Even the most stubborn bolts will bolt by the time you’re through
Whether you twisted your bolt head one time too many times, used the wrong-sized socket or wrench, or tried to loosen a rusted bolt, one thing’s for sure—you have a stripped bolt.
While it might seem like all hope is lost, it’s easy to learn how to remove a stripped bolt with a few tricks. Before you bring in the professionals, follow these steps to remove a stripped bolt on your own.
Many different methods can successfully remove a stripped bolt. Knowing which option will work best for your situation depends on the difficulty level and your experience with tools. While you can use most of the tools in this tutorial to troubleshoot and remove your stripped bolt, it will be trickier to complete if the bolt head is broken or has stripped threads.
For the sake of simplicity, this article provides the easiest method for removing a bolt with a stripped bolt head. You may want to refer to a local handyperson for bolts with a broken head or stripped threads.
The first step for removing a stripped bolt is removing any rust. A rusty bolt means weakened metal. It can cause the bolt head to break off altogether or cause the thread to strip, making a more challenging situation.
To remove rust from the bolt, spray a penetrating oil like WD-40 onto the rusty areas, aiming the dispenser into all visible crevices. Penetrating oil helps break down the grime that’s preventing your bolt from moving, helping it to loosen up. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before moving on to the next step.
Now that the penetrating oil has worked its way through the rusty bolt, try giving it a wiggle. Depending on the state of the stripped bolt head, you can use an adjustable wrench, socket wrench, or a pair of pliers. If the bolt head is too stripped for a wrench, you can use locking pliers to twist it back and forth.
Gently wiggle the bolt from side to side to see if you can get the bolt to loosen up entirely. If you can move it but it’s still jammed, you may need to add more penetrating fluid and let it wait another 15 minutes.
Some bolts are more stubborn to remove than others. If your bolt is stripped and you still can’t get a good grip on it with a wrench or pair of pliers, you might try using an extraction socket. These sockets offer a stronger grip on the finicky bolt, allowing you to use more force to wiggle it free.
If you have a very rounded bolt head, you can try hammering a smaller socket onto the head. Be sure to not hammer the socket on too hard, or you might risk breaking the head of the bolt altogether.
For that reason, you might want to skip this step if you’re not used to working with hammers. If you decide to try out this step, slowly turn the bolt anti-clockwise to loosen it once the socket is firmly hammered onto the bolt.
Caution: You should only perform this step if you have prior experience working with a blowtorch and you’ve exhausted other bolt-removing methods. This step requires safety equipment, including heat-proof gloves, a full face mask, and an apron.
A sudden rush of heat will cause the bolt to expand and contract, helping to break the bond holding it in place. Use a blowtorch to heat the bolt for a few minutes, then let it cool. Add more penetrating oil after it cools before trying to wiggle the bolt free with a wrench or pliers.
Removing a simple stripped bolt on your own will cost less than $25 if you have all of the tools on hand. If you have a more challenging bolt, you may end up spending more on specialty tools, like an extraction socket, filer, pliers, or blowtorch.
If you’ve followed every step and tried every trick and still haven’t managed to wrangle that bolt free, you may benefit from hiring a local handyperson to take on the job. A professional handyperson costs anywhere from $60 to $125 per hour to free a stripped bolt.
One of the best tools for removing a stripped bolt is a handy pair of locking pliers. Locking pliers can usually grip onto screws with a broken, rounded, or stripped head and lock in place so that you can loosen even the most stubborn bolt that would otherwise remain hopelessly jammed.
The fastest method for removing a bolt with a rounded head is to use a pair of locking pliers or Vise-Grips to get the job done. These pliers have an adjustable bolt for tightening or loosening the tool to the appropriate size and a locking mechanism that allows you to clamp down on the rounded head so it stays in place as you unscrew the bolt.
If you’ve tried all the steps above and still can’t remove the stripped bolt, you might need to switch tactics and use a more advanced method, such as welding. If the bolt is so stripped and broken that you can’t get a grip on it using pliers, it might be one of your only remaining options. You can hire a local welder to adhere a new bolt onto the broken one and then unscrew the welded piece using a socket.
