Previously published as “TAP DISINTEGRATOR” in the March 1986 RootesReview
by Paul Burr
Here’s a tech tip that the readers may find useful–what to do about broken easy outs and drill bits. Of course, Tiger owners never break off bolts!
How many times have you snapped off a bolt and thought “no problem”–just drill it out and use an easy out. Except this time the bit snaps or the easy out breaks and lands itself inside the bolt.
Okay, run it over to the local automotive machine shop (usually in the back of a small parts store). They look at the mess you made, laugh, and tell you that they wouldn’t touch a broken off drill bit or easy out.
This happened to me with a lower A-arm mounting bolt. I couldn’t get anyone to even attempt removal. Great – my crossmember is instant junk. BUT, someone turned me on to a machine designed just for this situation: You’ll have to find a machine shop which a TAP DISINTEGRATOR. This machine uses a welding type rod to precisely blast the offending bolt, tap, drill bit, etc. into a powdered oblivion. The part can then be retapped or helicoiled as needed.
It may take some digging to find a shop with a tap disintegrator, but it is worth the effort to salvage an irreplaceable part of your Tiger.