trying to take of the steering wheel i ended up stripping the bolt. how can i get it out now?

i read somewhere that someone drilled it out, but how exactly is that done?

 

http://www.offroaders.com/tnt/1.htm

http://www.howardforums.com/archive/...1199342-1.html

 

anymore ideas people?

 

Is there room to get a set of vise grips on it?

 

pic of stripped bolt? is it a protruding head? if so.:

Can you cut a slit in it, to then use a flat head screw driver? cut a slit using a dremel tool.

-J

 

ya, that too........

were all guessing with out a pic of the actual problem..

 

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952154000P

 

ill go take a pic right now

 

 

Man thats some close up pics........where exactly is this on the steering wheel?

but it looks like there is a plastic shrowding of some sort over it? im guessing you cant remove it? if not you would have...

take some farther back pics but from the looks of things:

1. You would have to man handle and break off the plastic surrounding it.
2. then you can see the fastener is a protruding head - from there use vise grips to clamp it tight and turn it free. dont buy cheap vise grips...get some good locking ones.
3. if item 1 cant be reused as is - purchase another or find a spare at a local junk yard...

sorry, can you take a farther back pic?
-J

 

there the bolts that hold in the airbag. There's better pics in the DIY section for removing the steering wheel. I just went out some I can't get pics. Thanks

 

Yes you can get small vise grips in there, I don't remember damaging any plastic when I did it.

That one doesn't look stripped though, you're using the right size?

 

Doesn't look stripped? Looks pretty bad to me..were you not using the right size? Vice grip seems to be the safest bet first.

 

I'm not sure what diameter that torx screw is, but get yourself a 12-point socket that is SLIGHTLY undersized and will just barely not fit over the bolt. Fit the socket to an extension bar that protrudes past the plastic shroud and bang it onto the torx screw with a hammer. From there, just unbolt it with a ratchet and get your self a replacement torx screw.


This is the method that a lot of people use to get off locking lug nuts when they have lost the key socket.

 

Haha same thing happend to one of my two bolts when I swapped out my steering wheel. Was barely able to get one out and the other one not so much good luck.

I bought a metal/wood bit. didn't work. Bought a titanium bit, took forever but finally drilled through it. But since the tamper proof has the damn post in the center, it went way off center and didn't actually drill out the head and or threaded bolt.

Long story short, I got pissed and bent the sheetmetal thing back and forth hoping the metal would just break free. Was taking too long so I got more pissed and ripped the damn thing out and almost knocked myself out when the wheel finally let go.

Hopefully you will have the patience to find a better way.

 

thanks everyone.

ended up tearing the plastic housing off from around the column lol and slightly heated the bolts and even then they were still a ***** to get out.

 

Was it a PITA to take the plastic column shroud off? I would have gone that route but I seem to have this knack for breaking tabs and stuff when I try to remove plastic parts I've never taken apart before.

 

I cut into pieces LOL

 

Ahh I hate those torx bolts. I had to buy a $20 bit to remove the throttle positioning sensor on my bike b/c the normal torx bit doesn't fit on them.