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How do you use a bolt extractor?
Know what’s cool? The idea of restoring an old muscle car. Know what’s not cool? The actual work involved. The rust is extreme here, and now I need to figure out how to use a bolt extractor. Do you have any advice for me?
Matt Terzi · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
You’re right, restoring an old muscle car is definitely cool! But yeah, it’s not easy work. Bolt extractors end up seeing some heavy use on a lot of these projects. Bear with us for a minute to learn how to use one.
Bolt extractors come in two basic styles. One is a broad, fluted socket that grips onto a rounded bolt that other sockets can’t latch teeth onto. The other is a specialty drill bit that gets driven into a drilled hole in the bolt itself.
Which type of bolt extractor you get really boils down to how the bolt you’re looking at is damaged. You’re restoring an old car, so you’re likely going to encounter both corroded bolts that need to be drilled and worn-out, rounded-off bolt heads that need socket extraction. It’s a good idea to invest in both types of extractors.
The fluted socket type of bolt extractor is the easiest to use. You simply use the socket as you would any other socket and remove the bolt. If the manufacturer made this particular extractor more fancy, you’ll want to consult their manual or website for more information.
If the head is completely broken off—if it’s flush with the mating surface or even cut off below that—you’ll need to carefully and accurately drill into the center of the bolt, then hammer the wedge-type extractor into that hole. With the extractor firmly in place, you can then rotate it as you would a bolt head and remove it.
In either case, you’ll definitely want a healthy stockpile of WD-40 or another lubricant. It’s invaluable not just on car restoration projects, but any auto repair work you’re doing!
We hope your car restoration project goes well. And don’t forget to save money on
car insurance
for your daily driver—and this restored car when it’s all done—using the Jerry
app. Jerry users save more than $800 per year on average by comparing and switching policies. View full answer
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