Loosening Rusty Bolts

[CurlyDave]

Frequently stuck or rusty bolts will yield to impact, and I do not mean an impact wrench.

Lots of penetrating oil for several days, and if it will not come loose by hand, get a 6-point socket and either a breaker bar or a rachet. Take all the slack out of the wrench with one hand, and then give the handle of the wrench a STOUT blow with a heavy hammer. I frequently use a 2lb. cross pein hammer on a 1/2 drive breaker bar. This will usually break loose even impossible nuts and bolts.

The trick is that you have to get all of the slack out of the wrench and you have to hit it hard. A lot harder than you think the wrench can take.

 

[Dargo]

Frequently stuck or rusty bolts will yield to impact, and I do not mean an impact wrench.

Lots of penetrating oil for several days, and if it will not come loose by hand, get a 6-point socket and either a breaker bar or a rachet. Take all the slack out of the wrench with one hand, and then give the handle of the wrench a STOUT blow with a heavy hammer. I frequently use a 2lb. cross pein hammer on a 1/2 drive breaker bar. This will usually break loose even impossible nuts and bolts.

The trick is that you have to get all of the slack out of the wrench and you have to hit it hard. A lot harder than you think the wrench can take.

Very good method and good description. That is how I was taught. My issue I just had was that the stuck bolts were square bolts. I had no socket to fit them. Since square bolts were common back in the 20's (when the item I'm working on was made), did they have square sockets for them??

 

[rswyan]

My issue I just had was that the stuck bolts were square bolts. I had no socket to fit them. Since square bolts were common back in the 20's (when the item I'm working on was made), did they have square sockets for them??

Brent,

Dunno if they did or not but you can buy 8 point sockets now to fit squared headed bolts and pipe plugs - I have a selection in both 1/2" and 3/8" in my tool chest. Very handy.

 

[Egon]

There are "striking wrenches" designed to be hit with a hammer.

http://http://www.gearench.com/tools/strikingwrnch.asp

 

[Theowegian]

A 12 point socket will fit on a square nut or bolt head. Think about it. 12 pts divided by a four point sq nut. THey DO fit and usually work fine. However, the 8 point socket is, of course the correct tool for a square nut.
Go out to the shop and try it.
dwight

 

[CurlyDave]

My issue I just had was that the stuck bolts were square bolts. I had no socket to fit them.

If you promise not to tell anyone else, I will admit that I have sometimes used this method with an adjustable wrench.

It worked, but I sure didn't like doing it.

 

[Iowachild]

There are "striking wrenches" designed to be hit with a hammer.

http://http://www.gearench.com/tools/strikingwrnch.asp

I am real familiar with those babies. We use them all the time in the refinery. However the ones we have start at around 1-1/4" and go up to around 3"

I like PB Blaster real well, but generally it works best if you spary down a day or two ahead of when you're ready to start work!

If you own or have acces to the oxyacetylene torch, you sure can't beat it. Heat the nut or burn it off. Overall I have found a straight propane torch does not get the parts hot enough. IMHO!!

MIKE

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Quite by accident, I found out that BRAKE FLUID makes great penetrating oil. (DOT 3)

A good torch makes for BETTER "penetrating oil" on a tough bolt/nut.

Also, heat stuck bolts with a torch 'till they're moderately warm (NOT cherry red) then pour candle wax/bees wax/parafine wax on the threads.

The original post was asking about breaking loose a 3-point hitch pin. I've ran on to a good many of those (on used equipment) that have been used with the nuts a bit loose. That will screw up the threads. Then they get tightened back, causing the threads to sieze.

One repair method.

Oxy/acetylene blue flame.

 

[Sully2]

One repair method.

Oxy/acetylene blue flame.

The "HOT WRENCH" as my farmer buddy calls it.... The heck with spending 5 minutes a bolt getting old rusted junk off..that your gonna toss in the dumpster anyway. Fire up the torch...blow them off and go on.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

The "HOT WRENCH" as my farmer buddy calls it.... The heck with spending 5 minutes a bolt getting old rusted junk off..that your gonna toss in the dumpster anyway. Fire up the torch...blow them off and go on.

Dad always called his the "Metric Smoke Wrench".

Anything that I can replace as cheap as a bolt or a 3-point hitch pin that doesn't cooperate this time, chances are won't be any easier NEXT time. Good reason to melt it.

Time is worth something. Aggrevation is worth more than time. The rub is, acetylene ain't cheap either. Oh well... Can't take it with ya! (And where I might be going, it'll melt anyway.)