Help with Pivot Pin/Broken Bolt Removal ***Pictures added***

[blizack]

I've tried cobalt, titanium tipped drill bits but nothing is going through the hardened steel. I tried softening up the metal with a torch and then drilling but that didn't do anything either. So now I think that welding the puller to the pin is my last resort. Any other suggestions?

These are pictures I just took today:

This is my self-made pivot pin puller with the pin attached. I've used this to take out one of the two pins. You can get an idea of how it works -

This is the good pivot pin after removal. Note the threads on the inside-

now this is the pivot pin still in the steering column. This one has about 1\4 of an inch of depth that I've been able to drill into.

Now my plan is to have the pivot pin puller that I made welded into the pivot pin, and then use that to pull it out. My neighbor with his welder says that its probably not a good idea. What do you guys think?

Basically it would look like this but welded:

 

[xitabl442]

I can't remember what the inside looks like anymore. Can you get in from the other side and tap it out with a thin punch since one side is out?

 

[blizack]

I just ran out to look to make sure. It can't be tapped out from the other side because there are parts between the two sides. I can't even see the pin from the hole on the other side.

 

[84GP455]

I just recently repaired my tilt wheel because of the loose bolts inside and i had to purchase one of those special pin remover tools. I would weld it and pull it out, they aren't really in there too tight so it should come out once you weld it as one piece. You need to get a new pin anyways because that one is junk, so you can't do any more harm to it by welding the tool to it so you can pull it out. I bought 2 of those tools as they were only $2.99 each just because no parts stores around here had them so i had to order them online from California. What are you doing to your tilt wheel? Repairing the loose bolts inside? Let me know if you have any questions as i just did mine 2 months ago and i have many pics of the job.

 

[Longroof79]

It looks like your idea of welding on a stud or bolt will be the final straw.
I personally think it will work, just be careful not to overheat the area.
A few good tacks should do it depending how tough that pivot pin is in there.
When I redid my tilt column, I initially used a slide hammer to remove the pins. They came out easily.

Good luck! Let us know how you made out.

 

[axisg]

a little desperate but how about making a neat slice in it with a dremel with one of the small grinding wheels so you can back it out with a screwdriver ? Trying to weld that on will not be fun and the splatter will mess things up in a hurry.

Otherwise all the time and effort could have paid for a replacement steering column by now.

 

[blizack]

I've heard about the splatter being a problem. One thing that I should mention though is that I am able to turn the steering column 90 degrees so that it would make the job easier. With the two types of metal that are curently stuck in there I'm really not too sure if screwing them out is even an option anymore.

Where I think I really went wrong was using that extractor bit. This is a job that probably wouldn't need to be done on the car again with some good locktite applied to the 4 torx bolts. What I should have done was get a screw to fit into that pilot hole that I had used for the extractor bit, and made a pivot pin puller for that smaller sized hole.

 

[axisg]

If you break it, there were a couple of G-Bodies at Starks and this guy has a column in St Catherines

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z152579164

 

[8GPLE7]

Is your neighbor gonna tack it for you? If so tig welding it won't give as much splatter as mig or stick. It would be a lot easier to tig it being its a small spot. Thats a toughy, I had that happen before, what i did was cut a slit on top then I put a screwdriver and twisted it, after about three broken screwdrivers it twisted and I was able to pull it out, although I didn't have a broken extractor in there :shock:

 

[blizack]

Yea, I want him to tack it. I actually forgot to ask him what type of welder he has though. Now that I think about it, if he only has oxy-ace. then I'm going to have to buy a new welder.

I have a little update though: Have you guys ever heard of a hammer drill? It gives the traditional rotation while also giving a pulsating hammer type of affect. Using this mode on the drill with a cobalt bit is giving me some results.

Before I continue drilling, my neighbor is going to get his bro to see if he can tack the puller in the pin. If he can't weld this for me then I'm going to have to keep drilling. I'm going to try again to twist these bits out of the pivot pin as well.

Thanks again guys.