What is your experience with easy outs?

[Blown 331]

Seems like I always remembered people saying they hardly ever work and they just break off then you can't drill them out, etc, etc. I've used them very limitedly but about 2 years finally bought a nice 5 or 6 piece Craftsmen set that also came with the drill bits. Well I'm batting 1.000 with these things. I can't beleive it, they are like magic. lol.
I had an exhaust to frame mounting bolt in my Tecate break off, I drilled it and it came right out. Then on my SL70 I bought a carb kit for it and when I went to unbolt the manifold from the head one of the bolts was broken off in the head and just held in with silicone so it apeared to be functioning. Same thing, drilled it and it came right out.
And a few minutes ago I just pulled the engine on my ebay 1986 200X, there was only one bolt holding the exhaust to the head. I pulled the exhaust and sure enough, one bolt was broken off in the head. Once the engine was out I positioned the engine at a favorable angle. Same thing, drilled and it came right out. Those things are amazing!
And on a side note the muffler on the ebay 200x says Toyota on it. WTF. I'm glad my other one has stock exhaust. But it does appear they welded that Toyota resonator or whatever it is to an aftermarket 2nd gen header. :cry: It's larger diameter and does not have provisons to bolt up a heat sheild.

[Tri-ZNate]

Easy outs always break on me but I also use the very small ones. I've had more luck drilling them with left hand drill bits. If your lucky they will grab the bolt and unscrew it

[Tri-Z Pilot]

I have always had great success with easy outs, they saved my ass more than once!

[300rman]

they work great sometimes. but if a bolt broke off cause the threads are corroded, the EZ out wont work without heating the area/penetrating lube.

if the EZ out breaks off, you will have a bigger problem than before lol.

[Blown 331]

Easy outs always break on me but I also use the very small ones. I've had more luck drilling them with left hand drill bits. If your lucky they will grab the bolt and unscrew it

Yeah, I don't know why the drill bits that are included with my easy out kit aren't left handed. That would make more sense since the drill bits are going to be used for bolt extraction anyway.

[badasskfx]

just dont force them. if you see the easy out twisting its not going to work...

[Custom200]

I've only used tham one or twice. It seems to be the same problem as most of you exuast bolts on the old 200m I had. Another tool that im very grateful I have is a nice tap and die set.

[Dirtcrasher]

Buy GOOD easy outs!! Don't use a Harbor Freight easy out on your rare 350X head :lol:

I find heat works HANDS DOWN the best and LH drill bits work often too.

If people would assemble with high temp never seize (exhaust stuff) and use grease on other bolts, you'd never had a seized fastner again.

[Saul]

Everytime I've used ez-out's they've broken off and gave me even more problems then I had before.

Left handed drill bits are better IMHO.

[blue27]

if I can I lay a old nut on top of the broken bolt and weld it to the broken bolt. The heat helps to loosen it and then turn with a wrench.

[300rman]

if I can I lay a old nut on top of the broken bolt and weld it to the broken bolt. The heat helps to loosen it and then turn with a wrench.

this will only work if the stel bolt is threaded into aluminum, otherwise, your nut is welded to the entire area lol.


just dont force them. if you see the easy out twisting its not going to work...

EZ-outs are made of extremely hard (and brittle) steel. you will never have a chance to see the EZ out start to bend, 99.9% of the time, it will break off neatly, before you ever have a chance to stop using it.

[blue27]

this will only work if the stel bolt is threaded into aluminum, otherwise, your nut is welded to the entire area lol.





you can do it in steel , you just need to be careful, or build up the broken bolt with the mig to extend it out far enough for a weld on the nut to adhere. I have done it with 1/4 inch bolts just need to weld carefully.

[dirtface]

I'm with Blue27, I've done this many of times with great luck. Even with bolts that were broke off flush and broke off a little ways down in the hole. I just did a foot peg bolt on a 1986 200x frame the other day, it was broken off flush, I ground the top of it shiny, then welded a nut to it and heated it up a little with a torch,It came right out.:w00t:

[fabiodriven]

Yep, done blue's method many a times. Works great.

Easy outs suck!!!!

[Yamada]

50% sucess with easy-outs. But our set has a lifetime warranty. Been looking for left hand drill bits but can't find them.

[brapp]

i have also dont the weldign trick to old stoborn axle berrings that didnt want to coem out of the carriers.