siezed bolts/nuts how to remove??

Any torch that will get them red should do. HEAT it

Andrew

Camer>Hi

I've picked a selection of pipe wrenches over the years, from 6" to 24". Wonderful things, if you have access and swingin' room.

|Hi | |Last night I "planned" on replacing the outer tie rods on my van. I've |posted previously about this yesterday. Anyway, I didn't even start to |get the job done as I simply couldn't get the nuts to release on |either end of the tie rod. I know that this has happened to me in the |past with rusted, fused parts on shocks, bleeder valves etc. Unlike |exhaust where you cut off and start with new parts how can these parts |be loosened? I used a couple of cans of penetrating oil (that's a huge |oxymoron) the BFH method all with no success. I'm wondering about |using oxy/acetelyne, (which I don't have) and heating parts the parts |up a bit and then quenching with water to cause the rusted corroded |part to release. | |How do you pros do it? This is my single most frustrating element of |auto repair and the number one reason why I'm forced to turn to a shop |for repairs I could do.

If you are using WD40, it's the wrong tool. PB Blaster is the hot ticket or Kroil. Blaster is easier to find.

As others have said, heat. Should not need to quench, the parts heated will expand differentially enough to break the mechanical bond.

The guys in rec.crafts.metalworking (great group BTW) swear by beeswax applied to the heated assembly. They say it penetrates better than any commercial product. Beeswax is in the canning section at the supermarket.

Good luck Rex in Fort Worth

Go to you local welding supply place and buy a carbon arc rod. Attach to a booster cable off the battery. Use the other booster cable to get a ground from the battery to very close to the tie rod nut area (very important and do NOT let the arc rod go to ground though a bearing). Touch the arc rod to the nut - it will give you an arc flash so do it fast- until you are sure the nut is good and hot. Have the wrench/socket ready to go as soon as you remove the arc rod(anther flash). Spray a penetrating oil and finish removing the nut.

pete

Bitchin idea. I can attest to the fiery results of full battery voltage to ground. A while ago whilst trying to remove the lower radiator hose from the 'murf I inadvertently touched one end of my beloved snap-on hose clamp pliers to the + lead of the starter and the other end to the fender well. A beautiful fireworks display ensued melting one of the handles completely in two, not to mention 3rd degree burns to the technician.

In order:

A) Penetrating oil -- the best is Kroil from Kano labs. (WD40 is worthless; Liquid Wrench a little better.)

Squirt, tap, let sit. Repeat.

B) Impact wrench -- Chicago Pneumatic is best, but even my wimpy electric one really works.

C) Breath of the dragon. Get the nut hot with a MAPP or Ox-Acetylene torch; immediately crank off.

worthless; Liquid Wrench

You might want to try something else between B & C. Get a manual impact driver that you can whack with a 2-pound hammer. A single blow only yields about 1/16 of a turn, but that's all you need to get things started.

If I'm working with a hex nut or bolt, I might then try a breaker bar with a

Finally, when ALL else fails, consider using a Dremel grinder with an abrasive cut-off wheel. Just a couple of minutes will give you a few cuts that can allow you to crack off a nut. Hex bolt heads take a bit more time, but you can grind off the entire head over the loading surface, and then punch the bolt on through.

Ed

Liquid Wrench