How can I free up a siezed universal socket?

[babzog]

I've finally been cleaning up the collection of sockets that were given to me a few years ago and have run into a few universals that are seized up tight. I've got a Bonney, a couple of Snap-ons and a Gray. I'd like to keep them if I can so I've been trying to loosen them up with some PB Blaster (not working). Any other hints on how to restore these babies? I obviously don't want to just clamp 'em in a vise and beat 'em till they work.

 

[billymade]

Transmission fluid or Evaporust?

 

[superautobacs]

Is there rust on it? If so, perhaps throw them into a solution of Evaporust and see if that'll loosen them up.

I don't know if you've tried this, but I'd insert an extension on both ends and see if you can wiggle/vibrate it to break the seize.

 

[GTO]

Kano Kroil

 

[Brad54]

I had a piece of a lathe that was seized up (the compound rest). I submerged it in my parts washer for week and let it soak in the mineral spirits.
A little tapping on the top half of the rest, in the direction I was turning the handle, freed it up.

Try soaking the sockets for a week or two, and then lightly tap them with a small hammer.

-Brad

 

[Rickster]

I soak all my ratchets and anything else that's sticky or stuck in thrans fluid. It unsticks the stuck and sticky, and lubes the rest.

 

[Bull]

Another proponent of soaking in trans fluid and tapping with a hammer.

 

[sk farmer]

how about using one of those solvents and then add heat to the mix. more specifically using a crock pot or electric fry pan to heat and soak the tool in for a few hours. the heat may accelerate the process. kind of like heating a bearing to ease assembly on a shaft. the heat may expand and loosen the tool.

 

[lilredex]

Give the soaking idea a try, but before you put heat to it or hammer it, try the electrolysis method of rust removal such as this one. Washing soda works, lye (Drano) is even better. Experiment on a rusty bolt to see how it works first.

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

 

[J.A.F.E.]

on the ATF. If it's really stuck 50/50 ATF/acetone.

 

[benjamming]

I would 2nd JAFEs comment on 50/50 ATF/acetone.

 

[tatra]

what kind of universals are we talking about here?.........impact swivels?, universal chrome hand u joints?...........if impact is the pin or drive in good condition?................

 

[babzog]

They are chromed universals... with a bit of rust. They've been soaking in mineral spirits since last Fri night (just pulled out last [Wed] night). I hit 'em with the PB Blaster last night, didn't budge 'em. Still not freed up this AM. I'll pick up some of the ATF tonight and give that a try (curious: Why ATF - what's it got in it?)

 

[eric87]

Kano Kroil

oh yeah that stuff rocks

 

[ozzy214]

Try deep creep. Or give them to me..the snappy ones. I will warranty it on the truck in trade for one of them I could use...

 

[G1K]

Kano Kroil

+1. This always works for me when nothing else does.

If it's crudded up with old oil or varnish, another trick is to submerge it in antifreeze in a crock pot (not one used anymore for cooking food). I've used this method on model airplane engines that are all fouled up, and they come out looking new. Use the green antifreeze, not orange.


R

 

[J.A.F.E.]

...I'll pick up some of the ATF tonight and give that a try (curious: Why ATF - what's it got in it?)

ATF is a very effective solvent for dirt and crud. ATF is designed that way because of all the little passageways and such in an auto trans - to keep things clean and working. Perhaps someone here or on BITOG understands the chemistry and can explain better. Whatever the underlying chemistry is it is a very effective (and inexpensive) penetrating oil. The 50/50 mix I think works because the acetone thins the ATF and the thinner (lower viscosity) mixture and capillary action enhances the penetrating action.

 

[hydramatic]

kano kriol..awesome products...kano labs, nashville tenn.

 

[babzog]

Picked up some cheap ATF last night, put sockets in a jar and covered them with the red stuff.

[Gestapo voice]
Ve shall see vat happens. Ve haf vays to make zem unschtuck.
[/Gestapo voice]

 

[Rickster]

I have a soaking station. A can with ATF and a bunch of handles sticking out and a can with rags in the bottom and a bunch of handles sticking out.

