One of the biggest frustrations when disassembling a vehicle for restoration, or even repair, is the dreaded seized or stripped bolt. Stuck hardware occurs when a bolt, nut or screw gets corrosion between the threads and they won’t budge. Many times, this leads to breaking the bolt off and having to drill and re-tap the hold or trying to remove it with a bolt extractor. I won’t even mention what happens when the drill, tap or extractor breaks off in the same hole!!
Below are my top 10 ways to deal with getting these suckers extracted without wrecking the precious part they are in. This include tips on how to remove a rounded bolt or a bolt with a stripped head in addition to those that are seemingly stuck in place for all eternity.
1. Blunt Impact/Force – This is usually my first step when attempting to loosen stubborn bolts. I always use this method before I begin removing exhaust studs from a cylinder head. There are a few methods for this. One is to hit on the head of the bolt in the center with a chisel or punch. Another is use an impact wrench/gun and hit it a few brief times in reverse and forward. Either of these methods work on the theory of freeing the corrosion bond between the threads by vibration or impact. It works sometimes on lightly seized bolts but isn’t a 100 percent winner every time. Keep in mind, though, that it can be combined with many of the other methods to help make the job easier.
2. Heat – If you paid attention in chemistry class, you would have learned that when you heat and cool metal, it expands and contracts. The way that I have used this in the past for removing a corroded bolt is to heat the head/body of the bolt until it is almost red hot. By doing this the bolt expands due to the heat, and when it cools it will contract, thus breaking the corrosion in between the threads. A similar method is to heat the area around the bolt to make the hole it is threaded into actually expand and open up a little bit. The bolt then fits a bit looser and can be threaded out. Use of an impact wrench or gun helps when initially breaking it loose since the force from the hammering of the impact wrench breaks the corrosion apart as well. Use penetrants like Kroil or CRC Freeze-Off to aid in the removal process.
3. Relief Cuts – This is my “sure-fire” method for removing most stripped bolts/nuts. It isn’t as clean/civilized as the others, but it is a heck of a lot faster! With this method you will be putting 2-3 cuts in the bolt head or nut. You want to cut just enough that you are almost all the way through the head of the bolt or the nut. You then can hit the cuts with a chisel and a hammer a few times, thus splitting the nut or bolt and relieving the tension on them. With nuts, you can normally just split it off of the bolt, clean up the threads, and install a new nut. With bolts, you can use some locking jaw pliers to grab the bolt head and turn the bolt out, usually the relief cuts will let the pliers squeeze the head of the bolt enough that you can turn it out easily.
4. Rock the Bolt – This is another one to try early on in the bolt removal process and in conjunction with other methods. You want to slowly work the bolt/nut back and forth. I like to take a ratchet and loosen the nut/bolt a little bit until it gets a bit of tension behind it again, then go back the other way and turn it to almost where you started, before loosening a little bit further than last time. As you expose some of the hidden threads, you want to spray some penetrant on those threads so that the penetrant works its way back into the hidden threads. It can be a slow process, but I’ve gotten some pretty stuck bolts out this way with a little bit of patience.
5. Drill’er Out! – This is the same concept as the relief cuts with a couple small twists or surprises that can occur along the way. I like to use this one as more of one of my last-ditch efforts or if the bolt has broken off flush with the surface. What you want to do is take a small drill bit and drill all the way through the bolt. This uses a bit of the chemistry a few of the other methods use. It heats the bolt by drilling it, and it also makes a hollow portion in the bolt so it can contract more as you attempt to remove it. I’ve had times where just drilling the bolt will allow the bolt to turn out quite easily. Other times, you may have to keep stepping up your size of the drill bit with a drill index until you are just a bit smaller than the diameter of the bolt. At this point, you may be able to carefully chisel or break the bolt apart in the hole. You can then extract the pieces and clean the threads back up with a tap set or a universal tap tool.
6. Weld’er Up! – This is one method for how to remove a stripped bolt that can be used if the nut or bolt head is so severely stripped you can’t turn it with locking jaw pliers. It is also useful if the head is broken off the bolt. You can simply take a washer and a bolt of a slightly larger size and tack weld it to the bolt body. Once you have it tack welded, I like to fill the nut with weld and run a bead around the base of where it meets the bolt body. This allows you to put a socket on the bolt again as well as putting heat into the bolt that will allow it to expand and contract, breaking some of the corrosion. I prefer to use a MIG Welder to do this job as it allows for a little more control than with a stick welder.
