Frozen turnbuckles - L4200

[Jay4200]

I tried to adjust the split brakes on my Kubota L4200 and found the adjustment turnbuckles seized. I removed the assemblys, soaked the threads with PB blaster, heated the turnbuckle with a torch, but all efforts failed to free the threads. The primary problem is that the assembly can only be secured at the ends of the bars, so there is anywhere from 6" to a foot of bar between the wrenches, so the bar was twisting before the threads could break free. I gave up and planned to replace the parts, but the two of them will cost ~$125 to replace, so I'd like to give it one more shot. Any suggestions on how to free these things up?

Thanks - JayC

 

[Egon]

Assuming the locknut's are free Some gentle taps with a hammer may help. Use pipe wrenches to get a short grip and try turning in both directions.

 

[Jay4200]

Assuming the locknut's are free Some gentle taps with a hammer may help. Use pipe wrenches to get a short grip and try turning in both directions.

Tried it all. Locknuts are free. Did beat on them with a hammer with no effect. Pipe wrenches couldn't grab the skinny bars.

I'm wondering if dropping the whole assy into a tub of Kroil or some similar kind of super-penetrating oil for a few days would do it. 'Course, finding a suitable container to fill up is the hard part, not to mention procuring that amount of penetrant.

JayC

 

[dex3361]

Tried it all. Locknuts are free. Did beat on them with a hammer with no effect. Pipe wrenches couldn't grab the skinny bars.

I'm wondering if dropping the whole assy into a tub of Kroil or some similar kind of super-penetrating oil for a few days would do it. 'Course, finding a suitable container to fill up is the hard part, not to mention procuring that amount of penetrant.

JayC

Try the hammer thing again laying the long hex part on an anvil or vise anvil and hammer along the length back and forth a few times on something like this it has never failed.

 

[czechsonofagun]

How much did you heat it? You should do cherry red to make some impression, usually plumbers torch is not enough.

Soak it with PB Blaster or there was this Chrysler made Mopar rust penetrant
(# 04318039ab) that works miracles.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm with dex. as long as the ID and OD are not galled or cold welded, the beating on it with a hammer on an anvil virtually HAS to work. what you are doing is deforming the overall OD of the metal.. same principle as sizieng a soft metal ring.. ie.. slip the ring onto a mandrel, and hamer on it.. this makes it thinner.. which makes it's ID and OD bigger.

the inner threaded rod is the mandrel in this case..

soundguy

 

[Egon]

Did beat on them with a hammer with no effect. Pipe wrenches couldn't grab the skinny bars.

When beating on them with a hammer do you use another heavier hammer as a backup?

Try smaller "Steel" pipe wrenches with a cheater bar?

 

[Mace Canute]

First of all, quit expecting ANY penetrant to instantly free up anything rusted up! It isn't going to happen. Just keep shooting enough on it everyday to keep it wet and give it time to work. Maybe a week or two even.Then have a go at them! Your brakes haven't been adjusted for quite some time now (obviously, since the adjusters are rusted solid) so what's the rush?

 

[easygo]

Yeah. Use PB Blaster or similar for a longer time. I have done as much as a week and then it came apart. If it didn't then the BFH never failed me. I took off nuts that I could not even distinguish from the bolt and the old hammer talked sense into them.

 

[brain55]

Take them off and put them in a vise. Keep soaking with PB Blaster, heat with a torch, work the adjuster or the rods back and forth until they loosen up. Do all of these, or any combination. Hopefully they won't gall. But, I have loosened many this way over the years.

Brian