Can't get bolt out,any tips?
Discussion
Anyone any tips here.The front suspension spring on my Rover 75 has broken.I'm trying to undo the bolt that clamps the bottom of the shock into the hub.I had it soaking in wd40 over night.I heated things up with a propane torch and it just won't budge and it's getting to that point where the bolt head is rounding.I've hammered on smaller sockets too to no avail.When the bolt head was,ahem,hexagon shaped i had a perfectly fitting socket on it,a breaker bar 'and' a 2 feet piece of tubing for more leverage,just can't break it!!Anyone help?
I guess the bolt is going into the hub, so there's no way to get a nut splitter onto it?
Perhaps try soaking it in plus gas or similar (slightly better penetrative properties than WD40) before trying a decent 6 pointed socket?
Edit - not able to blag an impact wrench either? May help get it off without trashing the hub.
Perhaps try soaking it in plus gas or similar (slightly better penetrative properties than WD40) before trying a decent 6 pointed socket?
Edit - not able to blag an impact wrench either? May help get it off without trashing the hub.
duncancallum said:
Put the nut back on the end and clout it with a hammer whilst turning the other end. Once it moves it will free off quickly
Or just undo the ball joint instead?
There usually is a nut on lower strut bolts but not this one,it's just a bolt that goes through a threaded hole.Or just undo the ball joint instead?
If you can get behind it to see the back of the threaded hole, soak from that side too using PlusGas. Do this after you have used a liberal amount of heat.
Then use some Irwin reverse thread bolt/nut removers. These are reverse threaded and tapered to bite down onto the bolt harder and firmer, the tighter it is in there.
Where abouts are you? You might find a helpful PHer is floating around nearby...
Then use some Irwin reverse thread bolt/nut removers. These are reverse threaded and tapered to bite down onto the bolt harder and firmer, the tighter it is in there.
Where abouts are you? You might find a helpful PHer is floating around nearby...
If you still have enough hex left that an impact wrench is well worth a try.
Once tried to get a crank pulley undone on a Spitfire engine - 1 3/4" (ish) socket, breaker bar, 8ft of scaffold pole, car against wall - no chance. Mates impact wrench - brrr, done.
If not - good advice above ^
Once tried to get a crank pulley undone on a Spitfire engine - 1 3/4" (ish) socket, breaker bar, 8ft of scaffold pole, car against wall - no chance. Mates impact wrench - brrr, done.
If not - good advice above ^
GadgeS3C said:
If you still have enough hex left that an impact wrench is well worth a try.
Once tried to get a crank pulley undone on a Spitfire engine - 1 3/4" (ish) socket, breaker bar, 8ft of scaffold pole, car against wall - no chance. Mates impact wrench - brrr, done.
If not - good advice above ^
It's getting in to give it a whack with anything,i have an impact wrench but access is terrible.Regarding the crank pulley bolt i got as good tip on that once,put straight breaker bar and socket on crank bolt,make sure the end of the bar rests against something solid(ie crossmembers?)and crank engine for a second,nut breaks no problem!1 might try as a last resort to weld a nut on it. Once tried to get a crank pulley undone on a Spitfire engine - 1 3/4" (ish) socket, breaker bar, 8ft of scaffold pole, car against wall - no chance. Mates impact wrench - brrr, done.
If not - good advice above ^
rumpelstiltskin said:
GadgeS3C said:
If you still have enough hex left that an impact wrench is well worth a try.
Once tried to get a crank pulley undone on a Spitfire engine - 1 3/4" (ish) socket, breaker bar, 8ft of scaffold pole, car against wall - no chance. Mates impact wrench - brrr, done.
If not - good advice above ^
It's getting in to give it a whack with anything,i have an impact wrench but access is terrible.Regarding the crank pulley bolt i got as good tip on that once,put straight breaker bar and socket on crank bolt,make sure the end of the bar rests against something solid(ie crossmembers?)and crank engine for a second,nut breaks no problem!1 might try as a last resort to weld a nut on it. Once tried to get a crank pulley undone on a Spitfire engine - 1 3/4" (ish) socket, breaker bar, 8ft of scaffold pole, car against wall - no chance. Mates impact wrench - brrr, done.
If not - good advice above ^
Just spent another 4 hours at it.My 15mm thick bar is bending with teh torque im getting on this bolt head,it's ridiculous!The head was originally 15mm and it's now down to about 13mm.Im managing to batter on smaller sockets and getting great leverage on teh sodding thing and it just won't budge,even welded a 20mm nut onto the bolt and the welds gave way!In fact i even swore at it and it didn't budge??Do i need to go and get another car?
I have a big compressor and an air ratchet but at the moment with all my projects it's getting the car and said compressor close enough to each other!.I'll leave it to the weekend and try and get them together,thanks for the advice so far,this is the first bolt that's ever beat me damnit.
I have a big compressor and an air ratchet but at the moment with all my projects it's getting the car and said compressor close enough to each other!.I'll leave it to the weekend and try and get them together,thanks for the advice so far,this is the first bolt that's ever beat me damnit.
In the past, I have removed the strut and the hub. This gives better access. You are then able to cut the bolt head off. It sounds to be honest, like the bolt has just about had it anyway.
Once you've done this, get the hub in the vice and drill it out using a cobalt drill. The chances of drilling the hole exactly parallel to the existing one is pretty slim to be honest, but once you have the hole, you can use a file to enable you to get the correct size bolt (not set screw) in there, with a nut on the back.
It aint easy doing this, and you sound as if you've done all the normal stuff.
As a matter of course, I have replaced all the sockets in my kit with 6 point sockets for exactly this problem. 6 pointers are much less likely to round a bolt.
All the best, I think everyone feels your pain
Once you've done this, get the hub in the vice and drill it out using a cobalt drill. The chances of drilling the hole exactly parallel to the existing one is pretty slim to be honest, but once you have the hole, you can use a file to enable you to get the correct size bolt (not set screw) in there, with a nut on the back.
It aint easy doing this, and you sound as if you've done all the normal stuff.
As a matter of course, I have replaced all the sockets in my kit with 6 point sockets for exactly this problem. 6 pointers are much less likely to round a bolt.
All the best, I think everyone feels your pain
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