7. Air Hammer/Chisel – This combines a few of the methods already mentioned. Its biggest advantage is that it can be used when the bolt head is stripped. This makes it helpful when you’re trying to figure out how to remove stripped lug nuts and door bolts. You basically chisel/hammer it so that the bolt loosens. I have had it work with moderate success, but it needs to be on a bolt/nut that is an open area.
8. Bolt or Screw Extractor – There are many styles/gimmicks. Some work, but many do not. They use hardened bits that grab into the inside of the bolt or nut to remove it. Many require you to drill a small hole in the bolt, then thread these bits in. Whatever you do, do not break the extractor off inside the hole, or you are in for a long, horrible process. Normal drill bits will not touch these, so you will need specialty drill bits to drill through them. If the stud is still present you can use a Threaded Stud Remover to extract a stud without damaging the threads or hardware.
9. Pipe Wrench – This is a pretty basic way to tackle a stripped bolt, and most everyone has a pipe wrench kicking around their shop. Tighten the pipe wrench down on the bolt/nut and as you crank on the bolt with the pipe wrench, it actually grabs harder onto the bolt head. Just watch you knuckles if it slips off!
10. Reinstall Bolts That Surround the Stuck Bolt/Nut – Sometimes, a number of bolts in an area will hold a part on. Occasionally, these are meant to be removed in a specific order. Make sure you check your repair manual for any installation/removal order. If there is none, I like to work from the center and work your way to the outside. Reinstalling some of the bolts around the stuck bolt may take some of the force off of the stuck bolt and allow you to remove it. This can take some time when you are removing a broken bolt, but is also less likely to damage surrounding areas than some other methods.
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If a nut is stuck on a bolt, such as a rusted toilet bolt or a stud, a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel can be handily used to cut the nut off. Once you get the nut off, and have better access to what’s left of the bolt, you can often get the stud or bolt out with Vise-grips (use only the “Made in USA” kind, in my patriotic opinion!). The Dremel wheels are thin enough to cut through the side of a nut without damaging the bolt too much, or even to cut the bolt clean off parallel to the washer underneath it. Very useful.
I’m kind of surprised that this article does not include what should be the very first step in removing a stuck bolt or nut. That would be a rust penetrating oil from one of the major manufacturers (loctite, liquid wrench, blaster). Soaking a nut, bolt or stud in one of these for several hours to several days has almost always worked for me. Almost. The only thing you have to be careful about is that if you hit the offending fastener with a torch after applying penetrating oil, depending on the brand, it will sometimes flare up quite a bit as the oil burns off. Patience often beats brute force and it vastly reduces the risk of breaking the stud/bolt or stripping a bolt.
Yep a huge problem todays cars are worse in Australia anyway we have lost all our manafactoring to assia sad days ahead so car steel is coming from china low quality and ferris oxide happens in only afew years i always use a anti seiz copper grease as it only can help stop rust we uesd to add a few drops of oul but found penzoil soild this copper grease what do you guy think do you do a silular prosses or is my ocd over board we refuse to work for insurance mostly resto and private ..
WD-40® SPECIALIST® RUST RELEASE PENETRANT SPRAY ACTUALLY WORKS QUITE WELL. But of course there is always one that just will not come out.
Thanks for the great tips. I’m in the process of replacing the cone-shaped front wheel bearings on a 2004, 2WD Ford Ranger and, wouldn’t you know it, the last caliper mounting bracket bolt head was so rusted that it rounded before I could get any loosening torque on it. I hammered the top of the bracket to loosen it a bit, put a vice grip on the rounded head and wacked the bracket with a rubber mallet. After a couple of good hits I felt the thread give, which allowed the bolt to unscrew. I’m getting a new set of 4 bolts for 14 bucks. Beats having to cut out the bolt of worse get a new steering knuckle.
Your tips and those from the forum folks helped me a ton in time and treasure. Thanks a bunch!!
