Help! Hatch nut sheared off in C-pillar.

[Robz350z]

Replaced my hatch struts, but in my over-eagerness/stupidity managed to shear off a nut in the C-pillar! How the hell do I get this out? Gutted.com

[GreenLandy]

Is there enough sticking out to get a stud extractor onto it? If it's flush, then drill out and re-tap

[Robz350z]

Nope, it's flush. I'll have drill and tap it at the weekend then, bugger.

[H1979]

Is there no way you can dremel a slot in the nut and use a Flathead screwdriver?

[GreenLandy]

I imagine he meant the bolt that holds the strut to the c pillar, not nut.

 

I guess you could attempt (with a lot of surrounding damage probably) the dremel method on what's left of the bolt, but if it sheared it must be in megatight/rusted in and will probably just chew up the slot

[Rob332]

If it's flush, drill a hole down the centre then wind in a stud extractor. It might come out without you having to drill it out completely and re tap. Sometimes the simplest of jobs turn out to be the worst.

Edited June 15, 2016 by Rob332

[Keyser]

weld a new nut on the top - gives you something to grip and the heat releases the threads

[ZMANALEX]

What Keyser has said ^^^^^

[Robz350z]

I'll try what Rob suggested first, Dremmel is a non-starter, far too flush. Welding is a possibility too.

Cheers for the help guys!

[veilside z]

Which ever way you decide... Good luck buddy

[Robz350z]

Cheers bud, so pi**ed off with myself though.

[Robz350z]

Cracked on with this today. Used stud extractors first, which worked at first, but winding it in the top snapped off! Had to file the top of them down and got them out. Got the rest out with tapping and drilling, swearing, new strut on now *phew*

[Mack]

Good to hear you got sorted.

 

Im not a fan of stud extractors aka easy outs. They are extremely brittle and unbelievably hard. I learnt the hard way, took me nearly a day to drill out the remains of one.