How Do I remove Headless 1/4" lag Bolts from Concrete?

The 1/4" lag bolts for the railing supports in the front concrete porch steps have rusted away leaving headless 1/4" lag bolts imbedded in the concrete. How do I remove whats left of the bolts? I attempted to drill them out using an 1/8" drill bit but it could get started.

How can i remove the bolts? Some of the bolts are not broken off even with the concrete some of them are headless and bent slightly to one side.

Tom

Reply to
Tom
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cut a slot in them with a dremel and use a screwdriver?

using a left handed drill bit could back them out enough to get a pair of vice grips on them

Reply to
charlie

Do you need to remove them for some purpose, or are you just concerned with the busted stubs sticking up? If the latter, just grind them down flush with a 4" angle grinder and let it go. Patch and paint as necessary.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

I need to remove the lags to put new flanges/lag bolts in for the new railing.

Reply to
Tom

I could try that but the appear to be quite deteriorated .

Reply to
Tom

I once had to remove anchors (nails driven in with an explosive charge) from concrete and simply used a circular saw (w/ eye protection).

Reply to
AZ Nomad

Take a grinder and grind them down flush. Done.

s

Reply to
Steve Barker DLT

Move over an inch and use new wedge-it bolts. After you grind the old ones off flush.

s

Reply to
Steve Barker DLT

Depends on how well they are in there. You can use an "easy out". available at any decent hardwqare store. You drill a pilot hole, insert the easy out and with a wrench try to turn the lag out. Once started it can come easy, but if well stuck in the concrete it may be impossible.

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Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I fonly that would solve the problem. I've got to install flanges, same dimensions, over top the place where the original s stood.

Reply to
Tom

It may solve some of the problem. Can you turn the flange 90 degrees and use new holes? Or drill new holes in the flange at new locations?

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Vice-grip brand vice-grips, put on tight or very tight, then hit with a hammer in the direction to unscrew the bolts. Especially the ones that are bent will be able to be turned.

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Reply to
mm

I would try drilling with a good high speed drill bit. It may be sacrificial, but use one at least the same dimension as the bolts or maybe start with something bigger then go smaller. Use a hammer and a pin punch to get a flat surface for the drill bit to sit on.

Reply to
John Grabowski

Get a jackhammer and dig them out. Then pour new concrete.

Reply to
Blattus Slafaly

attempted to drill

the old holes will be too detoriated by the rusty bolts expanding to re use......

so grid off old bolts add flange and start over

Reply to
hallerb

You may need to put the new flanges in different spots. Grind them down and paint over may be a lot easier than gettting the old lags out. Hammer drill is useful for making holes in concrete.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Not sure there is much we can do to help.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Yes was going to say; grind the old ones flat, mark a significant punch hole to get drill started. Use good drill bits same size as bolts and drill carfully, you may break off the drill bit which could give you another problem!

OR: Grind flat, move new railing half to one inch over and drill new holes in concrete?

Do the new railings have to have identical mounting points as the old? Why?

Reply to
terry

On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:44:53 -0400, "John Grabowski" wrote Re Re: How Do I remove Headless 1/4" lag Bolts from Concrete?:

And use plenty of oil at the tip of the drill bit.

Reply to
Caesar Romano

The lag bolts are screwed into concrete? This doesn't make sense.

Are they actually bolts screwed into anchors that are embedded into the concrete?

Reply to
tnom

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