Sheared chassis bolt while installing Steeda Jacking rails. Now what?

[TOP KEK]

Whoops. I was removing one of the OEM underside chassis bolts to attach my rails, and it wouldn't budge with my standard size socket wrench. No problem, I thought - I'll use an 18" breaker bar. Nope! After applying a generous amount of torque, the bolt sheared off and now I'm sort of stuck. (pic attached)

I assume at this point I need to take this to a mechanic? Or is there anything clever I can do myself to get it out? It was stuck pretty good.

This is a 2016 GT that I bought in January, so it probably sat on the lot too long, but I'm surprised the bolts were already seized this soon.

Will this be safe to drive to a shop if I baby it?

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[BmacIL]

Whoops. I was removing one of the OEM underside chassis bolts to attach my rails, and it wouldn't budge with my standard size socket wrench. No problem, I thought - I'll use an 18" breaker bar. Nope! After applying a generous amount of torque, the bolt sheared off and now I'm sort of stuck. (pic attached)

I assume at this point I need to take this to a mechanic? Or is there anything clever I can do myself to get it out? It was stuck pretty good.

This is a 2016 GT that I bought in January, so it probably sat on the lot too long, but I'm surprised the bolts were already seized this soon.

Will this be safe to drive to a shop if I baby it?

You have nothing to worry about from a safety perspective. The pinch welds are holding that all together. You could try to drill it out and then chase the threads. That would be my advice. The shop will just do that.

 

[Armen]

[ame]

 

[NowhereFast]

The bolts weren't seized, I'd put money on you turning it the wrong way. Look in that bolt hole, not an ounce of rust, and the bolts are all tightened by a machine, so over torque is unlikely. Get an extractor set with left hand drill bits. Either the bit will pull it out, or you'll make a hole and the extractor will.

 

[TOP KEK]

Was turning it counter clockwise to loosen. Are these bolts reverse threaded or something?

 

[TOP KEK]

I'd put money on you turning it the wrong way.

FWIW you just plunged me into a spiral of uncertainty and self doubt. Am I crazy? Did I really turn it the wrong way? I got out a screwdriver and tightened all the loose door and drawer handles in the house. I even pulled one screw out entirely and compared the thread pattern to the threads on the bolt head that sheared off my car. The same. It's the same. I'm not crazy! Lefty loosey! Righty tightey!

The bolt was definitely seized, but you're right that it is weird without a speck of rust. Not sure what to make of this.

 

[mikes2017gt]

I just put my Steeda rails on a couple of weeks ago. There is blue Loctite on those bolts, so they need a bit of persuasion to come out. I used a 1/2" ratchet that is about 14" long and had to lean on it a bit. But, it definitely shouldn't have snapped off like that. Looks like you had a weak bolt...bad luck, but it happens.

The video Armen posted is great and should help you out. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, take it to a shop and make sure to tell them you want the damaged bolt removed without enlarging the hole it's in.

 

[16Fastback]

I just installed my rails today,car was built Feb 2016 no issues sorry for your luck.

 

[xXANCHORMONXx]

Don't worry about it.

It's possible it was cross threaded from the factory.

Either way if you want to get it out you'll have to drill. Remember, use a center punch to help start the bit straight. if you don't you'll be sorry

 

[ForYourOwnGood]

Two of mine on the front were extremely stubborn, when I finally got them out I noticed the two pieces of metal that overlay each other weren't aligned so the bolt threads were dragging on it. I actually stripped out the Steeda bolt and had to reuse the stock one.

 

[tsunami]

Bolt may not have been cross-threaded at factory!

FWIW you just plunged me into a spiral of uncertainty and self doubt. Am I crazy? Did I really turn it the wrong way? I got out a screwdriver and tightened all the loose door and drawer handles in the house. I even pulled one screw out entirely and compared the thread pattern to the threads on the bolt head that sheared off my car. The same. It's the same. I'm not crazy! Lefty loosey! Righty tightey!

The bolt was definitely seized, but you're right that it is weird without a speck of rust. Not sure what to make of this.

I just finished installing my jack rails. The OEM anchor bolts use blue LokTite. 6 of the 8 bolts slowly but cleanly unscrewed counter-clockwise. But two of them at first refused to budge even when I put a 3-ft wrecking bar on them. I learned from past experience NOT to put exceeding torque on the bar if the bolt won't easily start to release.
I first 'tightened' the bolt with slight pressure...then very slowly tried to loosen it. I repeated this forward-backward torque a half-dozen times.
One bolt finally broke loose. The other began to try to strip the corners of the hex bolt. Usually bolts will try to strip the corners before the shank breaks. I ended up switching from a 5/8 inch socket to a 15mm socket (slightly smaller). This socket now fit down onto the bolt head. I did the back and forth method another few times...and finally the bolt released!

 

[TOP KEK]

Well for whatever its worth the other bolts all came off with no issue and installation was otherwise smooth.

I'm just leaving the sheared bolt alone for now and only using the front-most mounting bolt on the steeda rail on that side (so missing the second of four bolts on that side). Hopefully the car doesn't blow up.

 

[ForYourOwnGood]

I ended up switching from a 5/8 inch socket to a 15mm socket (slightly smaller). This socket now fit down onto the bolt head. I did the back and forth method another few times...and finally the bolt released!

If you're using a standard size socket on these cars you're doing it wrong. Everything on any car made in the past 20 years is going to be metric. Good way to strip out your hardware right there.

 

[Racerx009]

I welded mine in

 

[NightmareMoon]

Get one of the broken screw / bolt extractor kits from Electronix. Local hardware store probably has them.

Drill a hole with the extractor tool, apply some WD40 to the broken bolt to hopefully make it easier to pull, and then extract with the opposite side of the tool. If its not in there too bad or crossthreaded it should come out.

If that doesn't work ya you'd need to apply heat or dremmel a screwdriver slot in there and maybe should take it to a mechanic.

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