Heating rusty bolts

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driveway.mechanic@gmail.com - 30 Oct 2007 03:07 GMT

While an oxy-acetylene torch is great at heating rusty bolts to get
them loose, are there any decent equivalents for the home mechanic?
I've seen some impossible to move nuts and bolts easily removed after
heated red hot, but don't know what alternatives would be worthwhile.
Is a Mapp gas torch suitable?

My problem is a couple of bolts holding the brake caliper into the
steering knuckle that won't come loose. Space is tight and nearby
rubber abounds. Tried propane, but it did not seem to heat the bolt
enough.

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cuhulin@webtv.net - 30 Oct 2007 13:01 GMT

Actually, for removing rusty bolts, you would want to heat the area
around the rusty bolts.But brake caliper area? perhaps a bigger longer
wrench and some penetrating fluid.Maybe somebody will come along and
advise you better than I on that.
cuhulin

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driveway.mechanic@gmail.com - 02 Nov 2007 00:59 GMT

On Oct 30, 9:01 am, cuhu...@webtv.net wrote:

> Actually, for removing rusty bolts, you would want to heat the area
> around the rusty bolts.But brake caliper area? perhaps a bigger longer
> wrench and some penetrating fluid.Maybe somebody will come along and
> advise you better than I on that.
> cuhulin

Looking back on the archives, looks like heating the item to be
removed is the most popular choice. A longer wrench with the car on
the ground got the bolts loose, though. Will try an impact driver on
some of the other bolts.

Thanks for all the tips from everyone.

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Tegger - 02 Nov 2007 01:21 GMT

driveway.mechanic@gmail.com wrote in news:1193961597.150919.128110
@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

> On Oct 30, 9:01 am, cuhu...@webtv.net wrote:
>> Actually, for removing rusty bolts, you would want to heat the area
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Thanks for all the tips from everyone.

You may wish to try a DeWalt electric impact wrench. These are rentable
from industrial supply places for about $30 a day. No compressor needed,
and it runs of normal 115VAC house current.

Mine is capable of 325 ft-lbs of force, and so far has not failed to move
any bolt I've personally tried it on. This includes rusty suspension bolts
and those notoriously difficult Honda crank pulley bolts.

I don't want to appear like a shill for DeWalt, but that damn thing is the
home mechanic's best friend. I spent $200 on mine at Home Depot and have
not regretted a single penny of it.

The only drawback to the electric impact wrench is its extreme bulk. It's
about a foot long and weighs five pounds. It's useless inside a tight
engine bay, but wherever you've got the room for it, it's great.

Signature

Tegger

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HLS - 30 Oct 2007 13:15 GMT

> While an oxy-acetylene torch is great at heating rusty bolts to get
> them loose, are there any decent equivalents for the home mechanic?
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> rubber abounds. Tried propane, but it did not seem to heat the bolt
> enough.

MAPP gas is as about as good as you can do without an oxyacetylene rig.

You might be suprised how effective the manual impact drivers can be for
removing stuck bolts. These are rather inexpensive, if you dont know about
them. You use a socket or Torx bit or whatever on them, put them on the
bolt to be removed, and strike them a sharp blow with a hammer. The
sharp impact will often loosen stubborn bolts. Since the movement is
small, your likelihood of shearing off a bolt is low.

Penetrating oil before using the tool can help too.

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Rich B - 30 Oct 2007 14:26 GMT

> <driveway.mecha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Penetrating oil before using the tool can help too.

I have a number of these for sale and in stock. Here's a link that
will get you to one of them.
http://www.beachtradingco.com/servlet/the-10538/3-fdsh-8%22-Impact-Driver-Set/Detail

RichB
www.beachtradingco.com

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sdlomi2 - 03 Nov 2007 04:01 GMT

>> <driveway.mecha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> RichB
> www.beachtradingco.com

Not trying to spam for RICHB, but that's what HLS is talking about. And
they work really well. Note the advantages he correctly mentioned. Bought
mine at a flea mkt. 30+ years ago and where you got room to hammer, it is a
necessary tool to have. (Be careful when hammering--good way to produce
blood-blisters in the fork between thumb and forefinger!) My guess is no
heat would be needed. The sharp rap/impact plus miniscule movement breaks
loose bolts/nuts that an air impact might somehow ruin. Mine has worked
where an air-imp. stripped the heads HTH, s

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z - 30 Oct 2007 20:09 GMT

> You might be suprised how effective the manual impact drivers can be for
> removing stuck bolts. These are rather inexpensive, if you dont know about
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Penetrating oil before using the tool can help too.

Also, the tool of choice for removing those phillips head screws that
hold the brake rotor on the hub sometimes. Powered tools just mangle
the slot.

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tnom@mucks.net - 03 Nov 2007 04:35 GMT

>While an oxy-acetylene torch is great at heating rusty bolts to get
>them loose, are there any decent equivalents for the home mechanic?
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>rubber abounds. Tried propane, but it did not seem to heat the bolt
>enough.

Rusted bolt > Heat > Torque? Not the best method.

Try heating the area so that through capillary action bees wax or just
plain wax will wick into the thread.

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cuhulin@webtv.net - 03 Nov 2007 15:03 GMT

Here is a good website with some tips on removing broken and rusted nuts
and bolts.
www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Tech/BoltRemoval.html
cuhulin

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