Best induction heater for rusty bolts

[zendriver]

I have never replaced a fastener in my entire life unless I had to, which was extremely rare. Don't recall any giving out.

Perhaps it depends on who's buying.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Me too.

I really dislike using the oxy acetylene torches in the shop. The volunteer fire department is about five miles away, and the shop would probably be lost by the time they rounded up the firemen and trundled the fire truck out here.

Sounds like a nice Christmas present for myself.

Magnetic inductive heaters definitely struggle on big chunks of metal where the heat is likely to soak away. For example, a 21mm tie-rod jam nut is really pushing it, so you wind up putting a lot more heat into the work than you need. Oxy-Acet is better in this application.

On the other hand, the Mini-Ductor made it possible to get one of the subframe bolts (M14) out of the first-gen XC90. These are notorious for fusing with the unibody in P2 Volvos. A lot of heat soak, but acetylene would have burned it all to the ground. I was replacing the alternator VR, so the intake is off in the photo below. Lots more room, but I could have done it with all that in place.



-Ryan

 

[jobo1004]

Magnetic inductive heaters definitely struggle on big chunks of metal where the heat is likely to soak away. For example, a 21mm tie-rod jam nut is really pushing it, so you wind up putting a lot more heat into the work than you need. Oxy-Acet is better in this application.

On the other hand, the Mini-Ductor made it possible to get one of the subframe bolts (M14) out of the first-gen XC90. These are notorious for fusing with the unibody in P2 Volvos. A lot of heat soak, but acetylene would have burned it all to the ground. I was replacing the alternator VR, so the intake is off in the photo below. Lots more room, but I could have done it with all that in place.



-Ryan

The lighting in that photo initially made me think the handle on your dipstick was metal and that you'd heated it up to glowing red.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have never replaced a fastener in my entire life unless I had to, which was extremely rare. Don't recall any giving out.

Perhaps it depends on who's buying.

And the availability.

Service info says I need 3 single use fasteners replaced for a timing chain. On an engine still in production.....


"Uhhhh I can get those in 10 days" is what you hear from the parts counter at the dealer. IMO a lot of those fasteners are just locktite coated, which I can reapply, or nyloc which you can get a few uses out of.

The number of single use fasteners, because they actually deform and stretch, on a modern car are pretty low.

 

[Buckaroo5]

I might like to get one of these if I can find a good price on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. I have an oxy-acetylene rig but it is such a pain to get out and set up for just a bolt or two. This Amazon listing seems like a good price but I am confused whether it is 1200w or 1800w. The description says both and the picture, I think, is the 1200w version.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ATSL7VE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[zendriver]

And the availability.

Service info says I need 3 single use fasteners replaced for a timing chain. On an engine still in production.....


"Uhhhh I can get those in 10 days" is what you hear from the parts counter at the dealer. IMO a lot of those fasteners are just locktite coated, which I can reapply, or nyloc which you can get a few uses out of.

The number of single use fasteners, because they actually deform and stretch, on a modern car are pretty low.

Seems like a cost would be a thing as well

Buying just a few small nuts and bolts Practically brings tears to my eyes on the cost.

Can’t even imagine pricing the big stuff.

 

[pelletman]

Dang. I wish I pulled the trigger earlier. My wife gave me the green light today to get one of these after burning a hole in the CV boot trying to torch out the stabilizer links while doing a strut change.

Whomever invented the road brine needs to be hung by his toenails.

I think I will buck up and get the Bolt Buster.

Funny, I just got one and the first thing I did was change a strut and I was able to save the sway bar links because I had it.

 

[metalhead212121]

Instead of starting ANOTHER THREAD about heat induction tools I'll ask here.......

I got a mid 90's Tacoma that spent "X" amount of time in Ohio and then spent "X" at the New Jersey Shore. Yes the frame has some small holes in it... yes I have paid a good buck to have the frame patched where the rear leafs attach. It was (still is) the only truck in my budget. If the road salt in Ohio/salt air at the Jersey shore didn't attack the truck life would be great. Every bolt and nut as fought me... when I say every bolt and nut I DO MEAN EVERY BOLT AND NUT. Sometime in the future I can see myself pulling the bed off the frame.... attempting to replace the shocks (front and rear).... possibly putting leaf springs in it... etc etc etc. I know... its a 90's Tacoma... it aint a 67 matching numbers Camaro. I like the truck and throwing a couple bucks at it here and there isn't THAT painful to me over the course of "X" amount of time. ANYWAY... what is your guys thoughts on using heat induction tools on "salt air rusted stuff?????" Every vehicle I've owned for the past 20 years has had SOME sort of rusty **** that I've had to fight... Salt air rusty **** seems like a completely different ball game to me.


I've been really careful taking **** apart on the truck... heres a quick list of what I've taken apart.....

I had to pull the front seats out of it and I really had to work the bolts back and forth.... back and forth... got some PB blaster on the bolts each time... It was a ******* FIGHT.

Had to replace the exhaust pipe RIGHT after the exhaust manifold due to the flange ROTTING away. There was no way I was going attempt to break the three nuts loose that hold the pipe to the exhaust manifold. I took the exhaust manifold off WITH the "down pipe" (I cut/grinded the EGR tube nuts off with a dremel).... filled up a plastic tub with water and white vinegar and let it sit for a week. Nuts came off with ease.... EGR studs came out with ease as well. The whole job sucked... just getting the exhaust shield off for the manifold sucked... couple bolts came out nice some I had to spray down with PB blaster... get in the truck... drive it around and let the shield heat up and cool down a couple times over the course of a couple days....

You guys get the idea...

Again I state... what is your guys thoughts on using heat induction tools on "salt air rusted stuff?????"

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Flange erosion is pretty common in toyota products, other than that their exhaust quality is excellent. FWIW the metal they use for exhaust hardware loves to gall, so minimize heat and don't reuse fasteners.

You'll be pleased with an inductive heater for those applications.