Need Suggestions for Repair Please

[moosejr]

The bolt idea is really good, and a worthwhile point, because that way you will have the threads you need to put a nut on, that you wouldn't using just rod. Make sure you use a Grade 5 bolt, not Grade 8. The problem with grade 8 is that by the time you put enough heat to it to weld it in, you make the metal brittle because of it already being hardened, . .not to mention how difficult it will be to cut the head off of to start with.

On another note, . .the bolt extractors will work if needed, but the key to them is that they will only REMOVE the broken piece, they won't BREAK IT LOOSE, so unless you get the rust broken loose with the heat so that the bolt will come out. . you just end up breaking the extractor, which as Zach said, . .is worse than where you started at.

[randyscycle]

Shocks that fit the front of most GM full-size pickups used to come with a replacement mount that bolted in the frame. It had a threaded stud for the frame side and then a shoulder for the shock bushings to ride on, and a smaller stud/nut to retain the shock. That should make a good repair and be replaceable in the future. I'd bet its exactly the same bushing size as the M715 shock.

As mentioned above stay away from the e-z out screw extractors too. They seem to be fine if you break off a bolt that is still being tightened, but anything cross-threaded, or rusted in place generally won't move and results in a broken extractor. The only thing I have found to get those out then, it to grind them up with a carbide burr if you can get to them, or drill from the opposite side and knock out the piece with a small punch.

[brute4c]

If one can put a nut on the end of the broken off part...just set it on the end not screw it on...then fill the hole in the middle of the nut with weld so the nut is one with the broken shaft. Put a socket or wrench on the nut and turn it out. Having welded on it, the heat usually helps break loose stubborn fasteners too.

[AEM67M715]

Fire up the "blue wrench"!!!

Thanks to all the help, I will be able to make the repair easily now.