broken tap, any suggestions?

clean2g · 08-24-2005

while removing my lower control arm, I believe it is, one of the damn bolts just broke from being so rusted. so then we drilled out the part of the bolt that broke inside and started tapping the hole, but then the tap broke

(yes I know, wtf) so now I need to figure out how to get the broken part of the tap out of the hole, does anyone have any suggestions? I know taps are 10x more a bitch to get out than a broken bolt but at this point any suggestion is a good suggestion.

**JET** · 08-24-2005

Alright, you do have a real issue now. There are only 3 decent ways to get out a tap. Use an EDM machine (not an option here), drill it out with a carbide tipped masonry drill bit or break it out. One thing about taps is that they are very hard, so they are brittle. If you use something pretty hard (good chisel or punch) and sharpened to a point, then you can break the tap. It will come out in little chips. If there is a ton of the tap broken off in there, then it is going to be rough. A masonry drill bit can be used too, but it isn't the greatest. It takes a ton of pressure and will wear out quickly.

Enes · 08-24-2005

which bolt are you talking about exactly? are you talking about the thread under the foot well? or the one around the brake.. find diagram and post..

-E

clean2g · 08-24-2005

I can't find a picture of that area but it's the one under the foot well, it has two bolts that bolt onto the chasis under the passanger side floor.

**JET** · 08-24-2005

Is the sub frame off? If not, take off the sub frame and see if any of the bolt is sticking out. Then you could grab it with a big ass vice grip or weld a bolt onto it.