Forrest Gump
Well-Known Member
Doing this last year…I welded nuts onto the old bolts. They’d rusted to nothing. It worked and I really enjoyed doing it!!!
julianf
Well-Known Member
I find that, whenever I actually resort to welding a nut onto a stuffed fastener, it then seems to undo with no bother at all, almost as if it's taunting the effort you went to.
I guess it's the extreme heat.
I think an induction heater was mentioned earlier, but I've never used one of them.
I reckon cutting them off and getting the studs out would probably be the way I'd try. But you would want to make sure you didn't stuff up the stud removal. Ie time and penetrating oil after the ball is out the way.
I think the last time I did that job, it took me 3x "book" hours : (
I guess it's the extreme heat.
I think an induction heater was mentioned earlier, but I've never used one of them.
I reckon cutting them off and getting the studs out would probably be the way I'd try. But you would want to make sure you didn't stuff up the stud removal. Ie time and penetrating oil after the ball is out the way.
I think the last time I did that job, it took me 3x "book" hours : (
Weirdo!
Rangieman123
Active Member
Scrub/wire brush off all of the rust from the bolts. Apply a few drops of diesel to them on both sides of the axle flange. It's the best penetrating oil in my experience.
Your suggestion for an induction heater got me thinking so I started looking at what’s available and given the number of seized fasteners I’m going to have to deal with on this vehicle I took the plunge!, picture below.
Got this from Amazon after reading some reviews and looking at them being used on various YouTube videos. Held it to each of the bolts in turn, approximately 30 seconds on each, and with a good ring spanner and a bit of grunt each one of them came out perfectly!
As you can see in the picture I had to modify the heating coil somewhat as they are all effectively end-on use and that is not possible with the layout of the swivel fixings. Highly impressed with this tool, whether the same would have happened if I’d use the blowtorch I don’t know, having experimented with it on the bench with some old bolts it does seem to direct the heat exactly where you want it. I appreciate not everybody would be able or want to spend £180 on one of these tools but I’m sure I’m going to be using this tool many times.
I did try with the ring spanner after using some penetrating oil it was clear that we weren't going to budge or I was going to ruin the heads.
Following is the link, you can get the basic kit or other ones with more coils etc Amazon product
Gas axe is okay, but it tends to heat up everything it can see.
Forrest Gump
Well-Known Member
well done, hard job so here’s a pint on me boss.
