I need a tool

[diesel research]

Last nights episode began like so many others. Brake work. Fasteners are small. Either 1/4 or 5/16 threaded. Always seized/rusted. Usual procedure is to heat them hot, begin to work them by hand, remove with milwaukee m12, and replace with grade 8 after job is finished.

Last night was different, in that the vehicle was loaded. Maybe a couple thousand gallons of kerosene, and similar amounts of isobuta_? something or other.

So obviously a torch is out of the question. A perfect NEED for the mini-inductor, but not in the 1-year budget. A few bolts snapped off into their threaded base with just moderate pressure applied by hand. (standard length 7/16" or 1/2" wrench) Royal PITA to drill out and tap, ect ect.

I saw a air hammer attachment that has a socket attachment on the other end. Claims to set up vibration and allow you to turn the socket using hand power while vibrating.

Does this thing work? Will it snap fasteners even w/o applying hand rotation force?

_______________________________

I ended up having to set up giant fans to clear out any potential vapors, set up wet rags all over, fire up a PROPANE hand blow torch, and pray to the deities. Prefer not to do the same in future. Prefer not to break them in the first place. Acetylene wasn't an option due to fact of not having any welding tips, only cutting tips, which produce too much flame for the confined area.

 

[MGMatt]

On small fasteners try using a good soldering iron. I have used this on Small screws in sunroof tracks to melt the lock-tite.

 

[woody 73]

sometimes I have a little luck with spraying some with those frozen type chemical sprays;the ones that freeze the fasteners and allow the chemical to penatrate the rust.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

In situations like that i just cry. Sit down, pull my hood up and have a little cry. It helps, a little.

After that i just throw caution to the wind and do what needs to be done. (I would've fired up the oxy-acetylene.)

 

[kams1973]

They do work on screws quite well, but I'm not sure about bolts. Sounds like you should try it out and write it up for everyone.

 

[joecon]

I have one (OTC I think) it was made for the torks bolts that they
used to hold on rear wheel bearings on older GM cars. It works geat
on internal drive but on hex bolts it has nothing to beat on I tryed
puting a nut in it to transfer the blows with mixed results.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I have one (OTC I think) it was made for the torks bolts that they
used to hold on rear wheel bearings on older GM cars. It works geat
on internal drive but on hex bolts it has nothing to beat on I tryed
puting a nut in it to transfer the blows with mixed results.

Eh?

Pics for clicks?

 

[tonydanzah]

I have used torches on lift trucks in both adhesives plant and chemical plants that had such heavy fumes you got dizzy after being inside for 30 to replace frozen lift chains. Both times it was oked by the plant. I wouldn't have a problem doing it around kerosene.

 

[Danglerb]

What about using an impact driver with a bit socket?

 

[garfunkle24]

Eh?

Pics for clicks?

ie If you had a bolt threaded in all the way, it wouldn't bottom on the bottom of the socket broaching, so the socket would just "rattle around" the bolt rather than vibrating it.

 

[ZRX61]

I saw a air hammer attachment that has a socket attachment on the other end. Claims to set up vibration and allow you to turn the socket using hand power while vibrating.

Does this thing work? Will it snap fasteners even w/o applying hand rotation force?

I've used that kind of thing with a screwdriver bit to remove knackered screws on aircraft loads of times. It works.

 

[diesel research]

I have used torches on lift trucks in both adhesives plant and chemical plants that had such heavy fumes you got dizzy after being inside for 30 to replace frozen lift chains. Both times it was oked by the plant. I wouldn't have a problem doing it around kerosene.

It wasn't the kerosene itself that was of concern. It was also the copious grease, oak flooring, and iso-something or another.

Basically, it was your standard 53ft van trailer loaded with a bunch of plastic totes going to chemical plants.

We haul it all, non-reefer groceries, gasoline, benzene, big 3 engines from mexico, dvd players, beer, 5,000 gallons of melted candle wax (heat in transit) amongst many other things.

I WANTED to use our tanker gas analyzer (similar to what a coal miner might use) They use it for welding inside of the tankers. That was a no go. Torches in general were also strictly prohibited. The end use of a propane torch was for 2 reasons. No one else could see it and a smaller flame less likely to start a grease fire. If disaster did strike, I would be nominated for darwin award by members here.

Fumes in an open space are just a LITTLE different than cutting-welding in close proximity to vessels containing said vapors/liquids. Smoking 50ft from a gas pump vs torching off tank strap bolts.

I can see the tool is actually designed for screws. I'm not concerned with raw torque, as it is already too easy to break off the small bolts. Just thinking maybe setting up some vibration will prevent them from breaking?

 

[garfunkle24]

I would just rattle the fastener with an air hammer first (may need to clean up or use twist socket) then use my impact driver.

 

[83diesel]

SO sells one that goes in the air hammer, has a 3/4' hex and 3/8" drive square adapter on the end. I used to work on cars in the rust belt and to get axle drain and fill plugs out this tool was the only thing that worked without destroying the plugs. Recently I used in on a school bus re-floor job to remove some stubborn screws out of the floor. They also work good for hard to get off brake rotor retainer screws and caliper mounting bolts that have torx heads.