Removing Rusted Bolts

See also Dealing with Rust

Anyone who has owned a jeep for a while has had problems removing rusted bolts.
See video . Rpeek tried everything then had to weld another bolt to the old one.

Penetrating Catalyst Lubricant.
Loosens rusted nuts, bolts or pipe threads.
Also a water repellant to help protect against rust.
Rust Reformer and similar products

The standard solution was to spray them with PB Blaster ($5) and let them sit overnight and repeat if necessary.
However one forum post said forget PB and WD40, Kroll Aerokroil ($13) penetrating oil is much better.
You will probably need to order it from www.kanolabs.com

Use an open-ended wrench or ring spanner (wrench with circular end). The ratchet mechanism in socket wrenches may break.

Just torque usually leads to shearing hardware off but tapping it can free stuck parts from each other.

Impact drivers may also work.
Compared to a breaker bar they are less likely to mangle heads or break bolts but if the bolt is rusted along it's length then you may also need a breaker bar once the impact driver has started things going and overcome the initial "rust seal"

Another post said,
"Torx head bolts have been the bane of nearly every Jeeper at some point.
You need to start with a good set of torx tools. New sockets will make a difference over older ones.

It's the fact that thread lock is used on those bolts that makes them so difficult to remove. Best way to soften the thread lock is to use heat. Some use a high powered soldering iron held in the center for a while. Another way to get heat to the thread lock is to use a drill bit that will fit in the center of the torx and run it backwards so it doesn't drill out the center, that way it just heats up the bolt using friction. I've known people break easy outs when trying to remove those bolts. Good luck."
Some recommend cooling rapidly with penetrating oil after heating.d

Grip-Tite:
Some people have reported good luck with the Grip-tite sockets even when using a 18" breaker-bar.
Others said they blew apart with too much torque.
It did not work on the round head torx bolt holding the hard top on after I had munged it up with a channel-lock wrench.

Grip-Tite Sockets - YouTube

Heat:
Heat also works even if you don't have to melt thread lock.
Bolt Removal Tips on The Jeep CJ3B Page says,
Well, you have to experiment. I've gotten bolts out with little heat. On the other hand I've had the thing so "cherry" any more heat would melt it. As far as where to put the heat, remember heat expands, so you would heat a nut. For bolts threading into something you heat the area around it.
Oxy-fuel torches with a rosebud tip, was recommended.

Cut off the bolt:
Use the cut-off wheel attachment for the Dremel rotary tool. city-data.com/forum/automotive
A Dremel will work, but will take forever. I would use an air-powered die grinder with a cutting wheel or an electric 4 1/2" angle grinder with a cutting wheel. I use both and they work well for cutting almost anything.

A small 3" Pneumatic Air high speed Cutter can cut the nut to the point where a vice grip will remove the nut without any damage to the stud/bolt threads.

For $10-15 dollars a welding shop will torch the off in no time.

You can grind a nut until it is very thin, but not damaging the thread. And then hit it with a chisel. It will make a dent in the nut, therefor expanding it and allowing it to be undone.

You can always use a nut splitter too. They come as manual and hydraulic versions. The manual version has a bolt you tighten that forces a chisel point into the side of the nut till it splts.

last updated 4 Sep 2006