A Mechanic's Easy Hack For Removing A Stripped Bolt

Bolts are stronger than nails because they use threads to secure objects together. You can't simply pull a bolt out without breaking the wood around it. That is why they are often used to hold the frames of houses together or to mount cabinets to walls. Whenever you need to take a bolt out, you can use a wrench to unscrew the nut and reuse both pieces later. But bolts can sometimes become stripped, which makes them much harder to remove. "Stripped" refers to what happens when a bolt's threads get worn down or its head becomes rounded, making it impossible to get any traction with a wrench.

There are several ways to address this type of problem, but a TikTok account called @gearheadbryan offers a unique solution. If you ever work on your car or do any carpentry, you'll most likely have a lot of the tools in your garage or shed. All you need is a socket wrench and a C-clamp. But if the bolt is rusted as well, it might help to use some WD-40 or heavy-duty grease. This process involves locking the socket over the bolt under high pressure and using the wrench to turn it.

The common problem people run into when the head of a bolt is stripped is that their wrench can't get any bite, so it slips off whenever pressure is applied. For this hack to work, you have to have room for your C-clamp to latch onto the wrench and the other side of whatever beam or contraption the bolt is screwed into. So, start by placing your socket wrench onto the head of the bolt and then firmly attach your C-clamp. The clamp should hold the socket onto the head of the bolt as you turn it, and all you need is enough traction to get the bolt unstuck. You might need to firmly hold the bolt's nut in place with a second wrench, in which case the job would require a second set of hands.

Although this isn't mentioned in the video, a little bit of WD-40 can ease this process. You can also heat the bolt with a propane torch to loosen it. If none of these tricks work, a bolt extractor might be the solution. Cut the bolt's head off with a hacksaw, drill a hole in it, tap the bolt extractor into place, and then twist the bolt free using a pair of pliers. If the nut won't come off because of corrosion, you can break it off with a nut splitter.