Seized tie rod bolt

[Lassen Forge]

Kroil is also your friend in these cases... Soak, let sit, work it, if it doesn't, soak it again, apply heat wrench, soak again, use a good line wrench with a cheater, tapping the nut with a hammer... 30 minute job. Don't let the ******* win....

(Edited - Damn, Ola beat me to it... Forgot about induction heaters, they're effing awesome.)

 

[Wakefield]

a good long pattern wrench would easily break that free. that aint rust lol, its barely rusted. hell a pair of vise grips if you really wanted to get into it.

Hindsight is too late but would have done well to have put some Blaster or Kroil on those threads a day or so before trying to mess with it or even just a couple drops of ordinary oil such as you would have around in an oiler can for electric motors
then the thing might just be begging for a try using a WrightGrip wrench open end (or FD+)

(assuming someone didn't put Red Loctite on it,then I don't think anything but enough heat to kill the Loctite will work)

 

[CraigStu]

Sometimes it helps to heat it dark red and let it cool. Heat it again. My thinking is that the expansion and contraction gets things moving before a wrench will. As much as I don't like pipe wrenches, in this case their characteristic of somewhat self tightening w/ more pressure helps a lot. And a cheater pipe really helps.

 

[Plastikosmd]

Is it left hand thread?

 

[nbpt100]

Everyone here seems to think it should come off with little problems and not tons of effort. I do not disagree. The thing is what tools do you have on hand that can do the job? Lots of good suggestions but some are costly. It sounds like you may not have a lot of tools around the house that may be appropriate.

Some tools you can buy on a budget:

The locking adjustable is one of my favorative for stubborn nuts and bolts that need an open end. Often an over looked tool becasue it is an adjustable and people have a bias against them on automotive and machinery application.

Liquid wrench. Cheaper than Kroil or SeaFoam Penetration oil and according to Project Farm has about the same efficacy.

Look on Ebay for a long Pattern wrench of the size needed. You can find individual sizes so you do not have to spend a ton of cash for a full set. Tekton or any mid grade brand will be a good value. You can hit it with a hammer if need be to get the impact effect. I bet you have a hammer.

Think leverage, correct fititng tool, penetrating oil. Time is your best friend with ANY penetrating oil. If you have or can borrow a propane torch (MAP gas prefferably) it will help.

Let us know how it goes. Good Luck!!!!

 

[kaymccampbell]

HF induction heater . Rust oil, 50 % ATF and Acetone.
Ready in 20 minutes

Ola

Where'd you find a HF induction heater? Got a link?

 

[bw77]

Professional mechanic in Florida using a long wrench with a pipe on the handle to
loosen the nut. Then a pipe wrench to turn the inner tie rod.

 

[nbpt100]

Where'd you find a HF induction heater? Got a link?

They do not have one. Maybe they use to.??? Here is one for you at a reasonable price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CPX851W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Buckgnarly]

Where'd you find a HF induction heater? Got a link?

Maybe meant High Frequency?

 

[dchawk81]

Maybe meant High Frequency?

Or High Fructose.

 

[rayra]

That's a jam nut and even money they were trying to turn it the wrong way, because that is scarcely rusted.
Just put a little penetrating oil on it and let it soak for a couple days.

 

[TJMtl]

I have a Bolt Buster induction heater that I pull out for this type of thing.

https://boltbusterinc.com/

 

[Spareparts]

Take it loose on both ends and replace with new, a little bit more money but less aggervating

 

[norakat]

So I did best I could with what I got.

First kroil several times, then sat overnight; worked on next day.

I was able to break free the tie rod end, but the jam nut was still stuck on the inner tire rod.

The jam nut is 19mm but my 19mm open end is a little loose on it and started rounding off the nut. I switched to an adjustable. I don’t have a pipe big enough to go over the adjustable to use as a cheater and even if I did, I’m doing this on the street and really don’t have the room for it as the car is not that high. The longest pipe wrench I have is 14” which I used on the tie rod side.






Best I could do for now.. the pipe wrench is jammed under part of the car.

Then after trying by hand and failing, I put a big hammer on the adjustable Lol. Fail..

I heated it with a propane torch till it was smoking, put PB Blaster .. knocked it w a hammer more PB blaster. I didn’t heat it till it was red though.

The problem though is while the pipe wrench is wedged, whatever it is wedged under is at an angle so it is not solid. When I hit the adjustable w a BFH, it moves a little, not really giving it any real impact.

I might give it another go if I have time, maybe get a wrench extender or clamping adjustable.

Worst case since I have the tie rod end free , I’ll just replace the inner tie rod. I mangled it a little w the pipe wrench. It also slipped once and damaged the threads a little.

