Help with stuck bolts

[The Surveyor]

I'm stuck trying to remove the rear calipers of the rear axle of my Maserati Mexico project. I'm not sure how long they have been on there for but they are not for budging. The main problem is access, I've freed off the lock tabs and they are largish bolts (3/4 inch, 19mm heads) but due to there position, I can't get anything other than a spanner on them, no room for a socket so I can't use a long breaker bar.

I'm going to give them a soaking in release fluid but anybody got any thoughts?

I'd hate to snap off the heads as if this happened then e calipers still wouldn't come free and there is no access for drilling. It would need the whole rear axle removing which is not so ring I'd contemplated...

Help!

Paul

[mrmr96]

Heat?

[smartphone hater]

It's hard to picture without an, erm, picture but is it possible to to link another spanner something like this for that little extra leverage..

[The Surveyor]

Thanks guys, tried the two spanner method as I can just get in but wouldn't shift even with a full 32mm big spanner on the end of the 19mm, everything was flexing but the bolt wouldn't let go, it's proper FT.

I'll give it a week of penetrating oil then put some heat on it and give it another go. I'm just worried about snapping the bolt!

Paul

[mrmr96]

If you're worried about shearing the bolt then lack of leverag isn't your problem. Your problem is the bind between the nut and bolt. So penetrating fluid/heat will be the way to resolve it, not using bigger spanners or a hammer.

[Robb F]

Get yourself some plusgas. Miracle stuff.

[dpp]

Could be worth trying to tighten it a bit before trying to loosen it and get a big piece of pipe to go over the spanner for leverage. Watch you don't set the brake fluid on fire with the heat as is highly flammable.

[ch427]

Im guessing loctite has been used on them if they are caliper bolts. Normally a breaker bar is enough to get them started but if access is poor then your going to have to try some heat and stick to the spanners.
Not too much heat though or your seals will be useless

[Camaro]

Was in a same situation with a Mondeo. Turned out the ends of the bolts protruded out the other side of the caliper and had rusted over meaning for the length of threaded section I was trying to drag an extremely corroded bolt through. I couldn't get the thing started with a spanner, socket or a breaker bar. Having no access to heat, the next best thing I had was a cold chisel. Not very good for the bolt, but when you're coming close to rounding of a torx bolt its nearly the last option.

[one eyed mick]

ch427 said:

Im guessing loctite has been used on them if they are caliper bolts. Normally a breaker bar is enough to get them started but if access is poor then your going to have to try some heat and stick to the spanners.
Not too much heat though or your seals will be useless

Thatwould be the brown dry powdery loctite that grows with age ?

[ch427]

one eyed mick said:

Thatwould be the brown dry powdery loctite that grows with age ?

very funny

[niccis dad]

dpp said:

Could be worth trying to tighten it a bit before trying to loosen it and get a big piece of pipe to go over the spanner for leverage. Watch you don't set the brake fluid on fire with the heat as is highly flammable.

Yes. Try a little tightening first.

[XG332]

I have used a kitchen blowtorch quite alot in this situation.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Blowtorch-Co...

[one eyed mick]

Wack the bolt head in the direction that the bolt lies i.e. try to drivve it in this MAY help ,I have used this on some fasteners that have defeated a comb of 5/6 seriously experienced fitters/ mechanics on some seriously large machinery 50 mm dia bolts!! HTH

[buzzer]

try a long series aviation spanner on it if you can... the problem with the two spanner method is the springyness of using the second spanned in a way it was not designed.

I have only recently found just how useful a set of Aviation spanners are! A 19mm one is around 2 foot long!

[The Surveyor]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll be trying some heat over the weekend to see if I can break the grip of 40 years rust. I'm not worried about the seals at they are knackered anyway.

The main problem is that there just isn't room for hammers, extension bars, or even long spanners.

I'll keep spraying the creep-up oil onto the bolts.


Paul

[Upatdawn]

wire brush the items before using penetrating oil, if they still wont shift use the hot spanner (gas torch)

[mr.man]

I think it's time for the pad saw. That's a handle that you slip a metal cutting hacksaw blade in.
From the photo you have room to cut vertically down into the nut which will break open when you apply
further leverage. Only have about 3-4 inches of blade sticking out and be prepared for it to take about
15 minutes to cut.

[SwanJack]

mr.man said:

From the photo you have room to cut vertically down into the nut which will break open when you apply
further leverage. Only have about 3-4 inches of blade sticking out and be prepared for it to take about
15 minutes to cut.

Trouble is, that's not a photo of the bolt in question

Not sure what the set up of the axle is on your car, but could you drop/lower the axle in some way to give more room?

Edited by SwanJack on Saturday 11th May 11:14

[Upatdawn]

smartphone hater said:

It's hard to picture without an, erm, picture but is it possible to to link another spanner something like this for that little extra leverage..

if a ring goes on then cut the other end off and slide some scaffold pipe over the handle but it could still snap the bolt, thats life with rusted in bolts im afraid