I broke a bolt off, lower unit(help)

[Maddie'sDaddy]

My Force 70 (made by mercury) has the anode on the lower unit with a fin as part of it for adjustment for the steering, I tried to remove the bolt and POP broke it off, so i proceeded to drill a hole so i could get an easy out in there and the easy out broke off in the hole, now none of my drill bits seem to be able to cut through that easy out material, any suggestions on a bit or what my best option might be.





MD

[Small Fry]

Any way to weld another bolt on to it?

[sasquash]

:smash: We'll you've done it now! But there is still hope, the housing is alum and the bolt is stainless but the eazy out is made of we'll some real hard mat'l. I would go buy a drill bite that is even harder than the eazy out say, carbide or titanium . When you drill it out go SLOW and use a cutting oil but first and most important grind the stud flat then center drill it . If the hole does get oversized in the process you could weld it up and redrill and tap a new hole .

[Maddie'sDaddy]

I tried the colbalt bit ,worked good at first , now it is lodged in the hole:mad: , I think before i get it to messed up ,i need to find a drill press where the lower unit can be clamped into place so the drill bit will go through the bolt true, its really in there, i just need to figure out how to get the lower unit all the way off, i got it to the point that its being held in place by the shifting rod i believe, anyone know how to get that to come loose, is there a pin or something?






MD

[fishkisser]

Good luck , if you get the cobalt bit out try a left-handed drill bit and some heat on whats left of the bolt. Sometimes it will come out while drilling it .:) PS The shifting rod is 2 pieces , find where each section is connected and use the ajusting nuts to take it apart ...

[chucks electric]

hello, there is a company call palm abrasive they will have the bit to drill through the easy out. don't do it with a hand drill it wont work, the bit will walk. welding a piece of stainless to the broken bolt will do two things, will give you a piece to turn the broken bolt with, and add heat to help loosen the corrosion in the threads. it does work I've seen it done numerous times.

[QwikSticks]

I have been in your shoes - 1 option is called a tap extractor. It had fingers that go into the hole slide along the tap you broke off. See link

http://www.newmantools.com/walton/extrtap.htm

The other option and one I had to do once on the rear lower unit bolt is I took a punch and a hammer and drove the bolt through the hole to the other side. this was after trying everything possible. I then added a heli coil and no problems since. i do unbolt everything every year now and relube the bolts with never sieze and clean the corrosion before a problem can develop.

[Lowranger]

I broke off a bolt on my snowmobile. Then I broke off the extractor. I took the assembly to a local Automotive Machine Shop and they buned it out with an Electric Discharge Machine. Vaporized the bolt and extractor leaving pristine threads. Cost me about $35.00. Here is the idea, see EDM http://www.wadedynamics.net/repair.html

[IDWITHELD]

EDM machine it out.

Weld another bolt onto it.

[Maddie'sDaddy]

Well i think i got most of it out, its a little rouph but i think it will work, can you use heli coils in a situation where there is no threads or should i try and tap it, my concern is that there might still be remnants of the stainless bolt in there and don't know if a tap will cut into it?



MD

[cptdarel]

I assume you have a hole in the bottom of the housing fin plate, see if you can insert the new bolt in the hole, now directly in line of the hole drill a access hole in the TOP of the fin housing and put a nut on the bolt, you may have to use a longer bolt. good luck.
My Mercury is set up that way, and has a plastic cap covering the hole.

[Maddie'sDaddy]

Thanks for all your help on this everyone, I was able to get the hole about the size of a 3/8 drill bit and went and got a tap for that size and it cut through just fine, so i just need to get a 7/16 bolt and i am good to go, it did cost me a smashed finger and some good tendonitis in my elbow but atleast i will be getting back on the water soon. Oh what can i add to the bolt to help prevent it from corosion so i don't run into this again.






MD

[Bootstrap Bill]

put some anti-sieze on the threads!

[cptdarel]

put some anti-sieze on the threads!
I would Not use anti-sieze, most anti-sieze have copper and or ? if you are into aluminum and or other non compatable metals it will stick like white on rice, I was told to use anti-sieze in on my boat and HOLY C**P I had to chisel everything to get them apart, since I have been using a water grease.

[Chrome Bumper]

I use permatex anti-seize, comes in different flavors, I usually use the copper/bronze, haven't had a problem.

[cptdarel]

I use permatex anti-seize, comes in different flavors, I usually use the copper/bronze, haven't had a problem.
that is what I used, put anti-sieze on aluminum to aluminum, stainless to aluminum, it works as a glue or i should say JB WELD.