I am blessed to have a small metal lathe. I take a solid round as large as will fit in the area of the broken stud/bolt, face the end off flat, drill a small hole for a pilot bit of whatever size I choose and turn a short section to fit just inside the hole containing the broken stud/bolt. This setup works essentially the same as your makeshift drill guide but allows me to use a small diameter bit or even a center drill to start a pilot hole into the broken part. Once I have a pilot hole drilled sufficiently deep ( as deep as I think the end of the stud/bolt is) I can either enlarge the hole using larger drills freehand or put my shop made drill guide back in the lathe and drill the hole in it larger to fit the next size drill bit I intend to use.

Another good solution to a difficult problem! This is a good idea even if the bolt is broke off clean and straight, because even then it's easy for the drill bit to wander off center. Kudos, bro!

Oh Uncle Tony, you just do not know how much I appreciate you.

Tony I've been turning wrenches for For 48 years and that has never come to my mind lol thank you very much because I will remember this till the last breath brother.peace out..

Stick welder and small diameter copper pipe or tubing to fit hole. Strike an arc down on broken piece until weld sticks out from block, remove copper pipe, weld washer and nut on stick out. Quench with cold water (temperature shock). loosen slowly back and forth.

Slow and steady wins the race. In this case literally.

Thank you so much for showing this procedure. God knows all of us that have it still work on cars have been there and done that with broken studs. It can go well or really be a nightmare. Again great educational video UT 👍

if it's a cast iron head you can still weld a nut or a bolt to it, just gotta build it up a little. weld won't stick to cast iron but will to the bolt. that's how i got mine out while the engine was in the car, very back cylinder against the firewall.

Great trick to get a square-on start. Left-handed drill bits can also be very helpful. Because they run in reverse some times they will actually unscrew the broken end right out.

I always love getting crafty to solve stuff like you did here, and with my resto I come across this a lot. Great vids mate!

This is exactly the type of content RU-vid should be pushing more. Thank you!

I love these videos Tony! This is where experience shows.

Great idea Tony! To expand on it a bit, use an endmill in that jig of appropriate size first to make a flat spot on the bolt. Now the drill will be less likely to walk off center.

I made a rig like this once, while working on a large boat, at the bottom of the motor with a lot of space. The last guy used a cheap bolt to hold the starter, and it eventually snapped. The guide said remove the engine. We said nah, we will just take two elbow socket extensions and piece of steel to brace both extensions, and one person held the the socket and guided the drill bit, the second held the rig up and slowly applied pressure until the bolt spun out.

Thankyou Uncle Tony, I have been enjoying your videos lately showing us tips and tricks, plus going back to basics. Keep up the great work.

Thanks for the tip Uncle T!👍

Thank you my friend this will definitely help me on my journey! Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom

Great idea. I never would have thought to use a 1/4 socket as a guide.

Thanks, bro... I'm not done yet, but I just used your socket/jig trick and drilled the perfect pilot for this extractor I'm using.

Reverse Helix drills if you have time to get them. Amazing results for removing broken fasteners. And like Tony showed us, a guide from some kind of tube or tubes to fit into the threaded hole or over the thread.

Outstanding tip and very well explained and filmed!! New fan

Wow, simple but awesome idea!

Excellent, I just love learning a new technique, and this one uses stuff that’s readily at hand.

Great tutorial. I would not have thought to use a deep socket as the basis for a simple homemade jig. Excellent idea to keep under your hat.

Great tip, Thanks Tony 👍

I’m not sure this is going to help me with my tractor, but you seem like a real cool dude. 👍

Your tips apply to more than just old cars! Thanks Uncle Tony!

Thank you for the great tip! Had never heard of that one.

Very good, UT. Truly helpful.

another good one Uncle Tony👍 thanks

This is amazing advise, especially someone like me with a little bit less expensive building engines and looking to get into it, thank you for this!

Great vid Tony. Really well explained and concise. Will come in handy for sure

This is an excellent tip. Always learning something new from Uncle Tony

Great idea using the small socket. Thanks Tony

Great tip , thank you !

Great tip! Thanks

Working on replacing a exhaust manifold. Had 3 bolts snap off and was about to pull the head. I'm definitely going to give this a try first though. This is brilliant!

This is really good UT!

I've had such a rough work week due to defective parts right out of the box, even thinking of watching this is giving me anxiety lol. I'll add it to my watch later, looks like good info.

Another great tip & trick from Tony!

Brilliant, thank you!

Awesome! A great learning experience!

That's a great tip! Thanks for sharing!

That’s genius. I’m researching for a project tomorrow, so glad I found that tip

Excellent video Tony (as usual). I’ve done that before, but it’s great to see you do such a good instructional video on the subject. The only things I would add is use a freshly sharpened drill bit (or a new one if you don’t know how to sharpen them), and use a bit of cutting oil or WD40. Oh, by the way, your video is 4:40 in length - you are a dedicated Mopar man 😃

Those jump cuts had me worried I was finally stroking out.

