Unscrewing a rusty, oxidized bolt or nut is always a problem for us. It seems nothing complicated, but such an activity can take quite a lot of time and effort.
Also, a broken bolt is often the result of a large number of troubles, regardless of the model and brand of the vehicle. Under the influence of an unfavorable environment, the bolts rust. The fragility of the metal manifests itself and the bolt breaks inside the thread when unscrewed due to heavy load.
After reading the article, you will find the most suitable option for yourself, which will help you easily and quickly deal with the frozen “culprit”.
How to unscrew stuck nuts on the manifold?
Usually high concentrations of sulfuric acid are used; if the bolt is simply oxidized and not stuck, then just drop it on the thread - the oxides will come off and after a few hours everything will unscrew perfectly.
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Hammer and chisel
You can use a hammer and chisel to loosen the bolt.
It is necessary to install the chisel on the edge of the bolt head at an angle. It is necessary to direct the tip of the chisel in the direction of unscrewing the bolt and give a strong blow to the chisel with a hammer.
In this way, you can unscrew almost any rusty bolt. Alternatively, hit the key, but without applying much force. If the “culprit” does not unscrew, there is a chance that you can “lick” the edges of the bolt with the key.
Warming up
You should try to achieve the desired result by heating the capricious fasteners. Everything will do here - a gas torch, a soldering iron, a pocket lighter. You can even use rags soaked in gasoline or other flammable liquid, but this should be done carefully, following safety rules. Without waiting for the old nut or rusty bolt head to cool down, you need to try to unscrew them. The best choice for these purposes is not an open-end wrench, but a box or socket wrench. If you don’t succeed the first time, you can try combining techniques - tapping well, loosening, using a lever.
Safety precautions
You should not forget about basic safety rules in any case of car care, especially when unscrewing rusty nuts. According to statistics, it is as a result of this banal activity that people most often knock off their fingers and hand joints, especially if it is carried out in a hard-to-reach place. To avoid this, you need to:
- Be extremely attentive, controlling your every movement;
- Clearly predict the development of events and remove foreign objects in the direction in which the hand with a spanner or other tool used will move when unscrewing. Then, even if the key slips, the hand, by inertia, continues its movement, will not encounter any obstacle on its way, and then there will be no injury.
If all else fails
If you are wondering what to do if all of the above does not help, then, first of all, there is no need to lose heart, because there are simply no absolutely impregnable nuts that are impossible to handle in the automotive business. It is necessary to weigh why all efforts have not yet produced the required result, and make another, only more targeted attempt. If this also fails, you should consider whether to cut off the stubborn nut or knock it off with a chisel. However, it should be repeated that this must be done very carefully so as not to aggravate the situation in our hearts.
Heat
Heating is very effective in such difficult areas as, say, a manifold, muffler or catalyst. The bolts really stick there due to high temperatures. You won't be able to unscrew them with WD-40, and it's difficult to use acid under the car. Therefore, here you need to act using the “wedge-wedge” method. That is, if it’s stuck due to heating, then you need to unscrew it through it.
If the mount is small, then it can be heated with a regular soldering iron and held for about 10 - 15 minutes. However, if the case is severe, this will not help. An open flame burner works great here - special cans are sold. The bolt heats up almost to a red color, the metal expands (the “sticking” effect is weakened), now it needs to be cooled sharply (preferably with a penetrating compound like WD-40), it turns out like a mini blow, you can safely unscrew it.
Recommendations
In order to no longer be tormented by the question of how to unscrew rusted nuts, when installing them, it is important to treat the threads with a special lubricant. You can use graphite, silicone or Teflon
Many craftsmen do not recommend using lithol or grease. Such products are more suitable for dynamic rather than static nuts and bolts. Choosing them will lead to the fact that such a lubricant will soon ossify and will interfere with the rapid unscrewing of parts.
Experts recommend working by heating the part. A change in temperature leads to expansion of the metal and, as a result, to the destruction of the corrosion layer and loss of strength of the thread connection. For heating, it is better to take a blowtorch. A hair dryer or lighter will also work.
