Nuts

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 05/23/2018 at 20:58 • Filed to: Miatafications

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This is well and truly stuck. Unsure how to proceed. Plus some project updates

Three weeks of ownership and this is far and away my favorite tool

I was trying to remove my rear sway bar and endlinks. Ended up getting one side off, then had to resort to the angle grinder to cut through the other endlink. So.... The good news is that the sway bar is out!

Bad news is I have half an endlink I can’t remove. Used a ton of PB Blaster, aggressive hammering, MAP torch, longish wrench... What’s next? The angle grinder can’t really get in there and my dremel tool would probably break a cutoff disk, overheat, or also not fit (worst purchase ever). What would you do? The nut is practically round, but the bolt on the backside is in great shape!

Gotta love the old never-been-touched suspension hardware on a 90's car. As of now I have the super beefy front bar put in and zero rear bar. The car drives wierd. Feels like I’m being pulled into turns a la fwd. Turn in is great, and if I’m really cooking the rear tires still break loose because of the whole “high temps/winter tires thing”. So.. Understeer to powerslide?

Future potential drivers passengers will be happy to know that after a rail modification there is now an additional 2 inches of leg room!

Desperately need a work bench and a decent vise

Now it fits the curve of the seat

Red seat - original position. Black seat - New, 2+ inches further back position.

AAlso thanks to everyone who helped out with the salary negotiations! Helped a ton!

PS9 > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:03

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Only one way to bust a nut; rub as hard as you can and don’t stop until it comes.

Out. Comes out. Wow, I sure did write this weird. Ehh, oh well.

lone_liberal > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:04

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I’d probably use my cut-off tool or reciprocating saw if I couldn’t get a grinder in there. If I had a cutting torch I might try that too.

sony1492 > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:06

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Id remove the arm then cut it off, preferably with a sawzall through the bolt (not angle grinder through nut)

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:07

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Right angle cut off wheel or cutting torch

AestheticsInMotion > lone_liberal 05/23/2018 at 21:07

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*looks up cutting torch*

Also, what is a cut-off tool?

Decay buys too many beaters > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:08

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Id try heating it up with a torch a few times, like red hot. Then put a vicegrips on the nut and hit it with an impact from the back side.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:09

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what I would try doing is clamping on a round jaw pair of vice-grips as tight as you can possibly get them and then shove something sturdy like a piece of wood or metal in-between the vice-grips and something on the car the wheel or whatever. Then with all the strength you have left try and loosen that bolt. Either you’ll break the bolt or the vice-grips will slip.

Alternatively you could borrow a low-profile sawzall or an air-hammer and just wack the bolt in half.

Or if you have a sacrificial socket you could try hammering on the equal standard size socket. Sometimes that works sometimes it doesn’t

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:15

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Dremel cutoff disk.

AestheticsInMotion > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe 05/23/2018 at 21:15

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Tried the vice grips thing, unfortunately the teeth of the vice grips just cut out a layer of steel from around the bolt, rounding it off even further...

Sawzall or air-hammer huh. Both of those sound like fun tools

AestheticsInMotion > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 05/23/2018 at 21:15

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So what you’re saying is... I need more tools?

Victorinoo > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:15

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Take off control arm, and use angle grinder to cut the shell off of the end link so that it comes off of the bolt and rubber bushing. Then you can use sawzall or even angle grinder to cut the bolt.

AestheticsInMotion > Decay buys too many beaters 05/23/2018 at 21:16

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Impact is on the shortlist for tools I still need! It’s a constant struggle choosing between tools and parts.

AestheticsInMotion > sony1492 05/23/2018 at 21:17

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Oh god. I’ve yet to remove one of the arms and I’m afraid that would just open up a whole nother can of rusted on bolts

Urambo Tauro > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:18

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Yeah I don’t think you’re gonna be able to get a good grip with locking pliers anymore. Last time I found myself in that situation, I used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel, and went slowly (still broke a disc or two though). I ended up making a diagonal cut since I couldn’t get the right angle for splitting it.

