Hi, since the first day I owned my Invicta (Going on about 4/5 years) it has had a trailor hitch on it. I am not sure if it is an original GM piece or just an aftermarket one. Anywho, it is really starting to bug the crap out of me and is starting to rust so I firgured it was time the dang thing came off. Well, to my suprise the bolts were rusted together (YA RIGHT! I had a bottle of WD-40 ready and waiting)! I used almost half a can, pulled out the torque wrench, even pounded on it a bit with a hammer. Nothing has worked. I was wondering if their was some miracle trick/product to get these rusted bolts off. Also, if your wondering, the hitch is bolted through the floor of the truck. Thanks, I hope to get some tips soon :3gears: !
rusted bolt If you if you know somebody who has a HOT WRENCH that's the way to go....saves time and knuckles...good luck , dave
Also, a cutoff wheel works great for stuff you don't plan on keeping and it makes a lot less heat. You can just cut the bolt heads or nuts right off as long as they're accessible. If you don't have one I'd say that almost any body shop would.
"Hot Wrench" = "Acetylene Torch" Very effective, if a bit crude. In the right hands, with the proper care and precautions. :laugh:
Thanks for the tips. I was contemplating using a cutoff wheel but my current air compressor is out of order at the moment, I plan on upgrading before the weekend though. So, I guess it will either be that or the hot wrench. Thanks for the replies.
I just went through this last week trying to get the bumper off my car so I could replace it. The nuts and bolts were frozen in 30 years of rust. I discovered that a product by POR-15 called Metal Ready is great at dissolving rust. So a combination of Metal Ready and WD-40 (not at the same time) did the trick. Took some time for everything to work and loosen up, but everything came loose and I'm now ready to reinstall the new bumper !!
Absolutely, positively verify where your gas tank vent is located! Some models have the vent above the rear axle and some have it near the rear bumper. If you plan on using anything like a torch, cutoff wheel, drill etc that can create/emit sparks, you need to remove the gas tank. WD40 is garbage. Get a can of PB Blaster, it is the best. I would also suggest letting the PB soak and then use an air impact wrench to tighten and then loosen the nuts. If that fails, try heating them with a propane torch or acetylene torch. Some heat will do wonders on rusted items. If all else fails, use a die grinder to cut them off.
rusted bolts &nuts Good old all american dremel tool with a cut off wheel will take the nuts off. Then you can get the bolts out.. Block the path of sparks toward gas fumes. :Smarty: I cant do without my dremel , it is worth every penny paid for it.
WD 40 is worthless on rusted hardware. I use PB blaster. penetrates really well. blast some BP tap on the bolt a bit some more PB let it soak. and loosens up quite well. -nate
Just stop by an auto store and grab a can of nut loosener (haha, did I say that?). There's all kinds, the more expensive kinds usually work a little better and will probably take care of your problem without having to risk blowing up yourself or heavy equipment.
PB Blaster is good stuff. Also, you can buy a nut splitter tool at any auto store. I've used them a lot to remove large nuts when wrenches wouldn't move 'em.
did anyone ever hear of kroil oil, the oil that creeps. have used it alot works excellent on rusted ****. thanks Ray ________ ZX14 VS HAYABUSA
Well, not concerning cars at all, but something about rusty/damaged bolts- I've repaired plenty of stuff at work that has nuts rusted on with dis-similar metal corrosion, damaged nuts/threads, etc, or stuff that has just been in hot/wet environments for too long, by drilling a hole into the side of the nut, then spraying my penetrating fluid through the hole directly to the threads that are under the nut. That hole can also be a good place to place a punch, so that you can rotate the nut with the punch and a hammer
$19.99 CH air chisel, I Have only used it on 3-4 bolts but each time it was a life saver. Few sec of very loud noise will stop the hair loss.
kick ass idea chris, I sometimes wonder why I don't think of things that seem so simple. That's a great idea to drill a hole and use as penetrating access and also a good spot for a punch. I'll use that for sure late chad
that isa really good idea! and i agree that pb blaster is the best for penetrating rust. used it when i took the exhaust manifolds off got every bolt out except one - not bad for 33 years of heating and cooling!
I had to do that on a lug nut on a Furd exploder. the lugnuts have a stupid stainless steel cover over them that twists off too I drilled 2 holes thru the sides of the nut and BP blasted thing came off like it was hand tight.
