If it has a nut, break it and replace it with a new bolt...

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume the nut is rusted as well. My vehicle was originally from Ontario, Canada its first 4 years of life where they use a lot of road salt in winter.

 

Hit the nut with a butane torch flame(be careful about any fuel leaks or plastics nearby), back it off with an air wrench, heat the link where the bolt goes through with torch, and knock the bolt out with a BIG hammer if there is room to swing it.

 

I had a very stubborn rusted bolt on my utility trailer when I was overhauling it. I got some kind of lubricant from Home Depot (I think) and I put it on a couple times over a 24 hour period, and it managed to loosen it up just enough that I could break it free.

Don't remember what it was called, but I think it was pretty standard stuff. Maybe the same stuff your mechanic tried, but just needs more time to soak in.

Do you have an air compressor to use an impact wrench or something? That helps a lot. An air wrench may just sit there to chug away like it's not doing anything, but eventually it starts moving. I've sat for a full 5 minutes banging away with the air wrench with no movement before it all of a sudden just came loose.

 

http://forums.delphiforums.com/hondaaero/messages?msg=27277.1

FYI....picked up from MTF:
Some of you might appreciate this. Machinist's Workshop magazine tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. Results are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist, Bud Baker. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*

None ...................... 516 pounds

WD-40 ................... 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............... 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ......... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil .............. 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix.......53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now use it with equally good results.
Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price.

Source:

http://forums.thecarlounge.net/showthread.php?4547049

 

ATF-Acetone mix? Got to try that one...

 

I think Liquid Wrench was the name of the one I tried.

Keep in mind with all of these that they really are not very environmentally friendly (or animal/kid friendly either), so be careful where you're using them and how you dispose of any leftover fluids. This kind of stuff is nasty.

 

PMcD-

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing the info on the penetrating oils. I found that very interesting.

I am a firm believer in penetrating oils. I live on the waterfront and any good storm sends salt water spray into the air, so it does not take long for rust to form on non-stainless hardware.

I usually carry a small can of WD-40 on my tool belt, but after reading your post I will be changing over to Liquid Wrench.

Thanks again.

-njjoe

 

Interesting read. I had a rusty nut round out on me when I was trying to get the muffler assembly off for my hitch installation. Looks like I'll hit it with the 50/50 ATF/Acetone mix and try again with one of those nut grabbing tools. No pun intended...

I HATE the fact that stuff rusts out on cars. Rusty nuts and bolts can turn a quick job into a serious headache!

 

Been using Aero-Kroil for 10+ years. Good stuff.

Best bet is usually a combination of penetrating oil, patience, and heat. Sometimes torch heating will break things loose when nothing else will. Problem for a mechanic is that they're paid by time and not eager to have stuff sitting in the shop for a couple of days. But if they can hit it with penetrating oil and park it for a while, that should be OK

 

I've used Aero Kroil for about 10 years and it is great stuff. I've also used the home made acetone/ATF mix and it also works great..... and much cheaper.

 

I use the sili kroil it is amazing!

 

Liquid wrench and pop it with a hammer a few times on a socket two sizes smaller on an extension. The vibration works the LW into the threads.

You have to let it sit a while after whacking it.

I did this on a 1 1/4 inch nut on the rear suspension of a 1 ton dually.
I still had to use a 3 foot cheater on the end of a 24 inch 3/4 inch ratchet handle. It had defied legs + arms + back before I put the liquid wrench to it and gave it a few whacks. It CREEEEEKed loudly all 4 inches of the bolt when it came loose.

 

Hi

I don't get it. That is a through bolt with a nut on the other end of it, so to replace the link he is going to have to get the rusted frozen bolt out, which he says he can't do.....? I grew up in Ontario, and owned lots of rusty beaters, so you do develop tactics for dealing with rusty fasteners.....

on my Murano I just dealt with a similar problem of a frozen/rusted solid through bolt, in my case the pinch bolt in the front end on each side, holding captive the front tie rod ends.

even after getting the rusty nut off each side with a high torque air impact gun, the bolt itself was frozen in place by rust. Hammering on it with a blunt drift and sledge hammer didn't move it.

I liberally applied Liquid Wrench, fired up a propane torch, heated the assembly smoking hot while the Liquid Wrench sizzled away, and I kept heating and kept applying Liquid Wrench. Then I fired up the air impact on the bolt end at its highest torque setting, and let it hammer away while I continued to heat the bolt and assembly. Took about 15 minutes per side to finally get the bolt reluctantly rotatinga little bit at a time, and another few minutes before it started to spin, when I could then drive it out.

don't re-use the rusty bolts, buy new, and I coat the new ones with anti-seize before installation.

this is basic basic mechanics, not rocket science, I would be looking for a new mechanic myself.......

Paul