Having a nightmare of a time with 2 studs have snapped of on a crankcase. I have managed to get some studs out.
I have welded this just sheared off, bought a odd looking stud remover and that just went round and around not gripping, stillsons worked the best but studs are now too short so might drill next
I just drilled out a motor mount boat and I had to retype it or use the 5/16 drillbit and tap to three eights by 16 for Rich to best thing is to use a small drove it at first dead center and then go little bigger to you get to your 5/16 and whatever you do do not break off Daisy out order tap I mean into the block they do have tours to take out the taps only three flare in for flair and maybe they might have to flare I don’t know anything about swirl
The Fault in that were stripped and they were so badly stuck together they wouldn’t even move. Getting the toilet bowl off. Read a few. Now I’m going to try. Thank you
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For rounded bolt heads that aren’t too badly stuck, you can use the cut off wheel on a Dremel tool to slice a slot in the bolt head and then use a screwdriver to turn it. A screwdriver probably won’t provide enough torque to pull anything really tough, but for a lot of jobs it’s a very fast and easy fix. Just don’t slice too deep and cut off half the bolt head.
ever used KEROSENE? that works like madjic!!
I’ve spent a lifetime fixing, restoring and repairing old cars, bikes and tractors and corroded in bolts and studs are a constant pain. Firstly make sure your tools are a good, tight fit on the fastener. Cheap sockets or wrenches make rounded corners almost certain. If you can heat the item normally by running the engine or taking it for a run do so and as soon as your back spray liberally with release oil of your choice and let it cool completely, overnight if possible. If I’m planning to work at the thing on say Saturday I will do this each evening from Wednesday. Be conscious of the diameter of the threaded parts a 6mm m/s bolt will not survive the attention of a 3/4″ socket and 3′ breaker bar.
Sometimes an impact driver works wonders on smaller diameter fasteners, it doesn’t apply too much torque preventing breakage but hits it repeatedly which can break the corrosion’s grip. For the really stubborn stuff a mig welder is a godsend but you have to understand when you go down this rout the bolt, stud or whatever will be unusable. Also be careful of finishes around the work area, a welder, even a mig can do damage. Favorite method, used on Fordson tractor wheel nuts and similar. Heat to a dull red with Oxy/Acetylene and quench immediately with cold water. I actually had a wheel nut take the force of a 13 stone man standing on a 4′ breaker and not move, when this method was used the nut started and screwed off by hand. Remember many small steps to success is better than one giant leap to failure.
I am replacing a toilet and one of the nuts are stripped. How can I get it off without having to break the toilet???
Think about the thread pressure. For stuck nut or bolt hammer hard once or twice. The impact should drive into the threads. This breaks the rusted bond of the two metals and usually loosens it just enough. Also use candle wax and heat. Use the wax like you were sweating a pipe. The wax is drawn into the threads and acts as a lubricant. Have fun
I am changing the water pump and radiator on my old truck. The last bolt on the right (behind air compressor and all) will not come out. Thinking it’s gotten hot and “welded the bolt to the block. Any suggestions? ?
No pb blaster. No room for a wrench. And a stripped 3/8’s bolt on the throttle intake of a 1989 ford f150 with a 5.0 302 efi. How can I fix this problem?
DOT 3 break will take the barnacle of the Titanic also paint i spray it on walk away return in 15-20 minutes remove bolt screw whatever is stuck including steel sleeve thru moyor mounts frozen to bolts
I work at a EDM shop that we can burn a bolt out of any block, head or bracket. We use a brass electrode that can remove any bolt, the only draw back is that the part has to be removed and taken to the shop. We do this for automotive, motorcycles and marine industries, besides fabricating parts for gun manufactures.
I have used my plasma cutter over the center of the obstinate bolt, Make sure its centered or you risk damaging the part it’s in. Works really well since it heats the bolt and gives you a hole to use easy-outs, Of course this assumes you have room to work with, otherwise chemical warfare (Kroil, PB,etc.) and brute force are sometimes the only way.
There is a tool call Sock-it-out ( do a internet search). There is several different sizes, metric and standard and for deep or shallow hexs. These are made to remove rounded ou hex key screws. They or taper hex keys that you put in the rounded out hex, hold them with a adjustable wrench or locking pliers, hit the end with a hammer as you reverse or back out the screw. I work on equipment that is put together with 90% hex key (allen) screws and bolts and screws. It works 95% or so.
