# Stubborn nuts and bolts



## Alberto (Jul 15, 2008)

I've heard of people putting a torch to stubborn nuts or bolts. How does that work? Do you heat the fastener itself or the area around it?

And how do I know how long I should hold it there?


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## Bushytails (Jul 15, 2008)

For a nut, you want to heat the nut without heating the bolt as much.  For bolts, you'll need to heat the area around as well.  The thermal expansion will make the parts fit looser if done properly, and break all the rust/corossion bonds.

--Bushytails


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## piecebypiece (Jul 17, 2008)

Bushytails said:


> For a nut, you want to heat the nut without heating the bolt as much.  For bolts, you'll need to heat the area around as well.  The thermal expansion will make the parts fit looser if done properly, and break all the rust/corossion bonds.
> 
> --Bushytails



Have you ever heard of anything you can hook up to a welder to heat a nut until it's red hot?  I'm sure I heard of something of the sort some time ago but I really don't remember.  Sounds a lot more dangerous than using a torch but with all the nuts and bolts I ended up having to cut through I'd definitely consider it since I have a cheap little 70amp arc welder I never use.


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## Bushytails (Jul 18, 2008)

A pair of carbons should do it...  but a torch is a lot easier.

--Bushytails


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## akpolaris (May 10, 2011)

Try mixing some acetone with automatic transmission fluid and soak it in that first


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## thomask (Dec 17, 2011)

akpolaris said:


> Try mixing some acetone with automatic transmission fluid and soak it in that first



Now that is an interesting combo, can you tell us more.


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## ToolmanTom (Dec 17, 2011)

piecebypiece said:


> Have you ever heard of anything you can hook up to a welder to heat a nut until it's red hot?  I'm sure I heard of something of the sort some time ago but I really don't remember.  Sounds a lot more dangerous than using a torch but with all the nuts and bolts I ended up having to cut through I'd definitely consider it since I have a cheap little 70amp arc welder I never use.



Sounds like an inductive heater is what you are describing.  They are pretty pricey to purchase but they work really well.


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## akpolaris (Dec 18, 2011)

thomask said:


> Now that is an interesting combo, can you tell us more.



All I cna say I mix them 50/50 and spray, soak and work them


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## Anvil14 (Dec 31, 2011)

I've used trans fluid to un-seize a 4 cylinder farm tractor motor.I just poured some down each cylinder.I leveraged a BIG crow bar on the flywheel with a weight on the end -constant pressure.
WD-40,Seafoam also works.
If your going to use heat,try heat before you try trans fluid so as not to light things on fire. I heat up the nut,then quench it fast with a wet rag.
A cheater pipe on the ratchet to exstend the handle may help -better mechanical advantage.A 6 point socket is stronger than 12 point socket.Try not to use an exstension or universal because both add a little flex.
If you don't care about the nut,and it's a big nut,on the crank on a '74 Bug,while brutal ,you could beaton on a chisel on each face of the nut until it's loose.


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## mcgyverit (Mar 21, 2012)

+1 on the tranny fluid and acetone been using it for years. Old shade tree method


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