Lakeside49

Since this topic comes up so often, including one last week, I thought I would post this informational link that often applies to our beautiful classics. Cheers:

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...0stuck%20bolts

71VetteLover

And for bolts broken off in blind holes drill a hole thru the center of the bolt until the drill bit breaks out in the blind end. Squirt Liquid Wrench into the hole so it can soak into the threads on the blind end. If the material is iron use a MAPP gas or oxygen/acetylene torch to heat the metal cherry red then let it completely cool before trying to remove the bolt. And for aluminum you're almost always better off drilling the bolt out then drill and tap the hole for a Heli-Coil. And use a non-hardening gasket sealer like Permatex Form-A-Gasket or RTV on the threads when you screw the new bolt in.

NmtMev

Put your back into that swing my man! Watch your wrist, she will snap it like a twig It gets the job done!

mrvette

I met this chick once.......

oh, nevermind....rong group, this is not OT....

2airtime2

I don't know why but I have 2 air impact wrenches and they are very weak. They sound nothing like the ones at the tire places. My son gave me a 1/2" drive electric impact wrench (looks like a HD drill) and it works great on most stuck bolts.


Sometimes you just need a longer and longer lever til you find the required force for removal.

A8skyhawk

As a note on impact wrenches - having just gone through this - most will have an advertised torque rating at an advertised CFM flow rate. I was surprised by how low the CFM of my tank compressor was - but it was a Sears special. Lately I have been keeping an eye on the battery powered stuff - or upgrading my compressor.

Lakeside49

Good point about looking at the electric impact wrenches. We (Ford Motor Co.) are now suggesting that our Dealer's express service shop Techs consider them. Their performance, quality and cost are now in an acceptable place. And, the recommended tool carts and tire rotation trolleys are freer to move around more quickly without running over strewn air hoses.

20mercury

Good info.

I like the ATF/acetone because it is cheap to mix up 50/50 and brush on with a chip brush.

henrikse

A trick that has worked for me is after heating bolt red hot take a spray bottle of water and cool the bolt then use the wrench. We all know heat expands and the quick cooling contracts it to make some of those tough ones come out.
I find more often than not the bolts just break where my tap and die set is my best friend.

Captain bob

you might say i have experience the ultimate frozen bolt removal.i was called to remove bolts surronding the live warhead on a surface to air missile. we cleared the area and i began (wearing just a shirt ) i used non-spark socket after soaking in liquid wrench, i mixed a gritty type cleaning agent like Bar Keepers Friend and apply to bolt so socket would not slip off and finally the stainless bolt broke loose . any type of bomb suit would be useless because the warhead is equivalent to 500 pound contact bomb.definitely a pucker factor.

scrappy76

Any frozen bolts that I might run into or will run into will always get a blast of PB Blaster before I even attempt it. I will also tap on the nuts or bolts a few times, which the shock will sometimes break them free before you even start.
I also will do the back and forth with them little by little loosen a 1/4" then tighten back up an 1/8 inch, mean while a squirt of PB Blaster while I do this, and keep doing this till there is no more tension on loosening it.
I Have been pretty successful with these methods.

Frankenvette

Years ago I was removing front suspension. Every bolt was rust seized. Used PB blaster, torch, bfh, and anything else I could think of.

A friend who is a professional blacksmith suggested using candle wax. So I heated up the bolt with a torch and stuck a candle up to the bolt. According to my friend the wax will melt and thru capillary action work its way into the threads.

Sure enough the bolt released. Can't say with absolute certainty the wax made the difference but seemed to help.

Have used this this trick on other rusty bolts.

raydog9379

I've got the bolts on the thermostat housing to contend with. They've been there at least 12 years that I know of (never changed it myself). Sprayed them w/ PB blaster last week after not getting anywhere with them, and just let them sit. Will see how it goes.

NmtMev

This is hands down the best spray to use for stuck bolts. It is pricey but I works 100x better than PB blaster. It's the only thing we use at work. Nothing else even comes remotely close. It's in my picture above with the 1.5in airgun and sledgehammer. No need to wait hours, just spray and a few min later your good 2 go!

vette_jim

I had a seized water pump bolt a while back...tried it ALL...nothing. An old timer friend suggested trying to loosen it with the engine at operating temperature...could not believe how easily it broke loose. Good luck.

OldCarBum

Been there done that a few times myself. I had one that during disassembly the static electricity in the bunker activated the onboard battery and the missle went live. It had a proximity fuse and we all froze until the gyros in the guidance systems spun down and the batteries died. We had to stand perfectly still because the slightest movement would set off the warhead.

raydog9379

So.... Well, I was able to get 1 bolt out successfully and was all excited. On the other hand, I was unsuccessful in the other bolt on the thermostat housing.

When I say unsuccessful, it was starting to come out and made it about a half turn if not more and then.... snap. #$#@%$@%@$%@@$@%@$% Yeah all those words came out.

raydog9379

And of course it came loose enough to break the seal on the housing gasket to where coolant leaks when I started the car up. It also didn't break off with some of the stud hanging out, it busted off under the top of the hole in the housing.

Scottd

Ive ruined more good parts over the years because I tried WD-40, PB blaster, torches, heat, swearing and karate chops. Id always heard about the 'candle wax' trick but figured it was some dumb wives tale that had worked for one guy back in 1912 and made legend since...

The I tried it on a stubborn lower control arm bracket.

It actually works. If I cant get it off with 30 seconds with an impact gun and few good tries with a breaker bar, I grab the propane torch and a tea light candle.

Try it next time you have a stuck fastener. You've got nothing to loose and you will be amazed that you never tried it before.

Sigforty

Kroil is my first go to. After that its wax. See the video for a demonstation on using wax.