I understand the relief cuts in a nut but I can’t picture the relief cuts in a bolt (tip #3). So, you have a bolt stuck in something and the only thing you can get to is the head of the bolt (like it is threaded into an engine block). How/where are you cutting the relief slots?
Aboard ship, corrosion was always a problem, though close attention kept it from getting out of hand, most of the time.
It was different when I was stationed on Midway Island in the mid-fifties. There, it was salt water and brackish water corrosion on equipment several decades old and with minimal attention. Strictly breakdown maintenance. As a Navy Machinery Repairman (MR1) assigned to maintain the various pumps and valves, I became quite adept at removing frozen fasteners. Most of our problems were bolts and studs that broke off below the mating surface. They always seemed to break at the last thread leaving the grip intact. This might often be an inch or more below the surface. This was where a stick welder was invaluable. Using as small as a 1/16 inch steel alloy rod, you could reach down into the bolt hole, strike an arc on the buried fastener and slowly build up a column of metal until it was above the surface. The trick was to then weld a large nut to this column of weld metal and let it sit until cool. The combination of heat and a solid metal interface brought the fastener out every time. The trick was using the stick electrode as the flux insulated the rod and you could slide the rod into the hole using the sides as a guide.
Personally, aboard ship and on the Island, we used peppermint oil dispensed by the ship/station’s sick bay. As a penetrating oil, it was supreme. Personally, I use a mix of auto trans fluid and kerosene in a 50/50 mix from a pump oil can. It works well and is the cheapest as well as the most reliable when the entire fastener is accessible. Dripping the paraffin from candles is old school and effective. It’s that there are more effective solvent/lubricants available.
Using edge contact sockets and box wrenches is the safest way to install and remove fasteners. When you have to try and remove a fastener using an EZ-Out, you have to use the smallest possible for the size of the fastener. Too small and you stand a good chance of breaking the tool. Too large and you will expand the fastener and jam it into the hole even tighter, making it more difficult to remove. Only use such a tool after applying a good release agent.
If you are going to drill out a bolt, down to the minor diameter, be certain you have the drill centered and parallel to the center line of the fastener or you will damage the threads as you increase the drill size. If done correctly, you can carefully pick out the fastener threads from the hole, unwinding like a coil spring. If you are off-center, then drill as large as you can without contacting the internal threads. Then use a small chisel, preferably a cape chisel. Set it on the side of the fastener with the most meat and carefully collapse it into the hole, then remove it with a pair of needle nose pliers.
For frozen bushings or fasteners trapped in a hole with access to both sides, as in an A-arm, and without a press, consider using a DIY puller. With a piece of threaded rod, as large as possible for the job, select a washer the size of bushing, and back it up with a couple of washers and another nut. Once in place, use a large socket or an inverted hole saw, or piece of pipe as a receiver for the part you are removing. For a bolt, it helps to drill a center hole on the pushed end to set the gear puller’s screw in position. This prevents the drive screw from slipping off work-piece.
On Midway, an unsupervised worker inadvertently broke off a 3/8-24 fastener in the hub of our Grumman Goose’s propeller. The grip length was too long so the kid tried to keep winding it down until the head contacted the hub. No way. It broke well before that happened. Unfortunately, the fastener broke at the end of the last thread, leaving the threaded part firmly jammed in the bottom of the hole. It was another case of the fastener also breaking below the surface. Naturally, we couldn’t use any heat, or hammering, and as tightly wound as the fastener had been, there was little hope for any lubricant releasing the threaded stub. In this instance, I used a 3/8″ hand drill. with two guys on either side and in front, they guided me in keeping the drill straight up and down in both planes. After the increasing step sizes, there were only the threads left in the hole enabling the removal of the remaining pieces and the drilling debris. The Chief in charge about had a heart attack when he saw how we were attacking the solution. After all, we had this huge gantry drill, so why was I using a small hand drill. It all worked out well and the Chief did not have to send the propeller back to NAS Barbers Point leaving the “Goose” disabled until it was repaired and returned to the Island. As a thanks, we were offered rides when the airdales went on their qualifying flights to retain their flight pay bonuses. These were a couple of hours out and across the International Date Line and back as well as overflying any fishing boats on the way.
