I have an OS 40 with the hex muffler bolt heads stripped. What is the easiest way to remove the bolt head. I hate to use an easy out, but that appears to be the easiest.

Thanks

If you can get to the heads (they're not countersunk), grip them with pliers and turn them out. Heating the area a little with a torch will help. The AL case will expand more quickly than the steel bolt and the bolt will loosen a little. Alternatively, you can use a Dremel cut-off wheel to cut a slot across the head, then turn it out with a flat screwdriver. You can also cut the head off using the same cut-off wheel, then when the muffler is removed, grip the remaining protruding bolt with pliers and turn it out.

Dr.1

I only resort to cutting on the bolt head after I try a larger allen thats ground down a little and tapped into the socket head, also if you can get the opposite screw out just turn the muffler and the other will screw out with it.

I only resort to cutting on the bolt head

Why wait, Cyberwolf? The bolt is trash, anyway. Rather than ruining an allen wrench, just get to whatever backs the bolt out the easiest. Unless you gind the wrench just right and tap it in VERY tightly, it'll just strip out again. I'm gonna assume the bolt is Locktited or frozen.

Dr.1

I've had the best luck cutting a slot in the allen head with a dremel cut off wheel, and finding a screwdriver that fits snugglly into the slot and turning it out carefully.

Thanks for your answers. It seems I have had problems removing the muffler bolts on all of my engines. Looking at posts of other people on this list who have problems keeping their mufflers on, I guess I should feel lucky.

The name "Easy Out" is an oxymoron. Using those cursed devices are ANYTHING but easy..... Not to mention how difficult it can be to drill an Allen bolt!

Whatever method you try, I would use heat to help loosen the bolt. Heat is what lodged it in there in the first place.

I didn't see a engine type but the ones with muffler bolts that come through from the back side are impossible to cut groves in or cut the heads off thats why !!!!!!!!!!!
As it is a person has to be very carfull not to damage anything but the bolt with the easy ones. I was not trying to save the bolt but the rest of the engine just may want to be used again.

Do you think it is easier to drill a hole in those bolts than it is to cut a slot in the head, or cut the head off? If so, please tell me how you do it. I must be doing it wrong.

If it is a soket head then it is simple, just drill off the head with a drill that fits into the soket of the head. When the head is gone the part[muffler,valve cover, whatever]will come off. Then you can grip the shank and screw it out.Flat heads are a little more difficult to drill off, but hey who said everything was easy. Sometimes we have to put a little more expertise[effort?] into it.

I have a three piece craftsman screw remover set. The smallest one is just the right size for the muffler bolts. I have used it many times on engines belonging to others and it has worked every time. (KOW) It fits in a 1/4 drive ratchet or handle.
Fred

(Exactly) the inside of a socket head cap screw is tough but not hard so they can be drilled, useing a slow speed drill motor and a good brand of drill bit. For a slot or phillips head, a center drill needs to be used to get the center of the screw head to make a starter hole.

Heat it first like DR1 said, next try a ***** punch to tap it loose, if it is persistant I usually use a left handed drill bit that way if it does break loose it winds itself right back out when the bit grabs it. If it never grabs than continue till the head is gone and proceed like the others mentioned.

The ***** punch and LH drill bit are two of the most successful methods I have used in my 25 years in a machine shop to remove stubborn/broken fasteners.

I love it. Just what type of drill bit are you guys using to drill a hardened socket head cap screw? Cyberwolf, the whole screw is hardened and difficult, at best, to drill. Gonna ruin a couple of drills there. Y'all either got some cheap screws or some darned good bits. The cutoff wheel works the best, either for slotting the head for a screwdriver or for cutting it off entirely.

As for collateral damage to the engine, Work carefully. There may be an extra slot or two in the case when you're done, but there's usually plenty of meat in that area for it to not be a problem.

Dr.1

MUCH SIMPLER SOLUTION.

As it is the muffler bolt, just use a hacksaw and cut the bolt on the silencer side of the engine. Yes you will need a new silencer but they are cheaper than a new engine.

See illustration.

Now for the rest of the story, I used the Dremel method and it worked very well. Thanks for all of the help.

Glad you got it apart. To prevent this in the future:

1. Be sure the threads are clean and slightly oiled.
2. Use a lockwasher under the bolt head. You don't have to tighten the bolt as much and it will allow a little "give" (it won't "freeze") if you have to remove the bolt.

Dr.1

No the whole screw is not hardened ,in my 40 plus years in the machine shop I have yet to see a socket head cap screw that couldn't be drilled down through the center.
A good drill bit is not one thats made in china, like one would get at Harbor Frieght.
Cleavland twist drills, Morse drills, even Black and decker makes a fair drill bit .

It really doesn't matter whether the whole thing is hardened or not. Drilling it is a needless waste of time and effort. So it gets drilled then 'easy out'ed. The bolt is pretty much useless now if one can actually accomplish the task.
Years ago I used the dremel method with NO harm to the engine. A simple cutoff wheel, screwdriver, and maybe 5 minutes time (max). That is all it took AND I'm still using the bolts!

For ease of operation and outcome I agree with DR1. In this particular case, slotting the head is the easiest.

Heck, I've even done it on head bolts. Still using them too!

With all due respect to actual machinists, often times the simplest way to accomplish a task works the best.

I have found that aside from the already mentioned preventative measures, using quality hex tools significantly reduces head stripping. Those junk wrenches that come with the engines are good for stirring epoxy or used as ballast.

using quality hex tools

Use quality bolts, too.

Dr.1