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Frozen bolts how to remove

A

alex.bruns17

Active member
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Messages
25
This is coming from someone who has oxy&act nut splitters, oils,films,metal rescue and most of all a lot of patience. I am helping my gf's step dad on keeping up on his many collections of tractors and farm equipment. All IH and a few older ford and cat he is a ford man at heart has a beautiful f350dually but back to the task at hand. He has 17 tractors 3 which we pull with and all but 3 show quality. He is restoring the one his dad bought there first tractor on there farm he is coming up on his 50th bday and I want to get all the bolts out for him clean we've got a few and snapped some more. Just looking for ideas its a I think early 50's late 40's tractor. Seen more use then I've seen cars in my life time. The hours odometer goes to 9999 and there records says it has rolled over 12times I've done a far share of pressure washing the carp off it. And we are stuck sorry to make it long just this tractor has a wild story behind of how he got it back and I just want to get it up to snuff so he can take it for a ride around the hay feeds any help would be appreciated I'll get pictures next time! Thank you

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R

RedneckWelder

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Nov 12, 2013
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5,699
Location
The Ghetto Kingdom of Methlandia
If you can do it where the bolts are, a welder and some washers and nuts are great for broken bolt removal (if they can be gotten out)

Other than that just heating the hell out of bolts and letting them cool and repeating the cycle some and maybe some Kroil. It takes a lot of patience to work with stuff like this.

You may also want to look into a Miniductor bolt heater.
 
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O

Olafur

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Jun 2, 2011
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2,577
Location
Iceland
For good measure get whatever penetrating oil you believe in ( Kroil has strong following here on G.J) and spray all fasteners you want to remove several days before you want to remove them.

Now regarding flanges and such with bolts through them - sometimes it's possible to heat the threaded material and expand it enough so it's possible to get the bolts moving.

Frequently this is not possible so heating the bolt so it expands - and let it cool so it contracts again hoping to break the rust bond is the way. Hammering the head during this process helps also. Even freezing the bolts is sometimes used.

However, frequently it pays off to realize the bolts are easy to come by - so you just cut or torch the head off and dissemble whatever you are working on. After disassembly it's often easy to remove the remaining studs because you can apply heat more efficiently and the tension is gone. Often it's enough to weld something to the studs using high current resulting in good heat affecting the stuck threads.

With nuts and Ac.Ox it's usually easy, just heat the nut cherry red and remove instantly.

Finally there are these bolts that just won't come out and you twist them flat to the surface. Frequently you can weld a washer and nut to them and work them out with patience - and sometimes it's the drill as last measure.
 
S

smoked~black16v

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Joined
Nov 4, 2015
Messages
8
I dont know if it was said anywhere on this forum but from research i have done (i forgot the name for it) but 50/50 mix of acetone and trans fluid makes an awesome penetrant oil and from tests supposedly done beats kroil by 55ftlbs of force needed to break a rusted bolt loose. just a thought
 
J

jkna7651

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Oct 28, 2015
Messages
3
I am all for the 50/50 mix. I have been using it for a while and is the best penetrant there is.
 
B

bdk1976

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Feb 19, 2007
Messages
285
I've been amazed at how well heat (propane torch in my case) and a bit of wax (old candle dabbed in and allowed to melt down into the threads) has worked on a few occasions. Not always feasible, but when I've been able to do it it has worked well on very stubborn bolts.


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S

shoggoth80

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Feb 28, 2013
Messages
857
Location
Seattle
I've used PB Blaster, let sit. Hit with heat. More Blaster.
Also used heat and cheap candle. Get the wax flowing, crack the threads loose.
That ATF/Acetone mix is supposed to be the ****.
 
M

maxpower_hd

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Apr 17, 2015
Messages
2,230
Location
Massachusetts
I've had lots of luck heating with a torch until red then cooling quickly with a wet rag.

Welding a nut to the broken studs works sometimes, sometimes not. The heat seems to be the key. Sometimes the weld doesn't penetrate enough before you fill the nut with weld.

