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#103553 06/04/2003 2:41 AM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 13
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can anyone gimme help meout on what to do with rusty 1/2 inch bolts on the front fender that just wont budge, ive put wd40 on em plenty of times and they still wont budge im not sure what else to do. I dont have any electric torque wrenches so thats not an option if anyones got any advise i could rely use it thanx.

#103554 06/04/2003 2:49 AM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 27
Y
Wrench Fetcher
Wrench Fetcher
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Posts: 27
All the tool suppliers have these new type of sockets that look twisted on the inside but grab more you turn it. I've seen it with Snap-On, Matco, & Cornwell. I would assume Sears would probably have them by now. I've used mine a couple of times and they were great. They broke the bolt most of the time but I would not have reused it anyway. Good Luck


1954 Chevy 3100 235
2 Yamaha YSR50's
05 Silverado crew
00 Yamaha TT-R125 Supermoto
#103555 06/04/2003 2:57 AM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 40
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If you can get to the nut or the female part , put some heat on it with a tourch (not the bolt) and when you get it hot enough it will swell up somewhat and breake the bond with the bolt .Remove the bolt while the nut is hot - its kinda touchy though because you don't want to get any of the sheetmetal hot and warp it . Also , don't catch anything on fire , have a helper handy with some water. A little heat does wonders sometimes !

#103556 06/04/2003 3:24 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,571
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Shop Shark
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For a lot of those bolts, it is just easier to break and replace.


Get a REAL truck, get a GMC! www.oldgmctrucks.com
1954 GMC De Luxe COE
#103557 06/04/2003 3:29 AM
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,887
S
Cruising in the Passing Lane
Cruising in the Passing Lane
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,887
main trick w/ rust-stuck bolts is to sharply tighten a bit 1st, which is more likely to break the bond, then try loosen and if it works, then spray w/ yer favorite magic elixer and let it soak while ya go to the next - when all loose, go back and remove

Bill


Moved over to the Passing Lane

"When we tug a single thing in nature we find it attached to the rest of the world" John Muir
"When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" me
Some TF series details & TF heater pics & Rust-a-holics Unanimous parking lot
#103558 06/04/2003 4:04 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 346
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I've had pretty good luck with PB Blaster on bolts that WD-40 wouldn't touch. Let 'em soak overnight.

If that don't do it then heat the nut with the torch and out they come.


'38 Chevy 1-1/2 ton
'49 Chevy 1/2 ton
'54 Chevy 6400 2 ton
'55.2 GMC 3/4 ton
'56 GMC 1-ton

No Room Left in Shop
#103559 06/05/2003 5:01 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
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Here is my "Basics of Basics" on removing rusted bolts.
Bear, you don't want to try turning it when it is hot, the bolt is expanded at that time. If you cool it with water and heat the NUT, that will expand it and allow the bolt to come out easier.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>Removing rusted bolt basics
One of the first jobs I ever had was at a shop doing full on restorations on vintage ***** (we specialized in model 40s 1933-34). By boss taught me MANY things I use every day. One of them was the best trick for getting rusted bolts out that I have ever tried.
You need your torch with a small tip.
Take the torch and make a perfect flame like you are going to weld. Heat the bolt head up till it starts to turn red. (If the bolt is already broken off you will need to saw a grove to use a flat blade screwdriver or have enough to grab with locking pliers) Then quickly cool it with a squirt bottle of water. Repeat, heat it, then cool it. Do this a number of times and the bolt WILL turn right out. If you can, heat the nut around the bolt on right before you try turning it out, BUT DON'T HEAT THE BOLT. This will expand the nut from around the bolt. I have did this on Model A door hinges, if you are not familiar with them, it is a 5/16 bolt with a little flat blade screw driver head! A ridiculous design that rusted in too tight to remove around 1950! You can imagine how hard they are to remove in 2000. I have did these with total success, only needing a regular hand screw driver about 99% of the time.

The way I figure the heating and cooling expands and contracts the screw breaking it loose from the rusts grip.


1948 Chevy Pickup
Chopped and sectioned
owned since 1974 when I was 15.
#103560 06/05/2003 4:21 PM
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Posts: 142
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In the a/c business we use a product called Rustbuster,IT HAS A ZOOMSPOUT LIKE ELECTRIC MOTOR OIL,works good on rusty bolts.

#103561 06/05/2003 6:22 PM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,773
F
'Bolter
'Bolter
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Posts: 2,773
Martinsr speaks well on this matter. My favorite option in bolts in sheet metal is to put a good wrench on the nut and the bolt, then twist, break and replace. Where that is not a good option, I find repeated applications of heat/cold water or heat and apply pariffin, which will seep into the threads. Also, the use of a good penetrant such as PBBlaster, Kroil, or CRC will help. Impact wrenches are a big help, too.


Fred
52 3600
69 C-10
#103562 06/06/2003 1:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 198
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You can always try a nut Splitter if you have the room to work, works good for exhaust manifolds, chase the theads after, and no broken studs, else the blue wrench (cutting torch) fits alls sizes even metric...

#103563 06/07/2003 12:44 AM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 13
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hey guys thanx alot ill try out that heating cooling thing because wd 40 and other penatraters arent working and theres no room to take a wrench and break the bolt. Ill check it out and tell ya how it goes thanx alot


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