Broken Wheel Bolts

[Eric_R_Kissell at whirlpool.com]

Was there ever any anti-seize used on these bolts?

Sometimes the metal used in the antiseize will migrate down the grain
boundaries of hardened bolts leading to stress cracking (brittle failure).

I am not trying to start another anti-seize vs. no antiseize thread. For
the record, I use general purpose synthetic grease on my wheel bolts and
not metal-laden anti-seize. I once had wheel bolts with anti-seize fail -
years before I learned about the failure mode in a materials engineering
failure mode course.

As far as removal, are they even tight in the threads? As you probably
already know, often once the clamping force is removed bolts will turn
relatively easily. I would try a reverse drill bit, centered as well as you
can. If you start with a smaller bit, you can keep progressing to larger
ones. Alternatively, you might try welding to the remaining bolt to give
you something to grad onto for turning.

Good luck,
Eric