Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2000, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
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
Comments: To: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
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 >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.