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[R3dliner]

Was hearing a unusual sound. Immediately checked underneath to find the diff bolt by the exhaust hanger sheared off.

The stud sticking out is stuck. How can I remove it? Any help is appreciated.

[roastbeef]

it doesn't look sheared.... it just looks like the bolt and hanger fell off.

they are hard to remove. i'd get an oem bolt from a dealer and stick it on. i believe it is an 18mm, but double check that. pickup a ratcheting open/close end wrench to make it easy. a socket won't fit.
don't buy the nut from ECS tuning, they sent me a slightly different nut and it stripped my bolt.

[roastbeef]

oh shit, yea, thats broken allright. it looked like the nut fell off... the other half of the bolt is sheared.

[Bartledoo]

Welcome to the club...Have you ordered upgraded subframe/diff bushings to go with your new diff bolt set?

[Bimmer Barney]

1. Can you thread a nut on? If so thread 2 on and then put a wrench on the “inside” nut and loosen. It will back up against the outside nut and essentially turn that into a bolt.

2. If you can tack weld a nut on there you should be able to remove it like a bolt. Although time consuming, a shop should be able to do it very easily. Offer $20 to weld on a nut the drive home and remove it.

3. Some PB Blaster and vice grips may be able to grab the threads and remove, heat helps loosen stubborn threads too.

[roastbeef]

if you just put a nut on it with a washer i wonder if the bolt will pull its self out as you tighten it...

[KingFishy]

Double nut the bolt sticking out and spin it out with a wrench using the inner nut. Make sure the nuts are tight against each other. Wd-40 blue torch is a plus too.

[KingFishy]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

it doesn't look sheared.... it just looks like the bolt and hanger fell off.

they are hard to remove. i'd get an oem bolt from a dealer and stick it on. i believe it is an 18mm, but double check that. pickup a ratcheting open/close end wrench to make it easy. a socket won't fit.
don't buy the nut from ECS tuning, they sent me a slightly different nut and it stripped my bolt.

18 mm is probably the wrench size, not the thread size. Metric threads have a few thread pitch sizes.

[R3dliner]

Originally Posted by KingFishy

Double nut the bolt sticking out and spin it out with a wrench using the inner nut. Make sure the nuts are tight against each other. Wd-40 blue torch is a plus too.

thanks. I was thinking the same thing.

[R3dliner]

Anyone know the torque specs on these bolts?

[R3dliner]

Originally Posted by ksteckba

Welcome to the club...Have you ordered upgraded subframe/diff bushings to go with your new diff bolt set?

No but I've been thinking about it. Any suggestions?

[HerbNRacer]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Barney

1. Can you thread a nut on? If so thread 2 on and then put a wrench on the “inside” nut and loosen. It will back up against the outside nut and essentially turn that into a bolt.

2. If you can tack weld a nut on there you should be able to remove it like a bolt. Although time consuming, a shop should be able to do it very easily. Offer $20 to weld on a nut the drive home and remove it.

3. Some PB Blaster and vice grips may be able to grab the threads and remove, heat helps loosen stubborn threads too.

+1

An Easy Out kit may work too if you can get a drill in there. Definently soak in WD-40 atleast a few hours before trying to pull it.

[HerbNRacer]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

if you just put a nut on it with a washer i wonder if the bolt will pull its self out as you tighten it...

This would pull the threads right out of the hole, if the stud didnt break first... Probably not the best method.

[Spun Crankhub]

Double nut, as others said. Or if you can get your dremel in that area with a reinforced cut off wheel. Create a groove for a flat head screwdriver, then remove with said screwdriver.

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

No but I've been thinking about it. Any suggestions?

Aluminum subframe bushings (Turner, MRF, etc.) have no negatives excluding the wallet hit, and I did powerflex purple diff bushings which add some diff whine/whir and driveline sound but it was worth it for the improved feel and lowered risk of future failures. Some use new oem diff bushings but it seems they are just too soft (particularly the rear bushing); and some do alum/delrin diff bushings but I don't think I could handle more added noise over the powerflex bushings and the performance is supposedly very similar.

I imagine if there were one or two more mounting points on the diff then the rubber used for the oem side bushings of the diff would be adequate for diff control with the lowest driveline noise transmission. But unfortunately we only have the three points and very poor subframe and diff control from the factory.

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

so tried scouring for a M12x1 nut and no luck. WTF why's it such a hard size to obtain. Home depot and lowes only carries M12x1.25 and autozone forget about it. Guess i have to order it online. Didn't want to try the vice grip yet.

I had the same issue. I was up in Canada when it happened and couldn't find anything to make a temporary fix. Just had to limp around til the ordered parts arrived back home.

[HerbNRacer]

Pep boys usually has 12x1 hardware. I needed them for a Honda project once. Only local place that had them.

[Bimmer Barney]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

so tried scouring for a M12x1 nut and no luck. WTF why's it such a hard size to obtain. Home depot and lowes only carries M12x1.25 and autozone forget about it. Guess i have to order it online. Didn't want to try the vice grip yet.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#hex-nuts/=19rwmh0

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

The other end sheared off and this part is stuck on there. Does the other end just bolt up or is it one piece with this stud sticking out? If that makes any sense

I just dealt with this exact issue last weekend. As long as the remaining part of the bolt is not bent, a regular pair of pliers is all you should need to turn it out. I had vice grips ready, but didn't need them. Turn it clockwise and it will work it's way out with minimal to no damage to the threads.

Getting the new bolt to line up is a bit of a bitch, and is going to require you to loosen the other two bolts. In fact I had to remove the top bolt (21mm) in order to line up the new bolt. I went further though and changed all three just for more peace of mind.

Having an extra set of hands along with an extra floor jack will also help because as soon as you remove the top bolt the diff will sag, and it is rather heavy.

All three OEM bolts only set me back $53.

[GP0256]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

so tried scouring for a M12x1 nut and no luck. WTF why's it such a hard size to obtain. Home depot and lowes only carries M12x1.25 and autozone forget about it. Guess i have to order it online. Didn't want to try the vice grip yet.

Go to a local nut and bolt store like Fastenal or Grainger, they will have thousands

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by HerbNRacer

This would pull the threads right out of the hole, if the stud didnt break first... Probably not the best method.

It's not a stud. It's just the end of the broken off bolt -- not sure of thread size and pitch but the subframe bolts are m12x1.5 and diff bolts could vary. These bolts goes through the subframe and front diff mounts and the exhaust hangers hang off the protruding part. You could use pb blaster or kroil and single of double nut it and try to pull it all the way through since the head and shoulder broke off the other end. You could also use heat on the threaded body (not the nut) and then use vise grips but be careful with heat since the gas tank is not far away.

[R3dliner]

Originally Posted by GP0256

Go to a local nut and bolt store like Fastenal or Grainger, they will have thousands

Actually I'm seeing Fastenal has the bolt on their site. Unfortunately ships out of Indianapolis. Grainger didn't have the tread size.