In every case, use proper eye and face protection. Hardened steel sometimes shatters and flings shrapnel. Drillings are hot and sharp.
I would drill it out to the tap size and retap it, pipe threads are tapered so you can tap it deeper if needed.
The other approach would be to drill it out as much as possible and then get a piece of stainless steel tubing that fits in the hole and slather it with epoxy and run it through to the engine.
If you’re going to use a torch or weld wash away all the stuff you’ve put on with carb cleaner or a soap n water solution. Never use brake cleaner, when heated it turns into a nerve agent. I’ve found PB Blaster + Kroil to work best but they need time to work, even Hydrogen peroxide but you need to make a dam around the part for it to work. I’ve worked on a few boats + salt water corrosion is a nightmare, usually a saw-zall or wiz wheel fixes it. Anything exposed to salt water or road salt needs to be assembled with Never-Sieze when possible to avoid the nightmares this article is about. Egr + exhaust manifold hardware usually requires a torch or the new inductive heaters (hand held). Stock up on PB! Good luck
We call Kroil “Magic Juice”. It is amazing how well that stuff works. Keep spraying it and let it soak in. Kroil and heat will remove most any stuck nut or bolt as long as you still have something to grip.
I thought I had run into every way possible to remove rusted and stuck bolts. the toughest I have ever had is steel bolts in aluminum especially on motor cycles. the best easy outs I have found were some my Dad had made a tapered square that’s been hardened but KD tools took it a step further and had a edge ground along all four of the tapered sides. Drill your hole tap it in and put a crescent wrench on it and out they come. I will have to try the fellas comment above with the bees wax. All in all I think we all agree it’s a royal pain in the you know what.
I use reverse drill bits for flush broken off bolts, this works every time. also seen a guy repairing a broken manifold y pipe stud bolt he welded and nub onto the broken bolt to be able to get ahold of it with channel locks
I always assumed the tamperproof Torx bit was to keep the average Joe from messing with a fastener that shouldn’t be messed with(like some kid taking the bathroom stalls apart with his penknife or a “mechanic” messing with the unknown). Not everyone has that special bit in their pocket. In Mark’s case above; I believe the Torx bit is being used as an “easy out” of sorts, as it can cut into the rounded off allen screw. I can see the using the tamperproof bit over a regular Torx in that if it snaps off, you have a fighting chance drilling it out… IMHO.
try using Q20 the best bolt penetrent out there!!
The bolt may be frozen in the metal sleeve of the bushing.
When you are drilling, have left handed drill bits as sometimes the action of drilling will loosen the threads and the piece will spin out on its own before you get a chance to destroy the threads.
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I used the threading tool now it’s stuck help!!!!
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cant remove bolt from power steering pump to reservoir help please
I tried everything to get this stripped log nut off my car and it’s getting worse . …I used drill bits hoot torch and chisels . Is there another method I can go
i have a problem removing a rounded starter bolt …
Another trick for removing broken bolts is to drill the center of bolt as mentioned and peck/turn it out with a sharp center punch and hammer. I actually did stud and bolt removal for an engine manufacturer for a few years and learned this method from an old pro.
I’m trying to take off a nut on a bolt connected to the motor mound on top its stripped I’ve tried a but extractor it just won’t come out I was told to use a chisel are there other ways of taking it off it seems very difficult to do
Mike , you were a life saver. I fought a bolt on my drivers wheel for 2 solid days. Gone through 2 cans of Pb blaster, 1 can of freeze off, and wd40. Nothing worked. Read your post . Drilled 4 tiny holes in bolt.. Sprayed some more Pb blaster. 10 mns later came right off.. Thanks
I find the PB Blaster works Great. Smells really bad. Especially when set on fire with a Oxy/Acetylene torch working in an exhaust shop.
Ahhh, Salt water corrosion! After snapping motor mount bolts on my Yamaha Waverunners( stainless bolt in brass insert) I found success. Heat the bolt or pin then spray it with CRC Freeze Off. the thermal shock basically shatters or “explodes” the corrosion and out comes the bolt. Good luck!
