Another great way for pulling steel studs out of Aluminum quick and
easy is to TIG weld a bolt to the remaining portion and then twist it
out. You get heat + you get a new head which are both really helpful
at the same time. The only problem is you need to have a TIG welder
AND be able to weld in funky positions which unless you have a finger
amptroller is hilarious, knees, other people etc..

Yeah sucks but definitely not the worst I think.  You're surrounded by
lot's of folks with lot's of worse in vanagonland so the competition
is pretty stiff ha.

Do you have a drill that is low clearance enough for it as per Frank's
suggestion?

Jim Akiba

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 6:12 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:
> In a message dated 25/08/2008 10:12:35 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
>        Well, that's sort of NORMAL  !  I have them break off frequently no
> matter how careful I am.  So,  now you will have to get out the drill and drill
> bits and start drilling them  out and insert Helicoils.  You will need to
> source 35mm long Helicoils or  stack the common short ones.  The ones at the
> front are not that hard to  attack with a small air drill but the ones at the back
> - WHOA !!!!   I  have a very small right angled air drill and a whole series
> of cut off drill  bits to do them !  Time consuming for sure but can be done
> with the engine  in the van.  The other option is to remove the heads but then
> your into a  complete reseal job !   NO FUN !  Get the surface good and flat
> before hitting the broken off bolt with a centre punch and try to get it as
> centred as possible.  Start with a 1/8" drill bit and be careful not to  break
> it off !  Then go up in size maybe 2 or 3 sizes so that you can rock  the bit
> back and forth to get the hole centred if it was not at the  beginning.
> Eventually you will get to the proper size bit that will allow  you to run a tap in
> there for the Helicoil.  Be careful to not drill past  the original depth or
> you WILL go into the coolant chamber and then the head is  scrap metal !  Use
> only carbide drill bits !!  Keep the drill bit in  the bolt and DON'T let it
> wander off into the aluminium (NOT EASY) especially at  the rear !
>
>
>
>>>>>>The worst has happened. After very patiently  removing the nuts and
> bolts =
> on my wbx I twisted 2 off and still have 1 to  go. They are flush with =
> the head and have nothing to grab onto. What are  my options with out =
> removing the head. They are obviously not grade 5 or  8, but good old =
> garbage grade 2 considering they twisted off with a  minimum amount off =
> force. Is it possible to helicoil these while in the  van?<<<<<<<<<
>
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank  Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
> _Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008
>