How do you free off rusted and stuck nuts/bolts/screws etc?
Discussion
I've just spent a very frustrating couple of hours trying to do a bit of DIY car mendage and it has been extremely frustrating. All the bolts are too small and seem to be done up to 9.9x10^18Nm whilst being made of wensleydale cheese. What should have been a simple job of undo it, clean and regrease it and bolt it on again resulted in one nut coming off, three being chewed/rounded off and not removed and one shearing off completely. As a result the part is still on the car and looking like it's just going to have to stay that way.
What do you do in this situation? Are there any special chemicals or methods that people use to avoid these problems? What do you do with bolts that are rounded off and chewed screws? Is the only solution for a sheared bolt to drill out and retap?
I currently just use WD40 as a penetrating agent. I am aware of the use of heat to expand the metal but am rather worried about softening the metal and making it even more cheese-like, as well as setting fire to stuff and doing nasty things to grease and fluids in the near vicinity.
What do you do in this situation? Are there any special chemicals or methods that people use to avoid these problems? What do you do with bolts that are rounded off and chewed screws? Is the only solution for a sheared bolt to drill out and retap?
I currently just use WD40 as a penetrating agent. I am aware of the use of heat to expand the metal but am rather worried about softening the metal and making it even more cheese-like, as well as setting fire to stuff and doing nasty things to grease and fluids in the near vicinity.
Plus gas is a good penetrator. Put it on the day before eif you can aswell.
Use 6 sided sockets to help avoid rounding off and make sure your on square and its definitely metric if you have metric sockets.
Heat is good to release bolts but you just have to be sure what's in the surrounding area, you don't want to melt pipes and seals.
Once sheared its the world of drilling, tapping, stud removers/extractors.
Use 6 sided sockets to help avoid rounding off and make sure your on square and its definitely metric if you have metric sockets.
Heat is good to release bolts but you just have to be sure what's in the surrounding area, you don't want to melt pipes and seals.
Once sheared its the world of drilling, tapping, stud removers/extractors.
I saw Plusgas and a couple of similar products, they actually work then?
Once the nut is chewed beyond sockets being of any use then I do use big grips/stilsons etc but that only works for stuff that's easy to access.
I hadn't heard of nut splitters before, that looks handy. I shall invest in one I think.
I do try to use 6 sided sockets wherever possible.
Righto, I shall try this.
Thanks for all the tips, I shall do some shopping and give them a try.
Once the nut is chewed beyond sockets being of any use then I do use big grips/stilsons etc but that only works for stuff that's easy to access.
I hadn't heard of nut splitters before, that looks handy. I shall invest in one I think.
I do try to use 6 sided sockets wherever possible.
The Crack Fox said:
GoneAnon said:
Always make the first motion a slight tightening one. That preserves the faces you need to get it undone, while serving to break any seal that might be there.
This. It's all about the friction.Thanks for all the tips, I shall do some shopping and give them a try.
I have had some luck with a Gator Grip, others have broken a pin first time out the box so a bit of a marmite tool.
If you can get in with a hacksaw or padsaw then cutting a slice off the nut almost into the thread then getting Mole grips or Stilson on the remains works well. It must reduce the tension due to the stored strain in the metal.
Oh plus all the above and 3 in one penetrating.
If you can get in with a hacksaw or padsaw then cutting a slice off the nut almost into the thread then getting Mole grips or Stilson on the remains works well. It must reduce the tension due to the stored strain in the metal.
Oh plus all the above and 3 in one penetrating.
Cheap tools will often do more damage than good.This is especially so with sockets and screwdrivers.
So,assuming your tools are up to the job.....
1.Penetrating fluid (on the thread preferably)
2.For bolts/nuts or screws/torx,give the head of the socket or screwdriver a smack with a hammer before you attempt to turn it,this helps crack the rusty joint.
3.Tighten slightly will again help to crack the joint
4.If it starts to undo but not easily,tighten and then try again and keep repeating til it frees off
5.Heat (not on plastic obviously)
6.Keep adjustable tools like mole grips well away,only use as a last resort once all other measures have failed
So,assuming your tools are up to the job.....
1.Penetrating fluid (on the thread preferably)
2.For bolts/nuts or screws/torx,give the head of the socket or screwdriver a smack with a hammer before you attempt to turn it,this helps crack the rusty joint.
3.Tighten slightly will again help to crack the joint
4.If it starts to undo but not easily,tighten and then try again and keep repeating til it frees off
5.Heat (not on plastic obviously)
6.Keep adjustable tools like mole grips well away,only use as a last resort once all other measures have failed
Plusgas now ordered, off to buy some impact sockets, a nut splitter and possibly a blowtorch later. The gator grip looks interesting, I've never seen one before so I don't know how good they are but maybe worth a shot. If at first unsuccessful, buy bigger shinier tools and apply greater violence until victorious!
Talk to the bolt / nut nicely for about a minute then try once again (with proper-sized socket). If it still won't play then use the biggest hammer you have on it and take an angle-grinder to it.
Edit - as someone said above, welding a bigger nut onto the b*st*rds head is also a good idea if you have a welder and it's not going to set the world on fire. Then hit it with bigger hammer to wake it up and get the message across, and try again with socket / ring spanner. Might break the bolt but just drill it out and laugh at it. Re-tap new thread if necessary. Job done, Bernie's your uncle, luvverly piece of craftsmanship.
Where's application form for presenter of next series of Classic Car Restorations??
Edit - as someone said above, welding a bigger nut onto the b*st*rds head is also a good idea if you have a welder and it's not going to set the world on fire. Then hit it with bigger hammer to wake it up and get the message across, and try again with socket / ring spanner. Might break the bolt but just drill it out and laugh at it. Re-tap new thread if necessary. Job done, Bernie's your uncle, luvverly piece of craftsmanship.
Where's application form for presenter of next series of Classic Car Restorations??
Edited by quiraing on Friday 12th October 18:08
V8covin said:
Cheap tools will often do more damage than good.This is especially so with sockets and screwdrivers.
So,assuming your tools are up to the job.....
1.Penetrating fluid (on the thread preferably)
2.For bolts/nuts or screws/torx,give the head of the socket or screwdriver a smack with a hammer before you attempt to turn it,this helps crack the rusty joint.
3.Tighten slightly will again help to crack the joint
4.If it starts to undo but not easily,tighten and then try again and keep repeating til it frees off
5.Heat (not on plastic obviously)
6.Keep adjustable tools like mole grips well away,only use as a last resort once all other measures have failed
Excllent , re 4 as you work it off 1/2 twist out a 1/4 twist in sort of motion spray it again with the penetrating oil of choice . just as if you werre tapping a thread.So,assuming your tools are up to the job.....
1.Penetrating fluid (on the thread preferably)
2.For bolts/nuts or screws/torx,give the head of the socket or screwdriver a smack with a hammer before you attempt to turn it,this helps crack the rusty joint.
3.Tighten slightly will again help to crack the joint
4.If it starts to undo but not easily,tighten and then try again and keep repeating til it frees off
5.Heat (not on plastic obviously)
6.Keep adjustable tools like mole grips well away,only use as a last resort once all other measures have failed
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