# Tips for breaking fasteners loose **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [January 14, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737 "2010-01-14T21:41:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/1 "2010-01-14T21:41:11Z")
Having turned wrenches for 20 years, I’d like to think that I can pass on some tips. 1)HEAT-works wonders. Most people are not paitent enough, so they don’t think it works. I’ll heat up exhaust hardware until it’s glowing, spray with PB, loosen, repeat, etc. Let the heat work for you. 2)The aforementioned PB is PB Blaster penetrating oil-‘staple’ of getting shit loose, ha. Give it time to work and apply it several times before working on whatever. 3)Tighten before you loosen-Yep, you read it right. Sometimes if you tighten something before you loosen it, it’ll have a better chance of coming apart, not rounding the nut, etc. 4)Valve grinding compound-Works WONDERS in philips screws. 5)Two people-If you’ve got room, adding a 2nd hand on a long philips screwdriver will often times get a fastner out that you think is stripped out 5)Vice grips-Nut, Bnut, bleeder rounding off? Grab that son of a bitch with vice grips. It needs to be replaced anyway. 6)Impact tools-I firmly believe that the ‘knocking’ of an impact tool gives something a better chance of coming apart, vs a breaker bar or whatever. 7)Double nutting-no, not what I do in bed. Some kids don’t know how to get studs out. Put two nuts on it, tighten them together, and back it out. 8)Tighten, loosen, tighten-sometimes after you break something loose, it’s best to loosen it a little, tighten it, loosen it, tighten it, etc. I mostly use this technique on rusted hardware. Feel free to throw in liberal amounts of PB here, too! Just some off my head, feel free to add! EDIT-added one ---
**Author:** ![Wayne64SS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wayne64ss/32/6365_2.png) [@Wayne64SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wayne64SS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/2 "2010-01-14T21:51:22Z")
Those screwdrivers that you hammer on the back end of and they turn are worth their weight in gold when you are doing rotors on a honda. If you get a stubborn one break out the air chisel, the screws are in stock at keeler 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![6SPD\_S4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/6spd_s4/32/6326_2.png) [@6SPD\_S4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/6SPD_S4)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/3 "2010-01-14T21:53:12Z")
Word Wayne, impact screwdriver ftw ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/4 "2010-01-14T21:53:46Z")
> [@Wayne64SS"](#): > > Those screwdrivers that you hammer on the back end of and they turn are worth their weight in gold when you are doing rotors on a honda. If you get a stubborn one break out the air chisel, the screws are in stock at keeler 🙂 Impact hammer FTW, which reminds me of this, forgot to add this Goes in a rivet gun, works AMAZING. I use mine all the time (on aircraft), would come in handy on cars too. ---
**Author:** ![Wayne64SS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wayne64ss/32/6365_2.png) [@Wayne64SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wayne64SS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/5 "2010-01-14T22:04:17Z")
I have this one… the bits break occasionally but hey the hole thing was $7. LOL ![http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/37500-37599/37530.gif](http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/37500-37599/37530.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Wayne64SS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wayne64ss/32/6365_2.png) [@Wayne64SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wayne64SS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/6 "2010-01-14T22:05:05Z")
As a side note … I had no idea you worked on cars man! ---
**Author:** ![MX-5](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mx-5/32/6336_2.png) [@MX-5](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MX-5)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/7 "2010-01-14T22:08:47Z")
opposite of no.1, I remember SPROCKIT telling me he’s used nitrous before, froze the shit out of something than hit it with a hammer :rofl ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/8 "2010-01-14T22:11:21Z")
> [@RedNeck rollercoaster](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/redneck-rollercoaster/28377/2): > > As a side note … I had no idea you worked on cars man! Srs? I did the majority of the work on Ray’s old Supra over the years, even before he owned it, and I’ve been maintaining/building my own shit for years. ---
**Author:** ![Wayne64SS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wayne64ss/32/6365_2.png) [@Wayne64SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wayne64SS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/9 "2010-01-14T22:14:37Z")
cool man! i had no idea! ---
**Author:** ![offroadzj](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/offroadzj/32/6428_2.png) [@offroadzj](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/offroadzj)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/10 "2010-01-15T03:40:35Z")
> [@951 winter progress](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/951-winter-progress/19571/351): > > opposite of no.1, I remember SPROCKIT telling me he’s used nitrous before, froze the shit out of something than hit it with a hammer :rofl either way works. We’ve actually had to do both here at work before. You heat up the outer part to expand it and freeze the inner part to shring it. The key is not heating/cooling the “other” part. ---
**Author:** ![DannyboyUpstate](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dannyboyupstate/32/6313_2.png) [@DannyboyUpstate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DannyboyUpstate)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/11 "2010-01-15T06:08:57Z")
![http://coolcatcorp.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/Kroil.jpg](http://coolcatcorp.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/Kroil.jpg) KANO KROIL \> PB Blaster ---
