What is the best product to remove rusted bolts? I saw something on horsepower tv or one of those shows where they used some new(?) product that apparantly instantly freezes the bolt causing the rust to break free or something along those lines... anyone know what I am talking about?

 

Its called a box wrench!

 

What are you trying to get off?

 

A box wrench will not help removing rusted k-member bolts and other suspension parts... unless you're some serious muscle man lol

I am removing the entire suspension from my 1992 z which has 170k miles driven through every kind of weather imaginable... by previous owners

I'd rather get the right stuff and soak everything down before i start tearing into it and then end up slipping and punching the steel frame which by the way hurts like hell!!! lol

 

Hes trying to get his nuts off

Sorry couldnt help it.. I use a impact 2 remove Kmember bolts..

 

lol... Wish I had an impact gun. I am only blessed with my biceps and a craftsman braker bar. This is gonna be fun

 

I tried everything I had to get the rear control arms off and nothing worked... until I got out my grinder. I shaved off the head and end, and a used a hammer and punch to get it the rest of the way out.

Problem with suspensions is the rubber swells and the bolts rust and everything becomes one siezed mess. At least on the rear there's a bit of wiggle room to spread the holders just a little to get them out. I was lucky on my A-Arms, they came off with the impact gun.

I have an electric impact gun I picked up for like $50, it's very handy. I don't recommend it but I did use universal joints to reach the bolts in the back that are under the body and it worked on one side but the other was way too siezed and it was ground out.

Just be careful on the back ones if you do go the grinder route, the gas tank is there!

 

yea, im going to try and limit my purchasing of more tools and see if I can find this spray can thing that will freeze it up... If anyone knows this let me know otherwise I will keep searching and keep everyone posted on this stuff...

 

Found it!

http://www.loctitefreezeandrelease.com/


check this stuff out... wonder how well it really works. Im gonna give it a try when I get to taking everything apart.

 

i was looking into getting some of that stuff but didnt think it would work so let me know how it goes...

 

PB blaster i found to work very well. That and a breaker bar with a 4 foot pipe lol.

 

PBlaster works very well, but there is another product of the spray-and-soak variety. It's called 'Kroil', it costs the world, and works better than anything else out there. This stuff is seriously expensive, on the order of three or four times the cost of a can of PBlaster, but it works great. I'll have to check out the loctite product link, maybe it works as good as Kroil . . .

 

I agree with the kroil.It works great.I let it sit overnight and took the control arm bolts of with a 1/2 inch rachet and a wrench.You could also rent an electric impact gun for a day.

 

Yep. I've used PBlaster to good effect, but I'd like to try the above. Sounds interesting anyway.

JamesC

 

Kroil is the best stuff ever for rusted bolts. I used to use pb blaster but now its all kroil. I let it sit for about 10 min and I have never broken a bolt off and I hardly ever have to use a breaker bar. Its kinda expensive but its worth it.

 

torches work well...as long as you don't want to reuse any rubber and you have clearance to use them safely. I use a small propane torch that I also use on plumbing.

 

I agree w/ gulstrand - torch...you can sit there for days on end with PB - let the PB set over night, the hit the nut with a torch, throw the breaker bar w/ a good socket on and give a tug. If the propane wont cut it get map gas - get it red - it will spin right off. I was afraid to use a torch when I started on mine, just get comfortable, be safe and keep an extinguisher close if you run into any trouble. You wont thought, rear suspension stuff is all low to the ground, good distance from gas lines etc.

 

bang for buck the best spray is PBblaster, but like baliva1 said theres nothing that can compete with a good torch. I prefer the cetaline torch just b/c i have one but Mep torches work just as well and cost alot less to purchase.

 

pb blaster is good, but will only do so much. A torch will help, if you can get to the threads, not working for a k-member.

I would be careful with the breaker bar, the problem with them is that they will allow you to twist so hard that the head of the bolt breaks off. An impact gun will not usually do this and works wonders for this kind of work. When the budget is there, i would highly recommend getting one, even a good cordless one can really come in handy.

