Frozen bolt!

[AzPhil]

 

[UK4X4]

mmm what did you use a pair of pliers ?

wd40- blaster- diesel- oil - whatever dose liberlally and leave to penetrate

U need a decent - non corner correct size quality socket

beat the socket over the bolt head- as its covered in guages

use a 24" bar - tension up as much as you can then hit the bar close to the bolt with a heavy hammer

If no worky- heat said bolt with propane till nice and toasty and repeat.

If you've stripped the bolt head - then your down to a pipe wrench

again cheap ones won't do the job.

Next up drill it out - chisel off and tap a new thread.

Anything under a car needs penetrating oil and decent tools- cheap stuff just causes problems

 

[nano151]

with the condition of that bolt, i'd us a good vise grip as tight as possible. Then slide a piece of EMT tubing over the round handle (the side with the adjustment screw). You then use the handle as a breaker bar to get more leverage. I use the same piece of EMT for my socket wrenches when i don't have the breaker bar with me.

Soaking it with PB Blaster or hitting it with the torch would be a good idea also.

 

[GetBentFab]

Just weld a glob on the head of the bolt. The heat helps break it loose and the irregular shape makes it easy to grab with vise grips. Even works if the head is broken off.

 

[bob91yj]

Welding a nut on the head of the bolt works also. Hole in the nut gives you a decent area to glob a weld in. Then use a 6 point socket/breaker bar.

 

[jeffy]

An alternative to welding would be to use a nut extractor. I'd still use penetrating oil and or heat as well though. Don't want to shear off the head.

 

[OverlandZJ]

AC, alt bracket?

Often there is a nut on the back of some of these throughbolts.

 

[BigAl]

I'd try taking all the other bolts that hold the bracket and then tapping the bracket side to side behind the bolt. Sometimes that will break the grip.

 

[wjeeper]

AC, alt bracket?

Often there is a nut on the back of some of these throughbolts.

I hate to admit this but I struggled with a bolt for an hour once before I realized this was the "issue".......:snorkel:

Many others have brought up good ways to remove frozen bolts. Does the bolt thread in to aluminum? If so its stuck because corrosion caused between two dissimilar metals. (galvanic corrosion if memory serves me right) So far soaking it in a good penetrating oil and giving it some heat hasn't failed me yet. (I usually heat it by welding a new nut on, but have used a MAPP gas torch with success) When you do get it out and go to put the new one back in make sure to use some antisieze compound on the threads to make it easier next time.

My fingers are crossed for ya!

 

[AzPhil]

Thanks to all, will try everything, like the nut welding idea.

 

[shortbus4x4]

I use all of the above ideas starting with the easiest ones first and progressing to the more difficults ones. Try a little heat and penetrating oil first, also give it a couple good wacks with a hammer when its a little warm. Sometimes the bolt just needs to know who is boss.:elkgrin: Also sometimes if you heat them up good, cool them off with penetrating oil(do in well ventilated area with a fire suppression device at hand), and then they come right out. I usually do the welding trick as a last resort.