**Author:** ![Mafdark](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mafdark/32/6322_2.png) [@Mafdark](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mafdark)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/12 "2010-01-15T06:51:20Z")
> [@Someone got their soxors roxored? \[Pics\] :eek](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/someone-got-their-soxors-roxored-pics-eek/28382/11): > > Impact hammer FTW, which reminds me of this, forgot to add this > > Goes in a rivet gun, works AMAZING. I use mine all the time (on aircraft), would come in handy on cars too. what does it do? How does it work? I’m glad you made this little write up. I have a exhaust housing at my garage that is held on by only one bolt. The bolt is just millimeters away from the oil inlet on the turbo which blocks me off from getting the better end of a spanner on it. At this point its pretty much rounded and I’m going to have to get the vice grips on it next time I try. Maybe I’ll have to barrow a torch first. ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/13 "2010-01-15T07:14:37Z")
Welder… I am lazy sometimes, and if I round something off or strip it out, I grab a hunk of steel and weld that bitch to what ever fastener I fucked up and spin it off. Allen keys/bolts are usually my down fall. If you dont get high end hardened allen bits they round off just enough to eat up the softer bolt head and your screwed. I have a drawer of old ass allen wenches, just grab one that sorta fits and weld it to the bolt. Then after you get it out, cutoff wheel it off just above the welds and your back to almost new on the wrench, throw it back in the drawer for the next time. ---
**Author:** ![JVG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jvg/32/6348_2.png) [@JVG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JVG)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 8:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/14 "2010-01-15T08:28:17Z")
> [@For all you zombie lovers...](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/for-all-you-zombie-lovers/28358/6): > > KANO KROIL \> PB Blaster without a doubt, agree 100% Kroil creeps far better than PB. Only downside is getting it in a pinch. I also recommend Knock’er Loose or ZEP over PB, but again more expensive and harder to get in a pinch. You can also thermally shock a bolt as well, but it should only be used on larger fasteners as it makes the fastener brittle. Heat the surrounding area around the fastener with acetylene, then immediately shock the fastener with non-flammable brake cleaner or “dust buster” type propellant. This 99% of the time will break the surface tension of the oxidation and allow the fastener to move. dispose of the fastener when done. ---
**Author:** ![RTrac1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rtrac1/32/6312_2.png) [@RTrac1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RTrac1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 8:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/15 "2010-01-15T08:48:17Z")
similar to krazykid, if I round off a bolt (very common on some of the bolts/nuts under the zuk) I weld another nut or bolt to it to get it out. other than that, i soak rusty stuff in pb blaster ahead of time when possible. ---
**Author:** ![offroadzj](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/offroadzj/32/6428_2.png) [@offroadzj](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/offroadzj)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/16 "2010-01-15T09:01:58Z")
and of course, whenever it is safe to do… USE ANTI-SEIZE ON RE-ASSEMBLY!!! That will save you and whoever may work on that after you a hell of a lot of time. The previous owner of my jeep apparently put anti-seize on my exhaust manifold bolts and they came off with a cheap 1/4" chinese ratchet. ---
**Author:** ![JClark](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jclark/32/6309_2.png) [@JClark](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JClark)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 9:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/17 "2010-01-15T09:08:10Z")
Always. Use. New. Hardware. Going on month 4 of paying someone else to do it for me, a break is nice. ---
**Author:** ![offroadzj](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/offroadzj/32/6428_2.png) [@offroadzj](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/offroadzj)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 11:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/18 "2010-01-15T11:23:32Z")
i should have phrased that better… anti-seize with new hardware… never reuse unless you absolutely have to. ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/19 "2010-01-15T14:46:44Z")
> [@another full custom trunk job 76 lesabre........](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/another-full-custom-trunk-job-76-lesabre/28387/3): > > what does it do? How does it work? > > I’m glad you made this little write up. I have a exhaust housing at my garage that is held on by only one bolt. The bolt is just millimeters away from the oil inlet on the turbo which blocks me off from getting the better end of a spanner on it. At this point its pretty much rounded and I’m going to have to get the vice grips on it next time I try. Maybe I’ll have to barrow a torch first. You insert it into a rivet gun, and turn the handle as you ‘knock’ the fastener loose. Works AMAZING. On aircraft, I’ve had to use valve grinding compound on the bit, one of these tools, tighten before I loosen, etc, all on ONE LITTLE 3/16" (#10) screw:retardclap ---
**Author:** ![Wayne64SS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wayne64ss/32/6365_2.png) [@Wayne64SS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wayne64SS)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 10:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737/20 "2010-01-16T10:41:47Z")
I love this thread. Sticky it. I never heard of that Aero KROIL shit before, where can I get it? Also ZEP makes great products, I still have a big tub of that green hand cleaner from way back in my dealer days. I love that shit. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tips-for-breaking-fasteners-loose/249737.md?page=2)