Drill and tap will likely be needed.
 
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D

dogdog

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Nov 15, 2011
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12,711
KineticDissent said:
Does anybody have this or have used it? Having a good set of left handed drill bits and 4 different types of easy outs I'm still on the lookout for a better way.
Click to expand...

I have one, The Inductor MD710 or something (differences is the accessories that came with it)... works if you have access to the stuck bolt / nut .... needed enough room to wrap the coil prefer to be in the middle of the coil to get the bolt hot otherwise would take longer like 5 mins. some times more. In the small cars that I used it, plenty of odd situations that the coil won't reach over and warp around to be effective. Still went back to good old fashion MAPP Gas/Oxy or Air Oxy torch. But when it worked it worked very nicely, some times takes a few heating cycles.
 
D

dogdog

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Nov 15, 2011
Messages
12,711
if you are quasi handy there are ebay ZVS circuits that is already build , just add power supply and your own case. but still same thing... only situations that you can wrap the coil around the nut/bolt nicely to be effective.


I have this also but needs a 24V/ 48V power supply was going to convert that HF stick welder to power it. One of those projects in the back burner.

(other sells also sells this thing, just a pic worth) I have this I got last year also.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-12V-48V...ating-machine-low-voltage-1000W-/201461980760

or if you prefer to build your own
this guy is one of the more popular source.
http://www.rmcybernetics.com/projects/DIY_Devices/diy-induction-heater.htm


This guy is the alternative quasi open source.
http://www.fluxeon.com/

The alternative to the mini-ductor
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ATSL7VE/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 
H

homebuilt burner

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Dec 8, 2014
Messages
1,763
Location
central Wisconsin
Depending on the size and location, all of the above work sometimes. If the bolt is 3/8 or larger I try to drill all the way through first, after heating and cooling cycles sometimes you can't drill, so I try to get through it first. Then welding a washer onto it and then a nut. It works best if you can wait for it to cool completely. Or heating and hit it with water works to, or melt candle wax into the threads(this seems to work best on exhaust bolts/studs).

#1 tool to use on all cases ......patience

And when it starts to move more penetrant and DON'T get greedy small wiggles and more penetrant.
 
C

Chuckster in NJ

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Jan 26, 2010
Messages
2,287
Location
Hunterdon County NJ
Kroil, vibrate with air hammer, Kroil, vibrate again then try to remove...... If it won't budge repeat the method and apply the heat.
TIP! The longer you let the Kroil soak in the better it works.
 
K

KineticDissent

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Nov 28, 2013
Messages
47
Location
Spokane Wa
Chuckster in NJ said:
Kroil, vibrate with air hammer, Kroil, vibrate again then try to remove...... If it won't budge repeat the method and apply the heat.
TIP! The longer you let the Kroil soak in the better it works.
Click to expand...
I bought an air hammer socket adaptor today from snap on for this method, now I just need a seized bolt. I'm sure I won't be waiting long.
 
J

Jacobson

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Jan 11, 2014
Messages
1,482
maxpower_hd said:
I've had lots of luck heating with a torch until red then cooling quickly with a wet rag.
Click to expand...

Once the bolt is red hot, what would happen if you doused it with water?
Would the sudden contraction be a good thing?
 
W

wolf_from_wv

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Sep 24, 2012
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493
Location
WV
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M

mjoekingz28

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Jun 20, 2011
Messages
717
Location
Mississippi
RedneckWelder said:
If you can do it where the bolts are, a welder and some washers and nuts are great for broken bolt removal (if they can be gotten out)

Other than that just heating the hell out of bolts and letting them cool and repeating the cycle some and maybe some Kroil. It takes a lot of patience to work with stuff like this.

You may also want to look into a Miniductor bolt heater.
Click to expand...


2nd!

Oil quench
 
M

mjoekingz28

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Joined
Jun 20, 2011
Messages
717
Location
Mississippi
I have a question.

How (what are the tales) do you know when the fastener is just on there tight
versus
it being seized?
 
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