That's a great tip, thanks for dropping knowledge on us Tony, keep it up it is deeply appreciated. :)

Fantastic tip Tony. This is why l watch this channel, that and how you know how to do a real old-school burnout.!

Nice trick!!! Thanks

I never heard of this method. Thank you Tony. I have a feeling that i will be putting this to use at some point in the near future.

Great content tony

Brilliant. Thanks bro!

Nice trick thanks.

Very good technique! I enjoy these tips I know I could use this one at work.

My hands were sweating!!!! Omg. Thank you tony. 🙏🏻👍🏼

Great tip!

TY That will be helpful in the future

Great job on training

Reminds me of my attempt of extracting a timing cover stud off of a 350P. An alternative that I did was going to a hardware store for an assortment of metal dowel pins (like that of a hinge). You can then collect an assortment and the slot on the dowel can be used to compensate for gaps & sizing. Glad to see I am not the only one who thinks of such solutions!

Sweet! Great tip & Love your videos, keep them coming! Godspeed from The Yakima Valley in Washington STATE

Nice tip,

Wonderful fix, your "tool" is ingenious. I felt this pain on the same LA exhaust ports. Had to take head to machine shop. Thanks Much Tony

Tony must think we're out here breaking shit left and right with all these dealing with broken bolts videos. Currently I'm a Ford guy, and we all know no bolts ever break on a Ford.........that we ever admit to.

Thank you.

Good information!!!

Great advice. Wish I had it when I was younger. Like a few years ago... nevermind, don't wanna talk about it

Filing this tip away as I'm sure I'll need it someday. Thanks!

Tony you're a National Treasure and the camera work is great.

Awesome advice, thank you 🙏

Literally today I had 2 very small bolts break of in the same way in an aluminum casting. Your video came right on time.

Great video as always and super informative and an awesome idea !! Funny thing is This has happened several times you post the video I need right after I complete the job, Then I normally say to myself oh I should have checked that more thoroughly

Damn. I needed this last weekend.

I have a Ford FE block to try that out on. The exhaust studs always break on them. Thank you.

Your are the man!! Thanks 👍

{ have just that same issue with just that same head . Been waiting for years to figure out how to get that dang thing out. Thanks huge Unc.T.

You rock Uncle Tony. I’m going to try that on the intake manifold on my 300. Both EGR bolts broke off. One is below the surface.

Great tip Tony. I've made several jigs to help hold a drill bit or cutter steady. Just think what you need to do, and what to avoid happening. Then go at it. Yes I've screwed a few things up. Thats how you learn.

Thank you for the tips. Have to extract a broken 17mm head bolt from a Subaru. Hopefully I can get it done.

Good advice. 👍

Damned smart solution! I thank you and my Harley thanks you!!

Thank you UTG Im going to go out and get a bolt thats broke off in a snowmobile crank shaft doing this.

Never thought of that approach to it but it seems like a really sound idea. I'll have to remember that one.

Yes it works just as Uncle Tony says. drop of KROIL into "well", taped off block, created jig. Main cap bolts are 7/16-14, used a 1/4 left hand twist drill bit from Century Drill Company with a smudge of cutting paste on the tip. Went slow and minimal pressure until the kick was gone. Gradually applied pressure kept rpm low. Stub of bolt backed right out. No need for using a sprial extractor. 15 minutes soup to nuts. I used a cow magnet (any type that are strong will work) placed next to hole to minimize any metal shavings going rogue. As Cow magnets are cylinder shaped and easily fit into bolt well, paused a few times to extract the metal shavings.

Thank you for this idea, this might possibly save me! I broke off a very corroded bolt below the surface on a boat motor, very similar situation there, I'm going to try this to drill it out.

Thank you thank you thank you. If the broken bolt is in a tight space sometimes using your idea with a right angle drill will put you in a space you could not otherwise access. I have an old battery powered drill I keep around solely for these uses.

The bolt Uncle Tony is working on is one of the ones that the steering column runs right past. If you have one of those with a broken bolt in the car...fun stuff!

A brilliant tip U.T. 👍😎👍

Great stuff UT! I just broke a starter bolt up inside my block. I almost gave up because its up on jack stands and a tight go because of headers.

his drill batteries are never dead

Saw a video somewhere where the guy had bolts with a hole drilled through the center. This allowed him to screw the bolt into the hole, then using a drill bit that matched the hole in the bolt drill a perfect centering hole into the broken stud.

The trick is using the quarter inch sockets as a drill guide. Very nice

Thanks for sharing this. I have a broken bolt on my old International tractor, it is jagged.

Thanks for this outstanding tip Tony. Dodge head, return tube bracket bolt. sigh

I picked up a set of 1/8" carbides. I used them to remove about 12 broken exhaust manifold studs in chasis on a Trion v10.