Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 12:28:18 -0500
Reply-To: EMZ <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: EMZ <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Subject: Re: Lugnut worries + Repost of Secret to removing stuck nuts
In-Reply-To: <01BF672B.099E7EE0@ip232.raleigh10.nc.pub-ip.psi.net>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Back to business....
If you can get it to a shop. Just have them heat the thing
with a torch. It will be off in seconds, and you can forget all
the following hard work. AKA the blue wrench! Works every time!
Eric 86-VW4x4
vw4x4@fyi.net 72-240z
Pittsburgh, PA USA 1936-Chrysler
On Tue, 25 Jan 2000, Bulley wrote:
> Stop wasting your time.
>
> Drive to a hardware store and buy a (hardened) steel nut with an inside
> diameter the same size as the outside of your mangled lugnut. Take the van
> to a garage, and have them nest the new nut around the remains of your
> lugnut, weld the two together. Then they can use the new nut to remove the
> first. Prolly $20, well spent.
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> REPOST OF SECRET TO REMOVING STUCK NUTS
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Folks-
>
> My grandfather was an inventor, and a lead machinist for Chrysler during
> her glory days (1920's-1965). He taught me how to use a slide rule, and a
> few other things. One of the most important lessons he taught me was how to
> completely avoid breaking off metal fasteners and rounding bolt heads. If
> you never want to break a stud again, follow the wisdom of my grandfather,
> Cyril Leonard Bulley (1903-1987).
>
> (Background, explained in common English).
> Metal bolts, studs, and nuts that have been fixed in position for a while
> don't stick because they are too tight. Therefore trying to remove them by
> turning them is dumb. You simply can't apply enough torque to the fastener
> without damaging the tool, or the fastener, creating HOURS of work or
> needless delay in chasing replacements.
>
> Fasteners stick because of covalent or ionic bonding (I forget which, or
> maybe it is both). But the point is, when you force two piece of metal into
> close contact, and hold them there, PARTICULARLY when there is moisture and
> heating/cooling present, they start forming tiny bonds between the
> molecules of the two parts. This is really easy to see on old corroded
> parts, but even on shiny "new-looking" parts, the bonds can be VERY strong.
> Much stronger than you. But as I said, the way to break those bonds is NOT
> strength.
>
> The way to loosen them is to use vibration. Yep. You heard right.
> VIBRATION. You see, those little bonds can stand up to constant rotational
> pressure (torque) very well. But they are extremely FRAGILE in the face of
> focused vibration of the bolt threads up and down. Here is how to apply
> focussed vibration, so you will NEVER break another fastener again.
>
> Let's say that the fastener is an outer CV joint bolt...the type with the
> 12-pointed star head that is buried inside your trailing arms. Tough nut?
> You bet.
>
> RULE NUMBER ONE: Soak it. Saturate with a penetrating oil for at least one
> day. Brand doesn't matter. Use whatever has worked for you in the past.
> Just let it do its thing for at least a day. Tougher bolts, and longer
> threads: do it for up to a week. You know you are going to work on it, so
> start loosening stuff up NOW. Re-saturate just prior to commencing the
> loosening procedure, and at least once during the process below.
>
> Next, we are going to create our vibration. Using a 12" ratchet extension
> and the 12-pointed star attachment, fully seat the tool into the fastener.
> If there is a lot of crud in the fastener, pick it out with a toothpick or
> such.
>
> RULE NUMBER TWO: Tap it. Next, using a small hammer, and fair blows, begin
> firmly tapping the end of the ratchet extension, as if to drive the tool
> into the bolt. The key here is to use firm taps, NOT heavy blows. You don't
> want to damage the tool or the fastener, and you are looking for a
> vibration, not an earthquake. Larger bolts/nuts would take harder blows,
> smaller; lighter.
> Tap if you were driving a picture-hanging nail into a cheap sheet rock
> wall. Tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap- tap.
> 200 times. That is right TWO-HUNDRED TAPS, or for about 2 minutes. You want
> to tap fairly quickly, like the sound of the bell when the stock market
> closes, or like the bell at a train crossing gate. About 120-140 bpm. Pause
> to re-apply penetrating oil, and to contemplate the fact that you are
> saving yourself the abominable misery of a broken bolt. Now tap for another
> 2-minutes, or 200 taps.
>
> RULE NUMBER THREE. Clean it. Now we are nearly ready for your moment of
> glory. But first, you MUST make sure that the mating surface between the
> tool, and the fastener is antiseptically clean. Now some of you are saying
> "Why the h*ll should I try to clean those bolt heads...have you SEEN where
> they are???" I sure have. But I'd hate to break off one of those buggers.
> So I clean the tool and bolt head COMPLETELY with brake-cleaner spray, and
> a toothpick, if necessary. Do not settle for even one speck of grease or
> dirt. Any contamination on the mating surfaces can either lubricate, or
> cause mis-alignment of the tool and the fastener, inviting calamity.
> Brak-kleen is cheaper than Easy-outs, and easier to work with.
>
> RULE NUMBER THREE also implies that you will have tools that are in good
> condition. Sockets, screw drivers, hex-heads that are worn, rounded, or
> damaged are not fit to attempt to loosen bonded fasteners...place all of
> your damaged tools in a small kit and give it to your child to play with.
> If your tools are rounded, you WILL round the head on bolts, etc.
>
> Finally, with your clean tool, mate the tool and the fastener. Press firmly
> in the proper direction to keep the tool mated securely with the fastener,
> and apply a single, heavy push of torque to loosen the bolt. AMAZING, Huh?
> Came right off without strain. It always will.
>
> This same procedure will work for any bolt, nut, screw, hex-head, even
> plumbing fittings. For nuts, (like the 15mm head nuts on a type 4) I tap
> 200 times with a 15mm socket (which chiefly vibrates the washer and the
> bolt). Then I switch to a junked 14mm (which does not fit over the nut
> faces, but focuses the vibration on the nut), for 200 more taps. Use your
> best judgement.
>
> It is a habit you will get in that will save you hundreds of hours if you
> work on old junk frequently. Soak it, Tap it, Clean it.
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Bulley-Hewlett
> Corporate Communications Counselors
> www.bulley-hewlett.com
> Cary, NC USA
> 888.468.4880 tollfree
>
> "I, the undersigned, shall forfeit all rights, privileges, and licenses
> herein and herein contained, et cetera, et cetera . . . fax mentis
> incendium gloria culpum, et cetera, et cetera . . . memo bis punitor
> delicatum!" It's all there, black and white, clear as crystal! -Wonka
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Gkikas [SMTP:theerion@GATOR.NET]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 7:42 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Lugnut worries continue
>
> Well, I smashed and banged with a cold chisel for about forty minutes.
> The damn thing just softly disfigured into a squished up mess and still
> won't break off. I think I buggered the threads a bit, since they're
> showing on one little spot on the stud. The endeavor came to a stop
> when I started to feel the 17F wind chill outside (raining, too) and
> smashed the hell out of my index finger (still hurts this morning). :(
>
> Any advice here? What's the story with replacing the stud?
> Thanks,
> Chris
> http://www.geocities.com/Athens/9860/bus.html
>
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