The circular thing with 5 bolts that I take off. I have to remove the dust cap, c-clip, and shim, then the 5 bolts before it slides off. Isn't that the drive member? I can't get any pictures on here yet, stupid laptop with school restrictions..

 

Like Tom said, If you can find a left hand drill bit, then you just drill it out with the drill set to reverse since a standard bit is right hand threads and goes clockwise. The left hand drill bit will tend to unscrew the threaded shaft as it drills it out.

If you cannot locate one, you can use a standard drill bit smaller than the threaded shaft and drill the center of it out, but this is more difficult. You then tap an EZ out or bolt extractor into the hole you just drilled and back it out. A little tricky the first few times.

If the threads get damaged, then you can use a helicoil insert. Do research on those anyway, you should learn about them.

The shaft broke because it is the weakest part due to the smaller diameter of the material and the bolt being frozen in place. A slow steady pull with a longer lever arm will avoid that in the future.

Once you develop a feel for it, you can tell when a bolt is about to snap. Lots of pentrant and having clean surfaces also helps avoid breakage. I have seen cases where I had to take a sharp point and help redefine the edges between a bolt shaft and nut to allow penetrant to soak in and loosen the threads.

Over time, with sufficient corrosion, the two metals surfaces tend to develop a physical bond such that they are no longer two distinct separate items. The molecules actually migrate from one surface to the other and given sufficient time, the two items become one.

 

Just like my wife's hobbies and my paychecks...

 

What you're describing is the drive flange or drive member.


If you have a bolt stuck in it (I've never seen that happen before) take it off and knock it out with a punch.

 

Ah so, grasshopper.

When I coached Little League years ago in Mims Florida, I had all the misfits, a true Bad News Bears type team. All the other coaches that had been coaching for years were really into giving intricate signals to the baserunners and batters. I really blew them away with things like bowing deeply and saying in a loud voice, "Be one with the Ball, My son, Be one with the Ball." My other favorite was throwing my hat on the ground real hard, waving my arms frantically above my head and yelling " Johnny, Run, Go right now" just as the pitcher was lifting his foot in the windup. By the end of the year, we had knocked the first place team out of first place and won the league play-offs.

Be one with the Rover, my son, be one with the Rover.

 

Okay so I will head over to lowes and find a reverse drill bit.
Then I take one off and bring it also to get a replacement right? What about the diff bolt I am missing? It connects the steering dampener and this round circular thing to the diff with 2 bolts.

 

I'd be really surprised if Lowes has any left hand drill bits.

 

Oh Boy, when that happens that is a sure sign that it has been way too long since those "screw threads" were lubed up.

Try applying lots of good penetrating lube way down deep, otherwise it may be time to start looking for a slightly used replacement piece.

Either way can be lots of "Hard Work" though. Good Luck with that problem.

 

Calebbo,

Why don't you request your shop teacher or Project Adviser or whatever you have give a demonstration on the "removal of broken bolts" like a seminar for you students.

 

Will try..

We aren't exactly on good terms at the moment, he may be very useful and great at working on cars but he is highly irresponsible and unmanaged when it comes to dates and deadlines. Plus he gave me a 0 on a major assignment which dropped my grade from a 99 to a 90.. So I told administration because he refused to discuss it with me.