I have been a heavy vehicle mechanic for over 30 years. Like Jim wrote use wax. I use a Castrol Wax Stick or just a good paraffin wax slow burning candle. You can heat like Jim wrote or after heating it red hot as in #2. As it cools off keep touching the wax to the bolt, it will first go up in smoke. Keep testing it till the wax melts but does not burn up, then flood it with wax and let it suck in to the threads. I do this if the PB Blaster does not work.
I find on really bad ones that if I use fish oil and leave it for 24 hrs or so it creeps through and frees up along with the other methods you describe here.
with rusted bolts you use a reverse drill bit . use a bit with a smaller size 50% than the bolt . drill into it all the way . then spray the caster oil rust penetrating material. use a torch if necessary then place an easy out extractor in the drill hole to remove.
most times the reverse drill bit is all that is needed.
if you use a fwd typical drill bit your driving it in more [not good!]
on the O2 sensors use torch heat till it smokes then using a cold wrench unscrew. the wrench will shrink the O2 so it will break up the rusted threads..
Great article. I’ve tried them all. I should print this, however and keep it around just to focus my anger when it happens and to maintain a sense of order of these things. You are totally right about threading in the surrounding bolts. I had a situation once where I did that by accident and realized what had happened. After threading in and tightening the surrounding bolts, the one I was having trouble with just threaded right out. Of course I had been messing with it for a while so the corrosion was broken up inside. But it took a great deal of tension off the head of the bolt and out it came.
Recently, I had one so seized and ended up breaking off a an extractor inside. It was such a mess that I decided to replace the part I was working on with new, which was nice option to have. Later, I decided to cut the part in half and look at what I was dealing with. Even with the part and bolt cut in half, all I could remove was my extractor piece. The threads of the bolt appeared to be melded into the casting of the part. I never did get the bolt out!
be careful with the heat on the sensor. I had the same problem and ended up tearing and crushing the exhaust. Then I had to get someone to re-weld the pipe and fitting.
Could someone elaborate on tip 3 – Relief Cuts – as it relates to a bolt? Is the idea that you’re trying to split the bolt lengthwise all the way into the hole into which it’s threaded? I’m just picturing that if the bolt is tightly siezed in the hole, then how will splitting it allow the bolt to loosen?
I have a block drain plug siezed in a BBC, so this article was very timely.
I have been a certified welder and machinist for over 45 years and I have several tricks that always works. Broken off bolt: drill a 1/8 ” hole in center, heat to dill red and let sit until cool enough to touch and spray KROIL penetrating oil. Drill out 1/8″ holelarge enough for ease-out. Another is removing outer bearing race. Heat up race with torch and turn piece upside down. After race cools down, it will fall out. Hope this helps some down the road
The pic is of the back side of a vw cross flow watercooled head, upside down. Those exhaust studs always break or thread out. I always heat the nut first and use an impact to remove. Usually does the trick.
I use PB Blaster all of the time and it works great setting overnight for the really rusted fasteners that refuse to break loose.
I would STRONGLY discourage ANYONE from using and impact wrench or driver on any frozen bolt or nut. It’s for sure a good way to ensure that you break the bolt off and then you are in for a ton of work and frustration. Either heat or penetrating fluid and time work the best. I have even heated around the bolt and when it cools enough to not cause a fire, I then spray on the penetrating fluid. Had very good results this way.
Pipe wrench.
That is a great idea that I never thought of. Thanks!
Try alittle heat and a pipe wrench if room is an issue try chisels drop exhaust and get more space to work
I just welded a new bung two inches from the old one. I had to to lengthen the wires on the new O2 sensor without any issues
Here’s a tip that might keep you from having to use more extreme methods in the first place. Before trying to loosen the bolt or nut, turn the wrench to tighten it first. Works best with a box wrench and a rap of a hammer. It’s not a 100% guarantee but it’s worked for me for years.
