Ross Williamson <rw1@st-andrews.ac.uk> writes:
> 1) I need to take a shim or two out of one of the swivel pins because
> there is a nasty "clunk" when cornering and some play in one of the
> front road wheels. The problem is - the big bolts that hold the
> shims and pin are solid with 15 years of rust and mud - how do I
> get the bolts out.
> 2) For that matter - what is the best way to get out really rusty bolts,
> when all the usual penetrating fluid and wire brushing has failed?
I have two strategies, depending on circumstances -- take your pick:
1) Vital bolt, or needs to be reused if at all possible, reasonable
access (e.g. bumper-to-frame bolts): Heat the thing with a torch
until it glows, then zap it with a good impact wrench. A large
hand wrench/spanner may be used in a pinch, but you will gain a
quick understanding of how heat sinks work, and you have only a
short time to get the nut/bolt off before cooling takes away the
thermal expansion and you have to heat it all over again.
2) Not vital bolt, or corroded beyond recognition anyway, or with poor
accessibility (e.g. shock absorber/damper mounts): If you can see
it, you should have enough room to snake a drill bit in, using an
extension if necessary. Drill a pilot hole through it with a small
bit, then repeat with larger and larger drill bits until you've
drilled the offending bolt/nut into oblivion. A weird approach, I
admit, but it works for limited-access situations and cases where
excessive heat or overtorquing can damage the surrounding hardware.
Andrew C. Green
Datalogics, Inc. Internet: acg@dlogics.com
441 W. Huron UUCP: ..!uunet!dlogics!acg
Chicago, IL 60610 FAX: (312) 266-4473
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