# Ariens ST824 Muffler help!



## ddip214 (Oct 3, 2015)

Hello guys I just purchased a house up here in Upstate NY and I'm sure you guys know about all the snow we get. I also purchased a Ariens ST824 and it needed a new muffler so I bought all the necessary parts etc. I removed the old muffler and I sheared the mounting bolts right at the block :banghead: Attached is a photo. Suggestions on how I could get these guys out? Id hate not to have a muffler on it. I started to drill the top one out but it wont disengaged with the threads. 
Thanks for any help!!!!


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I haven't tried this myself, but I have read you can use a "left handed drill bit" to extract it:











Try Sears, lowes, home depot, etc..
you should be able to find just one drill bit to buy..(or, better yet, get two or three of different sizes)
but you shouldn't have to buy an entire drill bit set..

scot


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

DO you have one of those easy out sets lying around???????? otherwise one of those HELI-COIL set ups are in the order of the day.k:k:k:k:k:


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

grind them flat to the block and drill and tap the holes


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

This takes a little time but it has *never *failed to work for me. I start with a fairly small bit, like 1/8" bit. Drill through the center of the broken bolt/stud. Drill increasingly larger holes till you get close to the edge. Take an easy out that goes in pretty far, lightly tap it down in just a little then carefully remove all the bolt that is left inside. Usually it's just the threads and a tiny bit of meat. I bet I've done this at least a dozen times and it has never failed. Hope this helps.


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## sidegrinder (Apr 18, 2015)

Find a nut with a slightly smaller hole and have someone weld to the broken studs, filling the hole. The heat of welding will burn out the corrosion holding the threads in place, and then you can easily remove them by spinning the nuts out with a wrench. If you don't have a welder, make friends with someone who does. Shouldn't cost more than a 6-pack.


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

You've got a bunch of good suggestions here... what could work will depend on your skills and resources. I've done what micah68kj suggested... starting with a small bit and progressively drilling the bolts out larger until there's almost nothing left. But I'll warn you, for that to work well the first hole you drill must be pretty well centered. If you have a Dremel or other small grinder, you can grind down the ends of the bolts to be a little bowl-shaped which will help center the drill (instead of it skipping off as you've found).

The welding trick can work too, if you have access to a welder (both meanings: a welding machine, or someone who can weld).

But there's another solution I'm surprised nobody has mentioned. See the threads inside that hole? If you're creative, you can screw a plumbing fitting in there... I don't remember the thread size but I suspect a 3/4" NPT 45-degree street elbow would work. Then go to your local outdoor power equipment store with the photo and the elbow and they can probably find you either a muffler with a male thread that will screw in there, or one with a female thread that you can attach with a short nipple.

With that approach you may have to cut away the carb heater box a little to clear the plumbing, but you'll never have to worry about stuck muffler bolts again.

Oh and if the fitting doesn't fit tightly when rotated to the needed position, you can use one of those metal lock rings that are sold for installing electrical conduit:


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> I haven't tried this myself, but I have read you can use a "left handed drill bit" to extract it:
> 
> Try Sears, lowes, home depot, etc..
> 
> scot


If you buy a broken bolt/stud extractor set, they usually come with the corresponding left hand drill bit for each extractor. On ocasions, the broken bolt will come out with the use of just the lefty drill bit, if not then you use the extractor wich is left hand thread as well.

Another technique if you have part of the bolt left is to lightly tap on it, the vibrations a lot of times brakes the rust off.

What also helps some times is to heat the area around the stud and cool it off, try and repeat the process if not succesful.

Just my $.02


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)




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