You can unscrew the rusty part using a wax cup. To do this, you need to take a little wax or children's plasticine and mold the product in the form of a mini cup. The height of the sides of such a product must exceed the height of the nut. Sulfuric acid is poured into an improvised cup and some zinc is added. Due to the interaction of the components, a galvanic effect will occur, and the rust will begin to break down. After carrying out such an operation, unscrewing the nut will become much easier.
Using one of the listed options, you can easily unscrew a stuck nut. More attention should still be paid to prevention and the use of special means to prevent metal corrosion.
How to unscrew the nuts, see below.
Preparing for work
It is not always possible to find the necessary equipment for such work on hand, especially at home. You can use improvised tools that almost every owner has.
Before you begin to unscrew the bolt, cover the bolt with a rag soaked in kerosene.
The longer the rag lies on it, the easier it will be to unscrew.
If you don’t have time, you can treat the bolt with pure kerosene or WD-40 lubricant. It is necessary to tap the bolt with a hammer, then spray with WD-40 or kerosene.
After 1-2 minutes, you need to tap the bolt again and start unscrewing it. If there is no grease and kerosene, you can use brake fluid or ordinary vinegar.
Method No. 1: dissolving rust
How to unscrew a rusty nut? We will not suffer with the tool, wasting our strength in vain. Let's go in search of a substance that will help dissolve rust and reduce friction. Of the most famous ones that have proven themselves well:
- Special product WD-40.
- Kerosene.
- Brake fluid.
- Petrol.
- Carburetor cleaner.
- Alcohol.
- Table vinegar.
- Iodine.
- “Coca-Cola” and other drinks containing inorganic phosphoric acid.
We are sure that at least one of the above is at your fingertips. Next, the algorithm of your actions is simple:
Wet the nut well with
Wait about half an hour. After this, try to carefully unscrew the part with a tool. If it doesn’t work out, apply the substance again and wait. The product will work better if you soak a rag or napkin in it and wrap it around the nut. You can then speed up the unscrewing by lightly tapping the part with a hammer. Another effective way is to try to twist the nut with a strong and sharp jerk after exposure to the solution. For a small nut, the “rocking” method will help - back and forth.
Unscrew the broken bolt
In order to remove the broken bolt with an extractor, you will need to use a drill. You also need to take drills, dies for taps, and a strong core. In the broken “culprit” it is necessary to make a hole, the diameter of which should not exceed the diameter of the thread of the broken bolt.
The extractor has a reverse thread.
An extractor is screwed into the hole. When you screw the extractor, or rather its reverse thread, into the broken bolt, you remove it along with the latter.
If the bolt breaks off and it is possible to reach it, then you need to restore the geometry of what is left of it. Use a file or coarse sandpaper. Then you need to carefully paint the surface. Otherwise, the drill will always walk along the rest of the bolt and it will not be possible to make a hole strictly in the center. It is also necessary to maintain alignment. The hole should be drilled as close to the center of the bolt as possible.
It is necessary to start drilling with a small diameter drill and clearly position the hole in the center. The centered hole can be expanded very easily. The diameter of the extractor must be taken 1 mm larger than the diameter of the hole. It is important not to drill through the hole so that the extractor has something to grab onto.
The extractor must be screwed into the recess of the bolt surface. Then the extractor must be installed in the recess and struck with a hammer, trying to hammer into the hole like a nail. After this, it should remain in the recess.
It is necessary to clamp its head with a die and rotate it in the direction of unscrewing the bolt itself. You need to rotate the die slowly and as carefully as possible. By crashing into the bolt, the extractor tightens it as much as possible and transfers its torque to the broken “culprit”. In turn, the torque will unscrew the broken bolt.
Alcohol solution of iodine
We are talking about the idea of an ordinary pharmaceutical alcohol solution of iodine. In this tandem, alcohol, also known as ethylene, and iodine, as an element of the periodic table, equally distribute among themselves the functions of freeing fasteners that have become soured in rust. Alcohol has a high penetrating ability, and iodine interacts with iron oxides and other iron compounds formed upon contact with the external environment. Thus, these two substances weaken the rust, making it easier to free the rusted bolt or nut. To avoid getting your hands dirty and for convenience, it is better to apply iodine to the connection using a syringe.