 

[alex71]

Soaking works. I have a container (with a cap) that's full of WD40 that I keep around for this kind of stuff. also good to dip rusty or dirty tools in there for a few minutes, then wipe them off. The WD40 and dirt solution last for quite a while. drop them in there (or any of the other fluids suggested) and leave them there for a while. Time is key.

 

[Art From De Leon]

After soaking, clamp one end in a vise, and put a long extension on the other end, and this will give you some leverage to play with.

 

[babzog]

After soaking, clamp one end in a vise, and put a long extension on the other end, and this will give you some leverage to play with.

The clamping in a vice was what I was trying to avoid - I don't want to distort the socket or the fitting end.

Not having done this before, how long should I expect to leave them soaking in the ATF? A week? More? Not in a rush, just don't know what I should be expecting for time.

 

[Art From De Leon]

The clamping in a vice was what I was trying to avoid - I don't want to distort the socket or the fitting end.

If these are quality sockets, I do not think that Superman on his best day could put the squeeze on it hard enough to distort either the drive end, or the socket end. This does not mean to put a cheater on the vise handle, and with the extension once you get a little movement, you are 90 percent along with getting it freed up.

Not having done this before, how long should I expect to leave them soaking in the ATF? A week? More? Not in a rush, just don't know what I should be expecting for time.

Try it after a day, see if it will move, tap on the swivel while using the extension for leverage, and as I mentioned, once it starts to move, you are well past half way there.

Were these left lying in the dirt, or did water get in the box they were stored in? If they were laying in the dirt, the minerals in the dirt may have damaged them beyond repair, pitting, loss of huge amounts of metal in the socket end, and such. Exposure to sea water, or salt air will pretty much destroy a tool because of the massive amounts of corrosion.

 

[J.A.F.E.]

The clamping in a vice was what I was trying to avoid - I don't want to distort the socket or the fitting end.

Not having done this before, how long should I expect to leave them soaking in the ATF? A week? More? Not in a rush, just don't know what I should be expecting for time.

I've never had to soak anything more than a day. Usually three or four hours is enough. I have left stuff in longer because I forgot about it or got busy or accidently left it over the weekned or something.

 

[G-Tech]

how about using one of those solvents and then add heat to the mix. more specifically using a crock pot or electric fry pan to heat and soak the tool in for a few hours. the heat may accelerate the process. kind of like heating a bearing to ease assembly on a shaft. the heat may expand and loosen the tool.

Sk farmer,

I dont know about you, but I would be affraid to sleep next to my wife after I did that...

Unless of course you have a seperate crock pot that you use for your specific garage inspired recipies

 

[babzog]

Okay, I will try to force them to move. Thanks for the reassurances!

They weren't in the dirt, but they were out in the shop with no humidity control (and it gets humid here in the summer) and in the top of the toolbox for a few years before I got to dealing with them.

OT: I did find one deep socket (non-swivel) that was completely rusted over. I think it was in the dirt at some point in it's life or perhaps just completely gunked up. I actually didn't know it was hollow the whole way till the toothbrush happened to work it's way through. Man, the grit and grime that came outa there... disgusting. Anyway, cleaned it up and took the wire wheel to it to clean it up the outside. Turns out it's a nice Proto 3/4". I'll post a pic of it in another thread.

 

[babzog]

Clamped 'em in a vic with some wood scraps to protect them somewhat. I got two of them freed up nicely (the Bonney and the Gray). The two Snappy's, OTOH, are "free" but are still tight as hell. I worked one back and forth for about 10min... when I released it from the vice and went to pick it up, the little ****** was hotter n' hell! I've dunked 'em all back in the ATF for the night.

 

[paramudduck]

You still have a lot of friction from crud built up in them. Keep soaking and moving for a while. I had one SO it took about 4 days of soaking until it finally penetrated all the way. Course it had bumped around in a tractor box for about two years to get that way.