 

Yea, I have def had this happen before where the head broke off ... def. sucks. We'll see what happens when I get to this in a couple weeks. Car is at body shop now but I will keep everyone posted on that loctite stuff too. I really want to try it just to see its truth. Torch is out of question for me dont have one and not going through trouble to rent and electric impact may have to happen if the breaker bar/lubricant dont work

 

I've grown fond of PB blaster, but we used to use a product called 'Kroil'. There's nothing like it, you can get anything rusted off with it, too.

 

Freeze-OFF by CRC works pretty good. I prefer that over PB Blaster nowadays.

http://www.myboatsgear.com/mbg/product.asp?prodID=1670

 

as a retired acft. mechanic i have used aero-kroil for many years . good , yes ( the best ) , expensive yes . anyway i removed eng. and "K" member from my 89rs as a unit . sprayed bolts with wd-40 twice every day while i dis-connected everything else . spray the back side of the nut-plate where possible . broke all mine loose easy with a socket & breaker bar . good luck .

 

liquid wrench penetrating oil, pb blaster, zep 45 penetration oil, all those are great. and when that doesnt work, a good impact will work. but since im usually stuck to working on the street, pb blaster is pretty good.

 

I have used a LOT of these products and worked with rusty *** bolts courtesy of the State of MN and their liberal salting policy.

1. Kroil - this stuff is the best I have found. It has worked on stuff that PB blaster wouldn't. While it is more expensive than most...a can lasts quite a while....and it doesn't cost THAT much more. Stop being cheap LOL

http://www.kanolabs.com/

Go for the Sili-Kroil as it the main product plus silicone for lubrication.


2. PB Blaster - best stuff that is commonly available. Requires more soaking time and liberal applications.

3. WD40 - bottom of the list for seriously rusted stuff....but it works for most stuff.


Honorable mentions - the heat/torch and candle wax method...works good...have only tried a handful of times.

Never tried the Freeze off products....

HTH.

 

General Motors Head Riser Cleaner works well for me.

 

I vote PB Blaster

 

The best rust penetrant that I've ever used is the MOPAR Rust Penetrant. My cousin used to turn wrenches at a MOPAR dealer and he turned me on to it. It's leaps and bounds beyond PB Blaster or any other over-the-counter spray penetrant that I've ever tried. I've never used Kroil so I can't compare it to that.

 

One time when I had nothing else available a friend suggested that I use brake fluid. I filled an old pump oiler with dot 3 and it workesd on everything, even exhaust collector bolts. I have had good luck with PB Blaster but I will try some Kroil in the future.

 

I use this other stuff called 'Rust Buster' I got it from a heating and cooling place here in Windsor, seems to work pretty good, and it's cheap as hell!

 

Candle wax and heat.
Sounds lame I know however I've tried it on several locations and it has worked without fail.
Seems the heat will cause most solvent based penetrants to evaporate. With the candle wax the heat will draw the wax into the crevices with capillary action, much like soldering plumbing fittings. The wax remains deep in the threads and also provides a little lubrication.
I didn't believe it until I tried it.
(I will admit that accessing k member bolts with the wax rather than a spray may prove problematic)

 

the best stuff I ever used is called "FREE-ALL the rust eater" it stinks real bad but it blows pb blaster away. I've sprayed blaster on rusted bolts and yanked them where they wouldn't even move then i sprayed this stuff on and they came loose like nothing. I hardly ever get the torch out now. I still use pb blaster only on minorly rusted stuff and i use the free all on the really rusted stuff only because it gives me a headache if u breath it in.


http://www.freealloil.com/freeall.html

you guys have to try this stuff to believe it.

 

KROIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

one trick I have learned that originated from a local speed shop, get a torch and heat up a bolt and when its red hot touch a candle to it and it will suck up the wax from the candle onto the threads and make the bolt easy to remove.

 

Check this out for a DEAL on Kroil.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/afte...enetraing.html

 

After having the chance to use some Kroil, I stand by my original assessment... Mopar Rust Penetrant is be best I've used.

 

In the end, it turned out that WD-40 helped some but I think the BEST way is IMPACT - i.e., impact gun, but like me a lot of us dont have compressors and other nifty gadgets. So a hammer, breaker bar, and some muscle solved my problems for any stubborn bolts. The impact helps to break up rust and release the bolts.

I couldnt wait around to order some of the penetrants mentioned above or drive around trying different things without the impact method. ALthough if you are out and see some of the products above, might as well grab a can or bottle or whatever...