Prevention
Judging by the information given above, unscrewing a rusted bolt or nut is not difficult, but it takes a lot of time and effort.
It’s easier to prevent problems and take into account a number of recommendations. Below are just a few of them:
- Coat the nuts that hold the muffler with an anti-corrosion compound before tightening. After this, treat the product with grease (for greater effectiveness, add a little graphite to the composition). This prevents sticking.
- Wash the engine and the car as a whole from time to time. Dust and dirt that accumulate on the surface accelerate the process of corrosion.
- Buy only high-quality fasteners made of durable metal. When choosing, pay attention to such a criterion as strength class. Try not to skimp on nuts and bolts, because using cheap products leads to a number of problems in the future. At the same time, the question of how to unscrew a rusty fastener can become very relevant. Remember that we are talking about reliability and durability, savings on which are inappropriate.
- Do not abandon your car in a nearby or open parking lot. Storing a vehicle in a closed garage is an opportunity to reduce the risk of corrosion on connections. The negative impact of rain or cold negatively affects the condition of the body, as well as the vehicle’s fastenings.
- When performing work, use only high-quality tools - gas or ring wrenches, as well as special heads. Of course, this will require more money to purchase, but it is more convenient to use such a tool, and the mounts themselves last longer. A good tool allows you to solve two problems - maintain the integrity of the nut and protect it from damage, and also stretch the fastener with the required torque.
Unscrewing methods
To unscrew stuck bolts, you can use several techniques and methods. You can perform these manipulations yourself at home. Before using this or that method, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the connection site from all contaminants and, during a visual inspection of the mounting site, try to determine the type of damage to the bolt. Depending on the type of damage, you can resort to mechanical, chemical or physical methods of unscrewing it.
Mechanical
Mechanical methods include all methods that involve the use of great physical effort when trying to break a damaged connection. The mechanical method can only be used if the bolt is not cracked, chipped or bent.
The mechanical method involves several nuances.
Using box wrenches instead of regular wrenches. Since a regular open-end wrench is capable of influencing only 3 edges of the head when unscrewing, as a result of strong impact these edges can be erased and the key will slide off. The spanner grips all 6 corners of the bolt, which will help you apply more force to unscrew it.
Using the extended handle of the key as a lever. Lengthening the handle of the wrench will help put more pressure on the bolt, and prevent rust from getting in the way.
Application of short-term force effects on different points of the rusted connection part. You will need a hammer and a chisel, with the help of which you first need to knock out a notch on the bolt head, and then hit it with force in the direction of unscrewing. This effect is more powerful than when unscrewing it with a wrench, and it will be possible to unscrew a stuck bolt much faster.
The impact of a force of alternating direction on a bolt. To unscrew a bolt using this method, you must first tighten it and then try to unscrew it. This manipulation can be repeated several times, since alternating movement in different directions will help free the threads from rust.
Destruction of the rust layer using impacts. It is necessary to strike those areas of the bolt that are most affected by corrosion. The applied force will help remove the rust, but damaged connection parts after such exposure will have to be replaced with new ones.
Physical
These methods for unscrewing rusted bolts are based on the physical properties of the materials used in the manufacture of connecting parts. There are the most common and frequently used methods.
Heating of connecting pair parts. To heat the parts, use any source of heat or fire: gas burner, blowtorch, soldering iron, hair dryer.
If you heat up the entire connecting structure, then under the influence of high temperatures the rust will begin to break down and fall off the connecting elements.
Applying liquid to threads. When penetrating into the micro-holes between the nut and bolt, liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, white spirit, and turpentine can reduce the friction between the stuck surfaces, which will ensure easier unscrewing. The same property is possessed by products called “liquid key”, which can be purchased at any auto store.
Chemical
The action of chemical methods is based on dissolving a layer of old rust using acids. Acids have properties that help destroy the corrosion layer:
- salt;
- sulfuric;
- lemon;
- orthophosphoric.