Another thing you could try is, lop off the excess stud with a regular-sized cutoff wheel, and use a drill bit the size of the stud to drill the stud out until there’s nothing left for the nut to grab.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:19

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Everyone needs more tools!

AestheticsInMotion > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 05/23/2018 at 21:20

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I’ve had really bad luck with my dremel. Bought one of the most powerful corded ones, and it still has trouble cutting through what I wanted it to, plus it really doesn’t seem to fit into particularly tight places. Bought the official right angle adapter to hopefully alleviate some of those problems... And it arrived broken. The replacement? Wrong part. 3rd replacement? It was fine, but still to bulky (I was trying to cut a bolt insidetthe front bumper to remove my stock front tow hook)

crowmolly > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:20

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Nut breaker or Dremel with cut off tip. You should be OK with the Dremel if you are careful and don’t try to cut too fast.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:22

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I used a saws all to cut off my end links. It looks like you could get a blade in at the rubber bushing area without damaging the mount on the car.

lone_liberal > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:22

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This. I have the air version but there are electric ones too.

diplodicus forgot his password > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:22

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Got big ass channel locks and someone to squeeze the jaws shut as hard as possible while you turn the bolt?

sony1492 > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:27

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Might be able to take it to a shop nd have them use their impact gun to get it off, or melt it out with their cutting torch.

NKato > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:29

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Use a metal cutting tool to create new flat surfaces for a crescent wrench to grab onto. Cut it VERY gently with the dremel...time is on your side when it comes to cutting steel.

I’ve had to cut off some bolts that I couldn’t untorque for my fender guards at the self-service garage, and it took about ten minutes per bolt with an angle grinder.

Another idea is to heat up the nut enough, and then use a file to grind off the surface to allow for some grip. In fact, this is my #1 recommendation if you’re not willing to use the dremel again. Get a bunch of heavy duty files, grind it in one direction (never grind back-and-forth), and see if you can get a clean flat surface to find a grip on. This will be extremely time consuming, but less destructive.

Decay buys too many beaters > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:30

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Holy shit, you’ve been working on a 30 year old car without an impact!?!?

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:30

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Steelgrip 2265015 Nut Splitter Set, 2 Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MQIVZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2vHbBbQK0Z041

Looks like it’s time to bust out the nut cracker.

DasWauto > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:31

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Take off the wheel and unbolt the coil over if necessary, lay the remainder of the endlink flat and cut it straight down the center with your grinder until you get through the bolt, then take out the pieces. It’ll make a bunch of smoke (because rubber bushing) but that enlink is fubar anyway so just destroy it to avoid damaging the endlink bracket on the control arm.

His Stigness > sony1492 05/23/2018 at 21:37

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It’s too rounded off to be able to grip it. I’m afraid even my special “rounded off” sockets probably wouldn’t be able to grab it. It will have to be cut off.

His Stigness > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 05/23/2018 at 21:39

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Not everyone.

His Stigness > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:41

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Without having more pictures of the whole area I would say probably a small air powered saw. I think the nut is too rounded off to even use the special rounded of sockets that you can get.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 21:48

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Nut splitter?

LOREM IPSUM > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 22:00

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Pneumatic chisel perhaps, if it’ll fit.

Die-Trying > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 22:04

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put a small pipe wrench to grab the rounded nut....... then turn the bolt side........ easy peasy........