 

[Jswain]

Switch the wrenches. Put the pipe wrench on the nut and use the adjustable on the flats of the outter tie rod to keep it from spinning

 

[Blk88GT]

At this point I would just cut the nut with a cut off wheel and split it with a punch. Careful not go too deep with the wheel.

Replace with a new nut and some anti-seize.

 

[rayra]

Or High Fructose.

That works too. Having enough weight / mass / muscle and a basic knowledge of physics helps when wrenching.

 

[rayra]

I think he needs to flip the pipe wrench and use both crescent and pipe wrench in the same direction at first to break the jamb nut loose from the outer tie rod body. Once it is cracked loose, flip the pipe wrench back and get the jam nut turning on the threads of the tie rod shaft.

 

[norakat]

I think he needs to flip the pipe wrench and use both crescent and pipe wrench in the same direction at first to break the jamb nut loose from the outer tie rod body. Once it is cracked loose, flip the pipe wrench back and get the jam nut turning on the threads of the tie rod shaft.

I got the outer tie rod broken loose. The jam nut is seized to the inner tie rod.

Maybe next time I’ll remove the outer tie rod completely then soak w a mix of acetone and ATF like a poster here mentioned.

 

[norakat]

At this point I would just cut the nut with a cut off wheel and split it with a punch. Careful not go too deep with the wheel.

Replace with a new nut and some anti-seize.

I might have to do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[dchawk81]

I value my time at X dollars an hour. Divide how much all new parts would cost by that number and that's how much time I'll spend on saving it before I'll just buy all new everything and throw it together and be done with it.

IOW based on how I'm reading this thread, there would probably be a new tube with two new ends on it on that car several days ago.

 

[firebirdparts]

Well, considering it’s not rusty, I think a person with more experience would have just unscrewed it in the first 5 minutes. There’s never been an indication that you can’t. The ideal tool for that is questionable but I suppose the pipe wrench would bring it.

 

[RPH]

Plenty of diy or units like these are available. (Frameless) Flameless heating through high frequency magnetic fields.

 

[Jswain]

I value my time at X dollars an hour. Divide how much all new parts would cost by that number and that's how much time I'll spend on saving it before I'll just buy all new everything and throw it together and be done with it.

IOW based on how I'm reading this thread, there would probably be a new tube with two new ends on it on that car several days ago.

How much do you charge for posting on GJ?

 

[MadMechMaster]

At some point, with regards to time spent, replacing the inner tie rod too would make sense. Might have to borrow a tool from the parts store for that.

I still think you can get it turning though.

 

[peter94]

Jesus where are you located? My shop does alignments all the time on stuff that looks 20x worse than this. Heat the nut until it is glowing bright red, and then hit it with probably a 22mm. Once the nut is backed off heat the tie rod end until it is also glowing bright red. Then use probably a 13mm on the inner tie rod hex. If the 13mm slips we use a pipe pliers like this.

If that still doesn't work, you need to heat the tie rid end until it is glowing white hot, to the point that you can almost see through it, then heat it some more. It will come off.

 

[AldeanFan]

Why do you think you need an alignment anyway?

 

[dchawk81]

How much do you charge for posting on GJ?

You'll find out when I send you the bill.

 

[Racer_X]

Ummm, one has to wonder if everyone involved was trying to turn it the correct way.

 

[Walkers]

How much do you charge for posting on GJ?

Personally I just donate my time and write it off on my taxes as a public service!

 

[corn chip]

So I did best I could with what I got.

First kroil several times, then sat overnight; worked on next day.

I was able to break free the tie rod end, but the jam nut was still stuck on the inner tire rod.

The jam nut is 19mm but my 19mm open end is a little loose on it and started rounding off the nut. I switched to an adjustable. I don’t have a pipe big enough to go over the adjustable to use as a cheater and even if I did, I’m doing this on the street and really don’t have the room for it as the car is not that high. The longest pipe wrench I have is 14” which I used on the tie rod side.






Best I could do for now.. the pipe wrench is jammed under part of the car.

Then after trying by hand and failing, I put a big hammer on the adjustable Lol. Fail..

I heated it with a propane torch till it was smoking, put PB Blaster .. knocked it w a hammer more PB blaster. I didn’t heat it till it was red though.

The problem though is while the pipe wrench is wedged, whatever it is wedged under is at an angle so it is not solid. When I hit the adjustable w a BFH, it moves a little, not really giving it any real impact.

I might give it another go if I have time, maybe get a wrench extender or clamping adjustable.

