Loosening Frozen Nuts...

[abbylind]

If you run out of PB blaster..,,,

 

http://m.liveleak.com/view?i=ba2_1475277076

[Draker]

[datzenmike]

Seems like the heat from the lighter would likely be the only real reason it was 'looser'. I have to say melted wax is not going to flow into frozen rusty threads. I think I'll say this vid is BS.

 

I have never had nuts come loose from an aerosol spray lube/solvent. If they came loose, they really were not on there too bad. Heat usually works. I have had nuts just barely move before the stud or bolt begins to twist and is going to shear off. So re tighten them then loosen and tighten several times to clean and polish the threads that are moving then go a little farther toward loose and back up and tighten. Repeat. It's two steps forward and one step back but it does get the nut off. Forcing rusty threads into the nut only galls and jams and the bolt shears if you try to keep going. Spray lube helps a bit here because it is directly applied to the exposed rusty threads. 

[G-Duax]

I prefer my nuts not freeze in the first place.

When I lived in southern Canada (Wisconsin) there were times when I found it a necessity to wear several pairs of long johns, and a very good snowmobile suit to keep from freezing my nuts.

 

Nothing quite as cold as rebuilding carbs on a race sled in January, just so I could make the next heat race.

[G-Duax]

Oh, wait.....

You weren't talking about those nuts.

Sorry.

[DrvnDrvr]

I have never had nuts come loose from an aerosol spray lube/solvent. If they came loose, they really were not on there too bad. Heat usually works. I have had nuts just barely move before the stud or bolt begins to twist and is going to shear off. So re tighten them then loosen and tighten several times to clean and polish the threads that are moving then go a little farther toward loose and back up and tighten. Repeat. It's two steps forward and one step back but it does get the nut off. Forcing rusty threads into the nut only galls and jams and the bolt shears if you try to keep going. Spray lube helps a bit here because it is directly applied to the exposed rusty threads

 

In other words, a little heat then forwards then back, repeat a little at a time. Lube if needed.

 

Sounds like old people f......

 

Please don't ask me how I know.

[datzenmike]

I just find that if it will come off... it comes off. Any time I have tried lube it was a last resort and the bolt or stud would break.

[distributorguy]

Kroil penetrating lube is the only thing I have found that works with great reliability.  I think its just a mix of acetone and ATF.  On very small screws I apply heat, then Kroil WITH candle wax.  Together they allow you to unscrew a small screw (smaller than #10) without it breaking off.  

[G-Duax]

Trying to turn frozen fasteners dry will lead to galling in the threads, and adding a penetrant after the fact does nothing.

 

If a fastener doesn't feel right on the first attempt to remove it, I always heat, lube, tap with a hammer, let cool, and repeat several times.

Then they come apart.

I have never had this fail, even when removing studs from old turbo manifolds that have been abused for decades.

 

Worked at a hydraulic repair shop many years ago, and the cylinder tear down/rebuild guy had an old in-ground elevator cylinder to tear down, but the gland nut wouldn't budge. He was using the heat, and Armstrong removal technique. 

Now this wasn't a newbie, he had been doing this job for 10+ years.

After watching him for a half a day breaking his nuts, I showed him this procedure (heat, lube, tap, let cool, repeat), and it came right apart.

 

The heat opens the space between the threads, tapping with a hammer as it cools, helps the lube to be drawn into the threads.

 

I prefer Liquid Wrench myself, but I really think that anything at hand will work just about as good.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

What Mike and G-Duax are both true. If it's going to come loose, heat and lube will work, but the galling is an issue. You usually only get one shot to get a stuck fastener out before it galls. If it does get stuck on its way out, stop, heat and lube and walk away. Let it cool and come back and try it without heat. Sometimes the cooling allows things to shrink back to their normal size and the galling isn't as much of an issue.

 

I have yet to come across a stuck fastener that stumped me completely. Except for that one time with a LD28 head bolt. That was a mess...

[DanielC]

If there are exposed threads, clean them with a wire brush.  I have found a mixture of ATF, and Acetone works better than anything else.  Heating and cooling, especially if you can heat the nut without getting the bolt as hot, and vibration helps.

 

Another method is using electrolysis to remove the rust, or letting steel parts sit in a mixture of molasses and water will dissolve the rust, and free up the stuck fastener.   

[G-Duax]

Hm, molasses and water.........

I'll have to try that.

A 'green' penetrant :)

[DanielC]

I forgot to mention, electrolysis, and using molasses are slow processes.

[G-Duax]

So is making rum...

[Cheetahking]

I forgot to mention, electrolysis, and using molasses are slow processes.

Not as slow as removing a broken fastener I would think

[distributorguy]

Slower.  Rum can take years.   B)

 

If you like Liquid Wrench, try Kroil.  You'll learn that liquid wrench is no better than quenching with water in comparison.  

http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

Makes a great holiday present to yourself.  

 

Yes heat will expand the nut, enough to break loose its bond.  If you can get the nut cherry red, you're home free.

[KoHeartsGPA]

I usually use wd40 and a small torch....get it red hot, spray, repeat til it lets go.

[john510]

I was wondering when someone would mention WD-40.I think its low viscosity works better as a penetrant.

[G-Duax]

You need to look at the MSDS for WD40.

It is 30wt oil, and standard solvent.

I just make my own, and have a refillable sprayer.

Saves a lot of $$.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I use WD-40. Works for me.

[datzenmike]

WD-40 is low grade mineral oil and Xylene (pronounced Zy-leen) an aromatic hydrocarbon/solvent. How the fuck it took 40 tries to get this shit formulation figured out is beyond me. Best thing about WD-40 is that it doesn't work.

 

By 'doesn't work' I mean is stops a squeak for a hour, day or a week, but it always comes back forcing you to use it again, and again till you have to buy more.  

[KoHeartsGPA]

WD-40 is low grade mineral oil and Xylene (pronounced Zy-leen) an aromatic hydrocarbon/solvent. How the fuck it took 40 tries to get this shit formulation figured out is beyond me. Best thing about WD-40 is that it doesn't work.

 

By 'doesn't work' I mean is stops a squeak for a hour, day or a week, but it always comes back forcing you to use it again, and again till you have to buy more.

 

I only use it to loosen up seized up nuts and sometimes bolts, but you need a torch or its really useless product.

[Rick-rat]

WD-40 worked great in the conditions of water and mud in Viet Nam, jamming was a lot less on the M-16 when used regularly, better than any gun oil that was supplied 

 

 

I use kroil and heat for rusted nuts and bolts

[datzenmike]

A can of WD is more likely to be found in a household that a candle stick.

[john510]

WD-40 is low grade mineral oil and Xylene (pronounced Zy-leen) an aromatic hydrocarbon/solvent. How the fuck it took 40 tries to get this shit formulation figured out is beyond me. Best thing about WD-40 is that it doesn't work.

 

By 'doesn't work' I mean is stops a squeak for a hour, day or a week, but it always comes back forcing you to use it again, and again till you have to buy more.  

WD-40 was never intended to be a lubricant,it was formulated to be a protectant.I must have got a real good can of it a few years ago,i sprayed some on a squeaky hinge and it still doesn't squeak.It's like that Franks hot sauce,i put that shit on everything.