Broken swaybar bolt in frame

[240Zdragon72]

I was pulling off my front sway bar and it had seemed to be comming out easy. The front drivers side bolt broke halfway into the frame. I'd like to drill it out and then use a tap and die set to redo the threads. Has anyone had any experiance doing tap and die? I hate rusty hardware!

[Bambikiller240]

Are you going to be installing a larger than stock sway bar?

[Fun_in_my_z]

Tap and die is fairly easy. Just use oil on the tap...and put grease or something inwth the new bolt to keep it from sticking.

[Ed]

Jack up the car as far as you can so you have plenty of working room. Take a punch and mark the center of the broken bolt (wear safety glasses). Drill out the broken bolt with the largest drill bit possible. Cut out as much of the broken bolt as you can without dammaging the threads. If your lucky the rest of the bolt will come loose while your drilling. If it doesn't then you need to use an "easy out". Available at hardware stores. These are reverse thread studs that tighten into the hole as you try and break free the broken bolt. Be extra careful not to break the easyout. They are made from hardened steel and if you break it you WILL be up the creek without a paddle (BTDT). I've been sucessfull on retapping the hole instead of using the easy out. You can do this IF the hole you drilled is in the middle of the broken bolt, if it's off to the side just a little you will be cutting into the nut and making a bad situation worse.

Good luck

[Bambikiller240]

Are you going to be installing a larger than stock sway bar?

(Makes a big difference on how this should be repaired)

[Mr Camouflage]

Try what Ed said, If the easy ou dont get it moving try this:

Dude, drill the bolt out using a smaller diameter than the bolt. you have to start with a small drill dead on center, then use larger drills untill the meat of the bolt is gone. Then the coils of the thread that are left can be pulled out. Its tricky to do, but not impossible. I did this, and was amazed when the leftover bolt came out like a pulling on a spring, leaving the hole thread undamaged and not needing retapping.

And if you screw it up, then try retapping the hole.

[240Zdragon72]

Thank you for all your comments.

Carl, I am going to be putting a bigger swaybar on. It is a 1" and will be the one from the Orange car. It already has a plate made to fit. I had taken off only what I needed to get it off the car.

The bolts will fit right in the stock holes.