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That fasterner is going down! (frozen nuts)

1702 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  thingsthatfly2
Most efficient/fastest way to remove frozen fasteners.

I' wondering what peoples thoughts are on this. I'm a novice and still learning tons of new stuff but I'd like to know about this.

I recently ordered a Facom Nut Splitter set for a little under $100.

A high quality nut splitter seems like a fast way to go to deal with this.

Breaker bars often are not feasible, it seems, especially if the car is not on a lift.

How powerful (amount of torque) an impact wrench does one need to attack a frozen fastener? 400 foot-lbs? Is it a better way to go than a nut splitter?

Thanks.
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heat!!! theres nothing for it like using a torch on it. the screw will go down easily. ive done it numerous times.
depends on how big it is. If its a stupid 10 mm or 12mm then it'll snap under a half inch impact gun.

I would just heat up the bolt or nut, and place a breaker bar on it. Put your car on some jack stands. What nut are you referring to anyway?
The particular nuts giving me trouble at the moment attach the catalytic converter to the exhaust. (19 mm) or (17 mm) I forget now. They've been on there a longggggggg time. Lots of winter driving in Montana and Pennsylvania. More rust than nut, it seems.

:shrug:
If you're not in a hurry, treat the threads generously with WD-40 or CRC 5-56 or similar penetrating oil daily for a few weeks, and then try again. I had great success with suspension parts that way, and they are usually almost impossible to undo without breaking stuff.
exhaust bolts, good luck. Maybe a 3/8's impact gun and some PB blaster, other than that you probably gonna have to get it red hot and hit it with the gun. If that doesn't work, its time to cut it off with a impact hammer.
PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench. Personally, I like Liquid Wrench better. Otherwise, start working out.
take it to a shop. theyll take it off and replace the bolts for like $10. thats what i did...
hmmm I did get one bolt off, three to go!

:drinkup:

An interesting exercise in patience and perseverance anyways.

Tonight I even put the jack underneath the ratchet and tryed that, but the ratchet reached its full travel before even budging that nut!:rolleyes: (The exhaust flexes some as it is tweaked.

The shop suggestion is sounding better and better. I've been using PB blaster too.

Still am going to try heat though as has been suggested. I figured a heat gun would work as well as a torch would. (1000 degrees F)

And have not got my hands on a breaker bar yet either.
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hmmm I did get one bolt off, three to go!

:drinkup:

An interesting exercise in patience and perseverance anyways.

Tonight I even put the jack underneath the ratchet and tryed that, but the ratchet reached its full travel before even budging that nut!:rolleyes: (The exhaust flexes some as it is tweaked.

The shop suggestion is sounding better and better. I've been using PB blaster too.

Still am going to try heat though as has been suggested. I figured a heat gun would work as well as a torch would. (1000 degrees F)

And have not got my hands on a breaker bar yet either.

A torch has a concentrated flame and it depends on the gas you get. Try getting some MAPP gas. But be careful because it has carbon monoxide in it. So keep your distance cause i damn near passed out one day without realizing it. I felt really high for about 15 minutes before realizing the back of the can said. Next thing i knew i was dizzy and had a head splitting headache for 4 hours, i'm never doing that again. But that gas can make a bolt glow. Which i think is like 1200 degrees or maybe higher i forget.
I prefer a BFH and bloody knuckles. :)

PB blaster is great. As is liquid wrench.
i love my plasma cutter. :D
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