Worst case since I have the tie rod end free , I’ll just replace the inner tie rod. I mangled it a little w the pipe wrench. It also slipped once and damaged the threads a little.

when i bought my car (03 vibe ,aka toyota matrix) , same thing happened to me. somebody seized the jam nut then chewed it up with a pipe wrench. heres what i did.
1 put reference marks and measure the length so you can put it back together nearly the same length after the rest of the steps
2 take off the small boot clamp (now the tie rod can spin without twisting the boot)
3 back the rod out of the rod end a few turns
4 use a dremel small cutting wheel to slice the jam nut ,just slice 95% through the nut so you dont get into the tie rod threads ( slice both opposing sides of the nut)
5 put a chisel in the slice and the nut will break in two pieces
6 now unscrew the rod from the rod end and screw on a new nut
7 screw it all back together to your witness mark measurements in step 1

 

[John Young]

Change you focus...

FIRST: look at the threaded portion and determine if it's reverse threaded or not (should be visually obvious). Then ensure you're turning in the correct direction to loosen. It's not clear from the photo, but it looks like standard threading to me.

The jamb nut will be seized where the shoulder abuts the larger (outer) tie rod; that's its purpose. You have to break the jamb nut free from that point first. Once that jam nut breaks free, then you can get after everything else.

Heat / Liquid Wrench / hammer taps all around larger tie rod & nut will help

 

[ArcReactorKC]

I wasn’t telling anyone how to do it. I just thought in my head that he wasn’t getting enough leverage with a short adjustable wrench. I still think I’m right. Like someone said here maybe using a wrench extender/pipe, pipe/plumbing wrench or BFH, might of helped.

At the time I was just imagining there was a longer specialty wrench made for the job and asked if a longer wrench with more leverage would help.

And yet you didn't get it apart?

 

[Bad Eye Bill]

I find it very hard to believe that nut is that hard to loosen. Heating red hot with oxy/acet and then quenching with cold water always did the trick for me.

One large hammer placed against one side of the nut/flange and then striking the opposite side of the nut/flange with another large hammer will often loosen stuff too.

Ten minutes max should have that nut turning.

 

[PCustoms]

Ummm, one has to wonder if everyone involved was trying to turn it the correct way.

I think you're the 3rd person to wonder that in this thread

 

[vwpieces]

Jesus where are you located? My shop does alignments all the time on stuff that looks 20x worse than this. Heat the nut until it is glowing bright red, and then hit it with probably a 22mm. Once the nut is backed off heat the tie rod end until it is also glowing bright red. Then use probably a 13mm on the inner tie rod hex. If the 13mm slips we use a pipe pliers like this.

If that still doesn't work, you need to heat the tie rid end until it is glowing white hot, to the point that you can almost see through it, then heat it some more. It will come off.

for the ANGRY PLIERS

 

[norakat]

I value my time at X dollars an hour. Divide how much all new parts would cost by that number and that's how much time I'll spend on saving it before I'll just buy all new everything and throw it together and be done with it.

IOW based on how I'm reading this thread, there would probably be a new tube with two new ends on it on that car several days ago.

My other problem with the clunking in my suspension took priority. I finally found it so I can focus on this now. Yeah last resort I change the inner tie rod.

 

[norakat]

And yet you didn't get it apart?

Well I don't have the right tools and I was occupied with my other problem which I resolved. I can focus on this now.

 

[norakat]

Change you focus...

FIRST: look at the threaded portion and determine if it's reverse threaded or not (should be visually obvious). Then ensure you're turning in the correct direction to loosen. It's not clear from the photo, but it looks like standard threading to me.

The jamb nut will be seized where the shoulder abuts the larger (outer) tie rod; that's its purpose. You have to break the jamb nut free from that point first. Once that jam nut breaks free, then you can get after everything else.

Heat / Liquid Wrench / hammer taps all around larger tie rod & nut will help

Yeah its standard thread.

I got the outer tie rod loose already, although I didn't go as far as to remove the outer tie rod to spray the PB Blaster better.

The jam nut is seized to the inner tie rod. It probably the red permanent Loctite 271. Some idiot who did my last wheel alignment..

I used a propane torch (though not till it was glowing red, but smoking) followed by PB Blaster. Yeah I hammered too followed by PB Blaster again and again.

My 19mm open end also had too much play and the adjustable ***** and is too short and don't have a cheater or pipe that fits, Also my pipe wrench ***** and keeps slipping.

I ordered a Wrightgrip 19mm wrench and 1/2" wrench extender to put a breaker bar on it.



For the inner tie rod, I was looking at this:



Or maybe I just cut it like someone said

 

[norakat]

I find it very hard to believe that nut is that hard to loosen. Heating red hot with oxy/acet and then quenching with cold water always did the trick for me.

One large hammer placed against one side of the nut/flange and then striking the opposite side of the nut/flange with another large hammer will often loosen stuff too.

Ten minutes max should have that nut turning.

I only have a propane torch. Next time I'll leave it on longer and try the cold water.

Thanks for the suggestions.