Tricks for old nuts and bolts (besides WD-40)

[FMCoug]

So I'm changing out all 4 shocks on my 97 Blazer. I'm pretty sure what is on there is original. So the mounting bolts are really hard to get off. WD-40 and I got one of them done tonight but what a beating. Any tricks / suggestions for how to lossen them up?

[Surfah]

So I'm changing out all 4 shocks on my 97 Blazer. I'm pretty sure what is on there is original. So the mounting bolts are really hard to get off. WD-40 and I got one of them done tonight but what a beating. Any tricks / suggestions for how to lossen them up?

Get a lead pipe to throw over the handle of your ratchet to give you more leverage. And I'd liberally apply PB Blaster instead of WD-40.

[Shaka]

I agree with Surfah. PB Blaster and a lot of leverage has helped me out of similar predicaments. You may also want to beat the bolts with a hammer to loosen them up.

[FN Phat]

Cheater bar with PB Blaster, with a good smack of the nut with a hammer is the go-to in my house. Great suggestions.

[Tim]

Viagra.

[byu71]

Viagra.

Well done. I was trying to think of something and couldn't come up with anything.

[FMCoug]

Cheater bar with PB Blaster, with a good smack of the nut with a hammer is the go-to in my house. Great suggestions.

You guys rock. Picked up some PB Blaster and a 2nd 1/2" ratchet today (I was using a 1/2" on one side and 3/8" on the other) and it made all the difference in the world. As do the shocks. The fronts are done now and it has made a huge difference in the ride. I hosed down the bolts for the rear ones with PB tonight and will do them tomorrow.

CUF Rocks.

[Surfah]

You guys rock. Picked up some PB Blaster and a 2nd 1/2" ratchet today (I was using a 1/2" on one side and 3/8" on the other) and it made all the difference in the world. As do the shocks. The fronts are done now and it has made a huge difference in the ride. I hosed down the bolts for the rear ones with PB tonight and will do them tomorrow.

CUF Rocks.

No problem. One of my proudest achievements in this life was when me and FN Phat worked on our cars together this one time. I needed the brakes done on mine (VW Golf) and he needed a new transmission (Honda Civic hatchback). We started at about 7pm after work one evening. The problem was church basketball started at 9pm. We pulled my car into the garage first and got my brakes done. Then got his car in and swapped the tranny. We both made it to basketball on time in our own cars. It was actually pretty damn impressive.

[kccougar]

Looks like I'm late to this thread but let me add my testimony of PB Blaster. It always works. A couple of times I've had to leave it soaking over night but eventually everything comes loose.

The worst mess I was in having nuts/bolts stuck was when I lost the security key for the lug bolts holding my wheels on. I called a tire shop since they must see this situation often, and they do have a tool that can latch on to the bolt but with my wheels, there wasn't enough clearance between the sides of the bolts and the recess in the wheels to get the tool on the bolt.

I ended up buying a socket that was just barely smaller than the diameter of the lug bolts and hammering over the bolt. Then I was able to connect the socket wrench and remove the bolts. Unfortunately, the socket was then jammed on the bolt and couldn't be reused for the next wheel. So I took it inside and heated the stuck parts over a hot stove (funny looks from my wife) before going back out the garage to beat the two pieces apart with a hammer.

Fun times.

[cougjunkie]

No problem. One of my proudest achievements in this life was when me and FN Phat worked on our cars together this one time. I needed the brakes done on mine (VW Golf) and he needed a new transmission (Honda Civic hatchback). We started at about 7pm after work one evening. The problem was church basketball started at 9pm. We pulled my car into the garage first and got my brakes done. Then got his car in and swapped the tranny. We both made it to basketball on time in our own cars. It was actually pretty damn impressive.

You swapped out a tranny and changed breaks in 2 hours? Good ghandi.

[Surfah]

You swapped out a tranny and changed breaks in 2 hours? Good ghandi.

I swear on everything holy. It was just my rear brakes. Not all four corners.

[FN Phat]

I swear on everything holy. It was just my rear brakes. Not all four corners.

And it was a tranny on a fwd honda but we still kick ass for a couple of jokers

[cougjunkie]

And it was a tranny on a fwd honda but we still kick ass for a couple of jokers

That is unreal, you guys have serious skills.

[Surfah]

That is unreal, you guys have serious skills.

We did it in the garage of FN Phat's roommate at the time. He's a Honda mechanic who had his own shop for awhile and raced in the NOPI series. So we had the luxury of having a nice compressor and some tools we wouldn't have otherwise had. But it was just us two doing the work. I borrowed some specialty tools from Autozone to do the brakes. They have a caliper compressor there for rent. Having the right tools for the job makes everything easy. Also it helps to have actual service manuals from the maker and not the cheapo Haynes manuals you can buy at Autozone. I paid over $100 for mine.

FN Phat and me did a lot of the work on our cars together.

[SteelBlue]

No problem. One of my proudest achievements in this life was when me and FN Phat worked on our cars together this one time. I needed the brakes done on mine (VW Golf) and he needed a new transmission (Honda Civic hatchback). We started at about 7pm after work one evening. The problem was church basketball started at 9pm. We pulled my car into the garage first and got my brakes done. Then got his car in and swapped the tranny. We both made it to basketball on time in our own cars. It was actually pretty damn impressive.

Wow.