Slightly off Topic - Wrench Types and Techniques- Removing Stubborn Nuts

I think Jake M offered some really good insights. I learned/ increased my knowledge a bit myself. Might help me in the future, if I remember it.

My knowledge offering. My dad used to turn wrenches back in the 60’s and 70’s for a living. He taught me a heating technique that usually works 100%, if I take the time and patience to do it.

Heat the nut red hot three times, and let it cool slowly each time. Usually it will loosen nicely.

My problem is, I usually will be impatient and put a wrench on it as it red hot the first time. Probably 50% if the time, it works. But, if it doesn’t, I’ve already started the rounding of the nut, or what’s left of it.

I’m learning the older I get, to be more patient and do the three heats, especially if it is in a bad place to get other method’s for removal too.

One reason I think this helps is during the heating the nut and bolt expands. But when cooling down, the metal will naturally shrink more than it was normally. If there was rust between the threads locking the fasteners together, the heating and cooling cycles end up breaking the bond between the threads, and the nut may actually cool a bit bigger because the stud and rust actually shrink as much as it can, but the nut can expand a bit and stretch when red hot, and then does not shrink as much when cooling.

So if time is one your side, I would soak for a couple days, then use the hammer technique trying to get the stud and nut to move a bit sideways breaking the bond, and then the heating and cooling cycles.

The heating adds maybe 5 minutes actual working time, but the cooling adds maybe 30-90 minutes waiting time. It helps if you have other jobs/ projects to work on to take your mind off the waiting time.


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The problem with these "impossible" nuts is that they are often located in impossible locations where one is in a contorted position with limited movement. In some circumstances, particularly if the fastener is a nut and bolt, my strategy is to tighten rather than attempting to loosen the fastener, snapping it in the process and then using a punch to drive the remnant out.
 
Here's a pic (grabbed at random, I've never shopped this company. HD and Lowe's should have them.)

Vise-Grip Locking Wrench – 7”

Irwin tools manufactures and distributes professional grade hand tools and power tool accessories worldwide for trade professionals who demand superior performance and durability on the job.
ropesoapndope.com ropesoapndope.com

GsT
 
How old is this engine and gas or diesel? The reason I ask is older engines used steel alloy bolts studs and nuts.
If its a newer engine and a diesel it may have Inconel fasteners which stand up to heat better and the hex doesen't round off as easily.
I take a brass or soft steel punch and grind and/or file it to fit the flats or corner of the nut and give a couple good taps with a hammer try not to damage the hex. This seems to help break the bond of time. I also don't like penetrating oil I prefer a light oil and a solvent to thin it.
Acetone and ATF as a previous poster mentioned is supposed to work well although I have never tried it myself. Warm the bolt with a propane or butane torch and then apply some thinned oil and give it time to soak in, reheating it and reapplying oil a few times. Applying some anti seize to the threads on the studs that protrude past the nuts can help as well.
If you heat the studs red hot I would recommend replacing them and that can be a chore in itself.
 
GeneT45 said:
Here's a pic (grabbed at random, I've never shopped this company. HD and Lowe's should have them.)

Vise-Grip Locking Wrench – 7”

Irwin tools manufactures and distributes professional grade hand tools and power tool accessories worldwide for trade professionals who demand superior performance and durability on the job.
ropesoapndope.com ropesoapndope.com

GsT
Click to expand...
HD doesn’t carry Vise Grips, Lowes & Grainger don’t have these, Zoro does (but $31 and not available). Amazon has for $14 ($15 for 10”). Found a photo showing how a nut fits:

IMG_6533.jpeg
 
Might try looking at the mini induction heaters made especially for stuck nuts and bolts.

Here’s one for less than $200 on Amazon. Not cheap but people swear by them.
 
GeneT45 said:
If there's room for vise-grips, they actually make a hex grabber that grabs on the flats and is excellent for removing bolts that no longer possess corners.

GsT
Click to expand...

They absolutely do. And IF THEY FIT, they are absolutely awesome for buggered stuff. Stuff that's got some remnants of the hex, but somebody has already been around it with a different wrench. Size is limited. 7/16 or 1/2 inch, I forget what the minimum is, but it's large enough to be dissapointing. They will grab stuff larger than what they have any business trying to loosen as well, no complaints on that end. (And the small size would probably not be an issue here, as most exhaust stuff is 8-1.25, or 5/16, 3/8 on older stuff.

The big problem for bolts with bad access, is these things are HUGE. They don't necessarily look like it, depending on your eyeballs, but they take up far more space than the big honkin' heads on a good old adjustable wrench. And they have to hit the bolt dead square. They won't hold if they need to be angled up or down just a whisker, forget about more than a whisker...

They're Stanly Black & Decker crap stuff. "Vice Grip" is long gone. Even on the tool trucks. That design post dates the end of "professional grade" vice grip pliers.


I love mine, I'm not knocking them in any way, and if they sound useful, I even endorse them. There's a dozen other crazy uses for them too. I used mine Friday bead stop on my hand truck tire at work. If you are doing lawn tractor/small lawn implement tires the hard way. They'll clip on most of those rim edges nearly if not damage free, and keep the tire from following your spoons around. The jaws at the very tip are amazingly useful (If you think of them) for grabbing stuff other vice grips won't due ot their unique geometry within the brand/type. They're a solid weapon in the arsenal if that sounds useful to you, but low clearance/bad access stuff like what this post is about, the only thing those are good for is tossing across the shop when you get ticked off at the job, because then you'll still have all the tools you need after you get done swearing at your bloody knuckles...
 
Jake M said:
They absolutely do. And IF THEY FIT, they are absolutely awesome for buggered stuff. Stuff that's got some remnants of the hex, but somebody has already been around it with a different wrench. Size is limited. 7/16 or 1/2 inch, I forget what the minimum is, but it's large enough to be dissapointing. They will grab stuff larger than what they have any business trying to loosen as well, no complaints on that end. (And the small size would probably not be an issue here, as most exhaust stuff is 8-1.25, or 5/16, 3/8 on older stuff.

The big problem for bolts with bad access, is these things are HUGE. They don't necessarily look like it, depending on your eyeballs, but they take up far more space than the big honkin' heads on a good old adjustable wrench. And they have to hit the bolt dead square. They won't hold if they need to be angled up or down just a whisker, forget about more than a whisker...

They're Stanly Black & Decker crap stuff. "Vice Grip" is long gone. Even on the tool trucks. That design post dates the end of "professional grade" vice grip pliers.


I love mine, I'm not knocking them in any way, and if they sound useful, I even endorse them. There's a dozen other crazy uses for them too. I used mine Friday bead stop on my hand truck tire at work. If you are doing lawn tractor/small lawn implement tires the hard way. They'll clip on most of those rim edges nearly if not damage free, and keep the tire from following your spoons around. The jaws at the very tip are amazingly useful (If you think of them) for grabbing stuff other vice grips won't due ot their unique geometry within the brand/type. They're a solid weapon in the arsenal if that sounds useful to you, but low clearance/bad access stuff like what this post is about, the only thing those are good for is tossing across the shop when you get ticked off at the job, because then you'll still have all the tools you need after you get done swearing at your bloody knuckles...
Click to expand...
I have three sizes and the smallest ones will go (just eyeballing them) on a #10 nut, maybe even smaller. Those are 1" squares on the background.
vg.jpg
GsT
 
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