I have dealt exclusively with 5/8 or smaller broken bolts and nuts
for small parts electrolysis is the way to go
two days in the solution ,and the nut usually comes right off
heating and quenching always works
if the screw is small use a dremel with a cut off wheel and cut a slot in the end
then use a screwdriver and turn it IN
because sometimes the threads are rusted solid on the back side
if it dosnt budge use heat and water ,4-5 times and it will come loose
once it starts to move rock it back and forth and use penetrant
heres where you must be patient heat and quench more if needed,use penetrant
make sure the exposed broken part is ground smooth so the broken threads wont catch
The washer welded on a larger broken bolt works good also
ive removed hundreds of broken off trim screws
sometimes on a body screw if you have access to the back side,use heat and quench and then use a vice grip on the back side and turn it INTO the body,dont try to remove it
brute force never works for me
ive had quite a few people bring their parts to me and ive never failed
but some of these problems I read here are going to be tough if the access is limited
What’s with the hole in the “tamper proof” Torx bit? How does that help. With Allen socket heads? One must be carefull not to mix similar sized metric and standard wrenches & sockets. Also be sure to use a sharp hex Allen wrench as the corners round off with useage and promote slippage. You can grind them back to get fresh points, but some times they are just worn out and need to go away. Also be sure the socket hole in the screw is clean so as to get full debth/engagement. Allen sockets can be a real pain at times, but at least you got a pilot hole to start your drill in….RooDog….
If at all possible try to build a dam around the bolt with clay, epoxy, etc. Fill the dam with PB Blaster and go away for several days. Often hopelessly stuck bolts then come loose easily. Don’t wait HOURS, wait DAYS!
I have been doing milllwright work for 50 years so we have run into many stuck nuts and bolts that just have to come out or off,and it has been my job to have a good way to do this . My best solution to most stuck bolts is bees wax .What you do is heat the nut or bolt with a small propane torch just to get the area too hot to touch then put some bees wax on and left it melt into the threads and then have a coffee and let it do its job then enjoy your job,,,jim from canada
How do u get a bolt off if it’s striped almost like circle pretty much
Hi I’ve got 2 x 8mm bolts with a 10mm heads, on the base of the conrod that claps to the crank shaft that are I think lock tight on. They’re difficult to get to with a socket rench. The ring spanner keeps slipping & mutlirench isn’t much good either. What can I do?
Same thing for me. EGR valve on a Ford. Stripped one of the bolts really bad. Did you figure it out?
PB BLASTER all the way>
That shit is serious.
my mothers scooty pep+ has been get seized due to lack of oil….. and piston head has strucked over to connecting rod……. what shall i suppose to do now…………..
If the allen head is stripped and the broken allen is removed try a tapered safety torx bit, it is the one with a hole in the center. Tap it in securely witg a hammer and use a bit ratchet to remove. We use this method every week at work.
I had a similar problem and fixed it by using a mini air powered hacksaw I bought at Harbor Freight. I cut relief cuts inside the galvanized pipe in three places and then tapped one chunk out. The rest came out without a problem. Just be careful not to cut into your bronze piece.
try reheating,but this time take an old candle and run it around the bolt. as it runs around it will penetrate along the threads and lubricate the threads. then try to turn it back out.i have used this method a lot and found this to be very good.hope it helps.
I have the same situation, toyota tundra , downstream O2 sensor , nut rounded off. How did you do with yours ? what method
Bronze bodies raw water filter had a galvanized hose fitting screwed in rusted of course in the salt waterand broke off the barbette portion leaving the threaded portion screwed in tight. Six months of Kroil and it won’t budge so I’m suspecting seized as well as or instead of rusted. Area is 3″ from the fiberglass hull where the fitting exits the filter body. I’m thinking PB Blaster with a little heat but since it’s hollow one of those reverse thread extractors here’s the problem 13/16″ wrench but the hole is 1/2″. Second problem the other end of the hose fits in to the engine transmission before moving the cooling water to the impeller and engine itself. Of course it’s a tight fitting jungle down there in the bilge. I’m in Mexico but coming up to Tucson next month with Ace, Harbor Freight and Lowes readily available. Your best ideas please? Other than a short hard conversation with the idiot that installed galvanized into Bronze.
Thank you.