MM54 > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 22:06

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https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-BOLT-GRIP-5-Pack-Bolt-Extractor-Set/1000363541?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-ToolsAndHardware-_-SpecialtyHandTools-_-1000363541:IRWIN&CAWELAID=&kpid=1000363541&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=1606&k_clickID=40428f63-2baf-4346-b918-84cf6078baee&gclid=CjwKCAjwopTYBRAzEiwAnU4kb3OCgt558PAneYzcWFSu70-to7aldyJx8iNrAR2aCepV22onv91DJBoCtPQQAvD_BwE

wow that’s a long link

MM54 > MM54 05/23/2018 at 22:08

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Oh, also

https://www.amazon.com/Nut-Splitter-Tools-2-Pc-Cal-Hawk/dp/B0000AX88Q

AestheticsInMotion > Decay buys too many beaters 05/23/2018 at 22:18

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I’m new to the beater life

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 22:46

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craftsman nut cracker or similar

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-nut-cracker/p-00904772000P

in cramped spots when shit is rusted and torches are too risky an amazing tool. cracks it right in half.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 22:47

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One of these will get you into the tightest spots

Then this attachment, or they have a set like this with reinforced cutoff wheels. They work great.

MoCamino > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 05/23/2018 at 22:58

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I had to go the same route with the nuts on my old front shocks. No good way to get in there with a cutoff but the nut breaker did the trick. They have them at Lowes, too. https://m.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Nut-Cracker/999957787

LOREM IPSUM > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 05/23/2018 at 23:07

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Get em before they’re gone, because if you don’t act fast Eddie Lambert might finish sucking every last bit of value out of the place before killing an institution, again.

TahoeSTi > AestheticsInMotion 05/23/2018 at 23:30

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A set of these is all you need and they work even better with an impact gun even an electric one http://www.searshometownstores.com/product/Craftsman-52166-10-pc-Damaged-BoltNut-Remover-Set-Low-Profile-BoltOut

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > His Stigness 05/24/2018 at 01:55

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Oh that’s cute. So you’re telling me you have your own ball joint press? Bushing press? Fan clutch wrench set? The special triple square wrench for setting rear toe on most Mercedes? Oscilloscope? 

I know what you mean though, I don’t remember the last time I bought a new tool.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 05/24/2018 at 05:51

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You need to use the reinforced cutting wheels and be very patient. It’s a slow precision tool, but allows you to cut it without much (if any, if you’re careful) damage to material you don’t want to cut. I know it’ll do the job because I run special high strength steel screws on my RC cars that I’ve had to slot or remove a head from due to damage, while this is certainly not that hardened. You might go through multiple cutting wheels, depending on how you approach it.

I’d direct effort at the nut, first cutting a slot in one side into the bolt, then use a strong prying tool in the slot you cut to try to spread the nut. If that doesn’t work, cut a slot on the other side in the same place. If you still can’t break it free or break the nut in half, cut the slot clean through the bolt and the other side of the nut as well. By that point you should be able to bend the bolt tips in and twist the nut with a prying tool.

If this still doesn’t work, cut the edges of the nut until you’re into the threads on the bolt on both sides. Hit the bolt with a lot of force or an impact driver.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 05/24/2018 at 05:55

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I don’t know how or if the response to the dremel thread ended up down here. A cutoff tool is like a really big dremel.

BigBlock440 > AestheticsInMotion 05/24/2018 at 08:03

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Looks like there’s enough room to use a reciprocating saw, and they’re like $20 if you don’t have one. It’s my go-to over an angle grinder because it’s usually easier to get the blade in tight spots.

His Stigness > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 05/24/2018 at 11:14

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No presses =’(

But I do have the triple square sets.

I do want to start getting shop equipment, only problem is when I leave automotive I won’t have room in my garage.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > His Stigness 05/24/2018 at 15:00

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I figured you have triple square sockets, but I mean that specific triple square wrench for setting rear toe. Doubtful, which is why I said it! 

Shop equipment takes up so much room. And really there isn’t much need for it if you’re getting out of automotive.

His Stigness > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 05/24/2018 at 16:09

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Ah damn it! I really don’t need it since I don’t have an alignment rack.

Well I still plan on doing my own repairs, which is why I still want the equipment. And it’s also why I bought my stupidly large toolbox.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > His Stigness 05/24/2018 at 16:40

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But now you want it!

I understand that, but keeping up with the industry on software and social tools it’s a losing proposition unless you’re using them to make money.