Snapped Stud

GTSilver944

GTSilver944

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So, there are three studs that hold the strut assembly to the control arm. The studs screw into the base of the strut assembly. One of mine snapped when I was taking the strut off. Part of the stud, maybe 3 or 4 mm, is still sticking out. Should I attempt to remove it or just drill it out, tap it, and put in a threadsert? Any ideas on how to remove it?
 
An overnight soaking with PB Blaster and then try vice grips to remove the broken stud. If it breaks again, you can use a stud remover tool (drill pilot hole and twist the tool into the hole and unscrew the stud). Use the largest one that will fit without drilling into the existing threads.
Good luck,
 
If you do resort to Svens advice with the extractor first try and get the strut hot, this should loosen the struts grip on the bolt.
 
If you have access to a MIG welder, try welding some metal onto the end of the stub. This both gives you something more to grab the broken part with and the heat helps break the rust bond.
 
I agree, as an engineer of tractor and bulldozer repairs for many years. Find a suitable nut and place it over the stud that is still exposed and just wind up your mig and touch it gently a few times building up plug weld on end of nut and allowing for it to cool and then simply put a spanner on nut and remove. And the heat from welder should have expanded the housing as well making extraction easier.....my two cents worth.
 
fwiw,

if you have enough to grap with vise grips . . heating the side of the threaded body on the strut housing even a little bit might break this free.

More importantly and the real reason I replied, these bolts are normally safety wired and a grade 10.9 10 mm thread. On newer BMWs these bolts are not safety wired, but must be installed with red loctite and torqued to spec. into clean threads.

Many hardware stores do not stock 10.9 grade metric bolts, but all allen head bolts that are metric should be grade 10.9.

Also , be aware that these bolts are NLA from BMW, so an Allen head would be the best and most convenient repair. If you're doing a restoration and desire authentic original hardware, we have them instock replaced in gold cadmium.
 
So, I had no luck trying to remove it. I think the bolt snapped before the threads were able to brake loose. I was afraid of damaging the housing if I drilled into it (I don't have a drill press here), so I brought it to a machine shop. New bolts are on the way as well. I'm very excited for the Bilsteins and Bimmerdoc's springs though...
 
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