To dissolve the layer of rust on the connecting pair, the joint must be treated with a few drops of the reagent so that they can penetrate the micro-holes on the bolt thread. If a large area is affected by corrosion, then, if possible, the bolt can be soaked in acid.
The time required for exposure to the acid must be at least 24 hours. After it has expired, first tap the connection with a hammer so that large pieces of rust fall off, and then try to unscrew the nut with a wrench.
Following the recommendations given, it will be much easier to unscrew a stuck connection. If none of the above methods failed to remove the stuck bolt, you can resort to cutting it off with a grinder or drilling it. But before applying these measures, it is necessary to weigh all their positive and negative sides.
Required Tools
In general, you can use a hammer, chisel and/or pliers, and with the help of this simple set and someone’s mother, convince the nut to move. But it’s better to follow the path of least resistance and use the following tools:
- spanners of the appropriate size;
- socket wrench;
- a mechanical impact wrench and a set of sockets with a crank.
If you are not familiar with the above list, I strongly recommend that you get acquainted.
What is strictly forbidden to do (use of force)?
The main mistake of many beginners is a thoughtless approach to twisting and the use of “force” methods.
Remember, in order to unscrew a stuck element, it is important to be patient and not rush. Solving the problem requires a consistent and measured approach.
Haste in resolving an issue can cause many problems.
Thus, car owners often rush to unscrew a rusty bolt and tear off its upper part.
The result is drilling out the broken product, which will take a lot more time.
In addition, the result of haste may be damage to nearby nodes with the key, which will lead to the need for additional investments.
Before starting work, draw up an action plan, and then begin to implement it.
If you work in a hurry, the total cost of time and money may be higher. Moreover, there are enough methods to quickly unscrew a rusted nut or bolt. We will talk about them below.
Unscrewing methods
There are three main methods for unscrewing a stuck nut:
- dissolving rust and dirt;
- heating the nut;
- mechanical damage to the nut.
Let's deal with each of them in turn.
How to dissolve rust
The essence of the technique is a chemical effect on rusty threads and, as a result, reducing the friction force when unscrewing. Vinegar, alcohol, iodine, kerosene or gasoline may be suitable for these purposes. But it is best to use a composition called WD-40, which is designed specifically for such purposes.
I will describe the methodology in detail:
- The nut is thoroughly moistened with the substance described above and allowed to stand for 15-20 minutes. Then they try to unscrew it. If this does not work, wrap it with a rag soaked in the composition used, or with a napkin. Again they wait for a while.
- Most likely, everything will work out, and success can be secured by hitting the nut with a hammer. Just don’t hit the bolt threads, otherwise you’ll make your task much more difficult. I recommend lengthening the wrench with a piece of pipe of a suitable diameter - the lever will be much stronger. It will be easier to move the nut out of place if you securely place the wrench on it and make a sharp jerk. Just don't pull clockwise!
- With a small thread diameter, it is very convenient to unscrew the nut by swinging, that is, working the wrench back and forth.
Heating process
Under the influence of high temperatures, metal tends to expand. As a result of such deformation, rust simply “looses its grip”, and the unscrewing process is greatly simplified. A hair dryer, a gas burner, a blowtorch - anything that produces a high heating temperature - can be used as a heating element. Don't be afraid - you are unlikely to be able to melt the metal from which the fasteners are made.
How exactly to proceed:
- Warm up the connection thoroughly, and then try to get the process off the ground using a spanner wrench.
- Sometimes it happens that the edges of the nut are licked off, then the wrench is useless. In such cases, a socket head is welded to it, the entire structure is heated, and then it is unscrewed using a wrench.
Mechanical impact
This method is resorted to if the previous two did not help or when there is no task to keep the connection intact. To work, you can use a hammer and chisel, a grinder or a hacksaw.
The essence of the technique is as follows:
- You can use a hacksaw or grinder to saw the nut along the axis of the bolt, and then removing it will not be difficult.
- There is another radical method - using a hammer and chisel. By driving it deeper, you can knock down the threads and increase the internal diameter of the nut. But this is completely, as they say, out of despair.
But the best way to combat souring of joints is to prevent it through timely application of lubricant. In this case, the service life of the fasteners will at least double.
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