Broken Bolt - Crossmember to Reverser - John Deere 350 - How to Fix?

[bulletpruf]

I got underneath my '67 350 Straight and I was making sure all of the larger nuts and bolts were tight and I snapped a 5/8" bolt that secures the reverser to the crossmember on the right side. It's a grade 8 bolt and didn't put much pressure on it at all, so it must have been compromised and/or just barely hanging on. Anyway, the bolt goes from the bottom of the crossmember straight up into the reverser.



The bolt is snapped off about 1.5" or so deep, so I can't easily weld a nut on it to remove it. At best, I could try to weld a 7/16" bolt on it (need room so I can get a socket on it), but even that would be difficult to do given how deep it is.

I can't just thread a short bolt back into the hole and call it good because only two threads are showing.



Drilling it out does not look like it will work because the crossmember would be in the way of the drill. Might be able to do it with a 90 degree drill and a bit the right length, but that's a long way to go with a large bolt on a 90 degree drill.

I could pretend I didn't see it and just count on the other two bolts on that side of the crossmember to hold it. One of the remaining bolts goes through the crossmember into the reverser, and the other goes through the frame and the crossmember. I would have to check on these periodically to ensure they don't snap or start backing out.

I could try to grind a slot into the snapped off bolt with burr bit on a grinder and then use an impact screwdriver to try to get it moving.

I could remove the crossmember and then I'd be able to weld a washer and then a nut to the bolt and remove it, but I don't have any experience doing this, and the crossmember certainly seems like it's holding the machine together. Not sure what bracing and blocking I'd have to do to accomplish that.

I could try welding a bead from the crossmember to the reverser on the front and back of the crossmember, but that's welding cast iron to mild steel. I can weld, but I'm far from a pro, and even if I farmed this out, I think it would likely fail and/or possibly crack the reverser housing. Brazing isn't as strong, but that might be an option.





Any thoughts?

Scott

 

[smifwal]

Do you have or know a "guy" that has a mag drill? If you don't seems like a great excuse to buy one. You would need the chuck adapter so you could use a drill bit, the annular bit wouldn't reachyou could mount it in the the square

 

[bulletpruf]

Do you have or know a "guy" that has a mag drill? If you don't seems like a great excuse to buy one. You would need the chuck adapter so you could use a drill bit, the annular bit wouldn't reachView attachment 361985you could mount it in the the square

I do have a mag drill. I'll have to see if I can mount it squarely there and if it will reach.

Thanks

 

[Tinkerer]

I would replace the bolt that is next to it before attempting to remove the broken one.
My reason is that it may be on verge of breaking off too.
I wouldn't worry about trying save the threads if you are able to drill the broken one out. Put in a longer bolt and put a nut on if, you have room to get one on it.
Red Loctite too.

 

[bulletpruf]

I would replace the bolt that is next to it before attempting to remove the broken one.
My reason is that it may be on verge of breaking off too.
I wouldn't worry about trying save the threads if you are able to drill the broken one out. Put in a longer bolt and put a nut on if, you have room to get one on it.
Red Loctite too.

It's a blind hole, so I can't get a nut on it.

Thanks

 

[Welder Dave]

If you can drill it for a big enough ez-out the broken bolt night come out. I drilled a broken bolt and used an ez-out to get a bolt out under a JD355D loader that is similar but newer.

 

[bulletpruf]

If you can drill it for a big enough ez-out the broken bolt night come out. I drilled a broken bolt and used an ez-out to get a bolt out under a JD355D loader that is similar but newer.

I've had lousy luck with ez-outs in the past, but I'm going to try one again. Thanks

 

[Tinkerer]

I kind thought it might be.
Any chance you could drill through it ?
In the photo the bolt that is still there appears to show that it is loose enough to allow some movement.
If it is, your drill bit most likely won't be centered on the broken bolt. IMHO of course.
As you know a broken bolt drilled out off center creates another problem.
Do you have any left hand drill bits ?

 

[bulletpruf]

I kind thought it might be.
Any chance you could drill through it ?
In the photo the bolt that is still there appears to show that it is loose enough to allow some movement.
If it is, your drill bit most likely won't be centered on the broken bolt. IMHO of course.
As you know a broken bolt drilled out off center creates another problem.

I can use the broken end to make a pilot so I drill straight.

Thanks

 

[smifwal]

Do you have the chuck adapter to use a regular bit?

 

[bulletpruf]

Do you have the chuck adapter to use a regular bit?