Michael
If you have a torch, heat around the bolt until it gets a good red, then hit it with PB Blaster. The cooing effect causes the blaster to be “sucked” right into the threads… Broke off a bolt, but there’s still some sticking up ? thread the shank, and put a nut on it, and weld it, if there’s enough shank, you can put two nuts, and cinch them against each other. then heat and PB blaster again… Heat and PB works almost every time…
The story of my life! Stuck bolts, frozen heads, broken heads, easy-outs. Good grief, I’ve had them all. I read these accounts and laugh and grimace and shout at my wife. She just shakes her head. Right now, I’ve got a vibration dampener bolt with a totally ruined head in a Volvo crankshaft flange down under a wheel well behind a front wheel hub. I’m going to bed. It’s late and cold and I don’t have and can’t get some Kroil oil.
i was on a boat today, i had a pin keeping a cylinder between two ears. It was the hydraulic system for the steering.
there was 4 pins two came out easy they were not threaded just poped out with a cro bar, the other two were threaded took one out with a pipe wrench and a long tube for leverage, but the last pin was SEIZED I mean… we tryed everything, even used the oxy torch to heat the ears and cylinder in hopes that is might you know it might expand the metal and release the pin . while at the same time SMASHING it with a hammer to try and get it to release. but within 3 or 4 hours we might have gotten it to move ummm 1, 1 1/2 threads.
the room its in is tinyyyyyy no room to move at all really. Dose anyone have any ideas
If im not being specific enough let me know what you want to know
The cylinder is 3″ + easy and the pin holding it between the ears is 1″
ANY SUGGESTIONS
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Trying to get egr valve off small block Chevy bolts are so seized I fell out of the engine compartment trying to loosen…. yeah laugh it up… (I did). I have now stripped the head mostly round. Bolt is 3/8 head. I’ve used lubes I’ve tapped head with hammer…. ready to start throwing my tools. Help?
Neded help please! I just broke a bold from oil pump. I try to drill with extractor but is not working. any advice?
I drilled a 1/32 inch hole in the top of the head bolt and squirted PB penetrate into the hole. It works it way down the shaft of the head bolt to the threads.
Thank you. I’ve been looking for a resource like this for a while.
RE: Joe Suarez –
I have found that a similar sized torx bit will often grab an allen socket that is rounded or stripped. The blades of the torx shape tend to bite into what’s left of the allen corners. If the torx doesn’t grab firmly, you may be able to go one size up and hammer it into the allen socket. In a real bind, you can get an extra torx bit to sacrifice and put a little JB weld on the blades, then tap it into place in the rounded allen. Just make sure to degrease everything first or the JB is worthless, and have patience. Let the JB set up for a full 24 hours before you attempt to turn the setup. Also, don’t get carried away with the JB weld. If you use to much and it squishes out of the allen socket and bonds to the threads, you will only make things worse.
i have a bolt stuck on my lower control arm of my truck the nut is off i can not harm the bolt ive tryed beating it out pb blaster impact and still in idk if the bushing is holding it or not but i need tool or trick to get it out
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Very nice information . If the bolt is large enough then you can drill a hole in it , tap it with left hand threads , insert a small bolt in it . Tightening the small bolt loosens the big one .
Well, my smallest bit I started with is stuck in the middle and it won’t drill anymore. I read you didn’t’ even want to mention a stuck bit, but I’m stuck. I’m thinking I have to start a new hole between the bolt and the side and damage the threads a little.
Another method is to use a left hand twist drill bit. Have had great results with this.
This is what I have found works best as a lubricant/penetrant and has worked on every stuck nut and bolt I’ve had to deal with…
PB Blaster…
It also works great at removing weatherstripping, breaking the glue up into a goo that can be easily wiped off..and stickers..
Many uses for this stuff…
Have an O2 sensor that is seized up in the exhaust pipe and can’t get it out. Stripped the nut. Don’t have a lift. Need help
Thanks for information. I have a seized allen nut in a expensive airshock. Will not come out.. Trying to drill out but am concerned about damaging threads.. Allen screw is a set screw. any suggestions for removing broken allen wrench in set screw
I usually just hammer it out of frustration, so this post is like heaven sent to me. I recently bought a Mig Welder, which is as you said, much easier to control. And the heating process works like an angel.So thank you for the advice and keep up the great work!
Pretty much the way you did it, I have become accustom to using Kroil, from Kano labs. it is the best penetrating lube out there. I have seen it get rusty bolts loose where others will not.