Front Bumper - Advice Please, Safe to Drive?

[Storm Guy 0]

Hi All - in attempting to remove front bumper, one of the four 17mm bolts sheared off (95 VR) - driver side rear one as in pic (bolt head has been removed). Main thread shaft is still in.

Understanding (from the various front bumper removal threads) that car should not be driven without front bumper assembly intact - I assume the three remaining will be sufficient and the car safe to drive until I can see how to remove broken thread?

The other bolts are all intact, including the small central ones in the bracket each side.

 

Plan to remove was to cut a hole in panel under filter box to access top of broken thread, given its deep in from underneath due to bracket profiles/bush etc. Any other suggestions welcome.

 

What do you think guys?

You advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]93351[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]93353[/ATTACH]

 

 

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Edited May 20, 2018 by Storm Guy
hole not hold!

[odub 0]

Have you taken the bracket off to see how much of the bolt is remaining? I'd try and avoid cutting from above as you'll be going through the structural chassis leg

[tonedef 9]

Cutting into it from above might be the only solution but first it might be worth trying to drill the remaining bolt out from below, you might end up drilling the nut out of the bumper bracket but if it comes to pieces that’s not the end of the world is it. Don’t suppose the other three bolts come out either as you might be able to lift the bumper off if the broken one has broken near the thread?

 

I put a temporary bolt in each side of mine while it was in pieces, drove it onto and off of car transporters, around the paint shop, in and out the garage etc, no problems.......wouldn’t recommend a trip to mainland Europe but shouldn’t stop you moving it about.

[Dox 23]

You can buy left hand drills, so basically you drill with the machine in reverse, if the drill catches and jams it will screw the broken piece of stud out. If it’s an M10 bolt use an M8 drill so as not to damage the thread

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F252847091914

Edited May 20, 2018 by Dox

[Storm Guy 0]

Many thanks - Here's the broken bolt. Given its a Hex bolt M10 x 73 (N90305901), there's about 25mm of the thread in there - and its at an angle! so will see how drilling goes. May need to try flattening the tip of the thread left inside to try and get a good bite with the drill. But of course working pretty blind.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]93357[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]93361[/ATTACH]

Library image.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]93359[/ATTACH]

 

 

You can buy left hand drills, so basically you drill with the machine in reverse, if the drill catches and jams it will screw the broken piece of stud out. If it’s an M10 bolt use an M8 drill so as not to damage the thread

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F252847091914

Great stuff - many thanks - will give this a go.

 

Cutting into it from above might be the only solution but first it might be worth trying to drill the remaining bolt out from below, you might end up drilling the nut out of the bumper bracket but if it comes to pieces that’s not the end of the world is it. Don’t suppose the other three bolts come out either as you might be able to lift the bumper off if the broken one has broken near the thread?

 

I put a temporary bolt in each side of mine while it was in pieces, drove it onto and off of car transporters, around the paint shop, in and out the garage etc, no problems.......wouldn’t recommend a trip to mainland Europe but shouldn’t stop you moving it about.

Did not want to risk tackling the other three for fear of being grounded. No heavy journeys planned, thankfully.

 

Have you taken the bracket off to see how much of the bolt is remaining? I'd try and avoid cutting from above as you'll be going through the structural chassis leg

Nope - but broken bolt and part number/description indicate around 25mm left in. Re the 'structural chassis leg' - looks like a thin panel below the air filter (which is not of course where the thread is actually bolted), so considered a small 50mm cut out would be ok - this would give visibility and hopefully access from above. Maybe not?

 

Anyone familiar with that particular cross section (as a back up to aid method of attack if drilling fails)? Thanks

[Jim Bowen 1]

I think you could also wind it through, i.e if backing it out proves hard you could try and wind it in and it should pop out the top. Try drilling into it, that may spin it.

[1200 bandit 10]

If you have welding gear you can try welding a nut on to the snapped bolt,the heat of the welding may crack the rust on the snapped bolt

[Philly-R6 0]

I know my next sentence is too late for you...

 

I removed a stuck bolt by unscrewing the bolt until it sticks then screw it back in, and repeat. It took me a good 20 minutes, but I got the bolt out in one piece. Do not swing on the bolt as hard as you can, as it will snap.

Just firmly unscrew it a quarter turn and then screw it all the way back in. Once you get a little bit of space under the bolt head, squirt a load of WD up the bolt to lube the thread.