Nope. Need to order one. Thanks

 

[JLarson]

Clean the top off with a burr, flatter is better, find some scrap pipe/tube that fits in there and stick weld it to the bolt, pipe wrench it out after you let it sit and heat cycle. Takes some tries first time you do it, might stick the rod a few times on the tube, plus doing it OH. Sometimes it takes a couple goes anyway to get it moving, some light air hammering of the area if possible to shock the bolt can help too.

 

[bulletpruf]

Clean the top off with a burr, flatter is better, find some scrap pipe/tube that fits in there and stick weld it to the bolt, pipe wrench it out after you let it sit and heat cycle. Takes some tries first time you do it, might stick the rod a few times on the tube, plus doing it OH. Sometimes it takes a couple goes anyway to get it moving, some light air hammering of the area if possible to shock the bolt can help too.

A few folks mentioned this method in a Facebook forum. I don't have a stick welder at my shop anymore, but I should be able to MIG it.

I'm inclined to try drilling it and then an easy out first. If I snap off the easy out, I can still go the welding the pipe route.

 

[JLarson]

Yeah shorter ones you can do with the mig, I'll do it with a flux core gun a lot with the nozzle off too. Drilling through if you can also will let the bolt contract a little bit witch usually helps too.

 

[smifwal]

I have this one

Hougen Drill Chucks & Required Drill Spindle Adapters

Drill Chucks & Required Drill Spindle Adapters Two sizes of Drill Chucks are available for Hougen Magnetic Drills. The 1/2" Chuck fits Models HMD904, HMD905, HMD917, HMD914. The 5/8" Chuck fits the HMD917 & HMD914 Drill Chucks Part No. Description 10731 1/2" Hougen Chuck with key 10732 1/2"...

hougenmagdrills.com

 

[bulletpruf]

I have this one

Hougen Drill Chucks & Required Drill Spindle Adapters

Drill Chucks & Required Drill Spindle Adapters Two sizes of Drill Chucks are available for Hougen Magnetic Drills. The 1/2" Chuck fits Models HMD904, HMD905, HMD917, HMD914. The 5/8" Chuck fits the HMD917 & HMD914 Drill Chucks Part No. Description 10731 1/2" Hougen Chuck with key 10732 1/2"...

hougenmagdrills.com

Thanks for the link.

 

[HarleyHappy]

Whatever you do, don’t try and weld or braze cross member to reverser. It’s bolted for a reason. The pipe trick works well, even with a MiG, with the nozzle off, just crank it up. If you can pre-drill a bit before trying, it may help. Being that the bolt just snapped off, you can bet that the cross member was moving enough, the other bolts are compromised but looking at the pic of the broken bolt, it doesn’t look like it was moving.
Might have been broken under a shock load.
I have done repairs like this using 6011 1/8” cranking up to 200 amps and burn/melt right through the center, while using the pipe method.
This heats up the broken bolt and the heating/cooling shrinks it a bit, then I will welding it to the pipe.
I have some 1/8” tungsten, I will use in my rod holder first and burn a hole into it.

 

[bulletpruf]

Whatever you do, don’t try and weld or braze cross member to reverser. It’s bolted for a reason. The pipe trick works well, even with a MiG, with the nozzle off, just crank it up. If you can pre-drill a bit before trying, it may help. Being that the bolt just snapped off, you can bet that the cross member was moving enough, the other bolts are compromised but looking at the pic of the broken bolt, it doesn’t look like it was moving.
Might have been broken under a shock load.
I have done repairs like this using 6011 1/8” cranking up to 200 amps and burn/melt right through the center, while using the pipe method.
This heats up the broken bolt and the heating/cooling shrinks it a bit, then I will welding it to the pipe.
I have some 1/8” tungsten, I will use in my rod holder first and burn a hole into it.

I'm inclined to try to drill it and use an easy out first. If that fails, I'll try the pipe.

I hear you on the brazing; really don't want to go down that road.

Thanks for the input.

 

[smifwal]

I would get yourself a good dent in the middle of bolt so your bit don't walk and start small and step up almost to the size of the bolt and then try the easy out, if the easy out doesn't work I would retap it with what ever is left in there, since you have a few threads showing it should create a nice guide for the tap

If you can't get the mag in position I would clamp/weld on another piece of metal for you to attach the mag drill to get it where you need it.

 

[bulletpruf]

I would get yourself a good dent in the middle of bolt so your bit don't walk and start small and step up almost to the size of the bolt and then try the easy out, if the easy out doesn't work I would retap it with what ever is left in there, since you have a few threads showing it should create a nice guide for the tap

If you can't get the mag in position I would clamp/weld on another piece of metal for you to attach the mag drill to get it where you need it.

All good points. Thanks