Need help removing rusted up nut!

[HCJtractor]

I am disassembling an old Athens Harrow. The gang nut on the disc shaft is a 2.75" castle nut on a 1.25 or 1.5" shaft. It's been sitting for decades in the weather. The rust doesn't really look that bad but it won't budge. I have a 1" drive impact socket and a long 42" breaker bar. I have sprayed about a whole can of PB Blaster. I also heated it with an acetylene torch (but I am new to acetylene so I may could get it a little hotter next time.)

I think I may go to a repair shop with a 1" drive impact driver and maybe that will work. Any ideas or advice would be appreciated. What type of businesses have a 1" drive that would be willing to tackle this?

 

[kevinj]

Heat it to about cherry red

 

[5030]

Heat it to about cherry red

I'd not do that for one reason, you'll ruin the chemistry of the shaft that's probably heat treated.

Just cut it off and replace it with a new one. Cut it off with a abrasive cutoff wheel or a Metabo. Cut almost through and use a clod chisel to finish splitting it off.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you are good with a torch, you can cut the nut off the shaft without boogering the threads. Just heat the nut quickly and start cutting across the nut working deeper and deeper. When you cut thru the nut you will see the threads and it wont cut them because it is too cold. You need to work quickly so the shaft doesnt soak up the heat. Once you cut one side it should come off. Lots of time, you have to work those nuts back and forth to get the dirt out of the threads. Water may work better than penetrating oil as it wont dissolve dirt. Try working the nut back and forth with a hammer wrench or pipe wrench that you dont mind beating on. Wet it with water and try it some more.

 

[kevinj]

I'd not do that for one reason, you'll ruin the chemistry of the shaft that's probably heat treated.

Just cut it off and replace it with a new one. Cut it off with a abrasive cutoff wheel or a Metabo. Cut almost through and use a clod chisel to finish splitting it off.

You do not heat the shaft to cherry, heat the nut to cherry on the out side and turn it off.

 

[Soundguy]

chissle it around.. if no go.. split it if you have to.

ps.. impact wrench busts stuff loose easier than a straight pull on a B-bar

soundguy

 

[sandman2234]

Heat the nut, and not the shaft, allow to cool enough to work with, then remove. Might use the wax trick on it also, which is to wick candle wax into the groove. By heating and cooling the nut, the differences in temp separate the nut and the shaft, thereby breaking the bond between them.
Above all, PATIENCE!!!!
David from jax

 

[zzvyb6]

Is it a left hand thread? Some of my windmill shafts have perplexed their previous owners until I show them how easy it is to tighten it up ! They have opposite cut threads and hubs.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Like said, you need more heat. Use a bigger tip or something, get the nut to where it starts to glow, hit it with your impact and it will come off. The heat expands the nut, you're not going to transfer enough heat into the shaft to hurt anything as long as its heated fast enough. Cutting the nut off would be a last resort for me.

 

[Soundguy]

there's a certain point whn it becomes easier ( cheaper ) to simply not dink with stuck fasteners and cut them off vs spending an hour to remove one.. etc. BTDT... all up to the operator to decide that threshold..e tc.. last disc and plow I worked on.. If I took an hour per fastener, as it looke dlike it was gonna take. I'd have went broke on heating gas, and still be working on it a year later on the other hand.. 10 mintues cut em all off and 10$ replaced them.

all in perspective of course..

soundguy