About to lose my mind

Printable View

7th April 2021, 03:48 PM
Mcflurry

3 Attachment(s)

About to lose my mind

Hi gents,

Let me start off by saying, this has been consuming me for a week. I should have turned to you sooner, but I wanted to be a big boy and solve my own problem for once. It didn't work out.

I'm in the process of replacing the carrier arm bearings. Got the first side done no worries, couple of hours but no trouble. The other side the big M20 bolt & Nut seized. Unfortunately the nut is supposed to be held captive but while using my gentle persuader to turn it it has rounded the nut. No more captivity.

I soaked it in WD40 and attempted to hold the nut by jamming a screwdriver in, no joy. I went out and bought a Dremel since there's very little room and thought this would be a good tool to just cut the nut off, there just isn't enough room in there even with the small pencil Dremel attachment. I've tried giving this thing a million slices with the dremel and then beating it with a chisel. No joy. I've tried drilling through the nut, but it's too restricted I could only get 1 hole, and broke most of my drill bits in the process.

I rang around all the mechanics in my area and they're too busy to see me for a month... and by then I should be on a holiday in this giant pile of trouble.

Could someone please show me the light

Attachment 83308
Attachment 83309
Attachment 83310
7th April 2021, 04:21 PM
MB

G’day McFlurry Mate!
Do you have or anyone nearby own a welder to tack a long piece of steel rod or plate against the nut to temporarily hold it for you hopefully [emoji120]
‘Penetrene’ is also my go to for loosening rusty stuff, a lot better than CRC/WD40 I find [emoji106][emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
7th April 2021, 04:27 PM
RickGQ

Can you get a new bolt and nut? Seems you'll need a new nut at the very least anyway.
In your situation, since the nut is hard to get at, I'd grind the head off the bolt, clean everything up and replace the nut, bolt and bearing.
7th April 2021, 04:30 PM
Mcflurry

Hey MB,

I wish I knew a welder actually! That sounds like a solid idea. Unfrotunately recently moving down here from QLD I know very few people but will look at finding a welder!
7th April 2021, 04:31 PM
Mcflurry

Yeah got a new bolt & nut ready to go. If I were to grind the bolt head off I still won't be able to remove the shaft of the bolt nor the nut since it's covered on the underside
7th April 2021, 04:43 PM
RickGQ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mcflurry

Yeah got a new bolt & nut ready to go. If I were to grind the bolt head off I still won't be able to remove the shaft of the bolt nor the nut since it's covered on the underside

Gotcha. Since you mention it I can see that's an issue. You gotta do something though. How far would it drop if you ground the head off the bolt? Far enough to get at it with the grinder at the nut side? Probably not..
As MB says, welding a piece of rod to the nut may give you some leverage; obviously you need to be careful not to weld the nut to the bolt in that tight space.
A good soaking with a penetrant, I've used Reducteur H-72 with some success on seized bolts.
Maybe just heating the nut with a propane torch will loosen it. The heating method worked with the body mount bolts on my GQ, those were rusted solid at the time I replaced them.
7th April 2021, 04:48 PM
Mcflurry

After consulting here I made the executive decision to grind the plate that's supposed to be captivating that nut! I did give it a crack with a blow torch but had no luck

Thanks for your help Rick :)
7th April 2021, 04:57 PM
Truckus

Do you know anyone with a set of these

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...gid=SCA8005330

The Mentrichs grab the flats, not the corners of the bolt/nut heads. I got a Knock off set for any rounded bolts apprentices had butchered over the years, a must have for any spanner kit with older trucks.

By heating the bolt, that makes the bolt metal expand so it gets tighter, what you want is to freeze the bolt and heat the surrounds, so the bolt contracts while the thread hole expands.

With some peno (no heating or freezing) and cleaning the bolt head free of grease (so the lube is in the thread only) a breaker bar and a 20 MM Mentrich socket should be able to loosen the bolt. May have been more successful earlier on pre butchering, but still a chance of success.

Good luck, as drilling that bolt out and retappng is time consuming, and I don't think ezy outs are going to work without breaking off themselves.
7th April 2021, 07:13 PM
Mcflurry

1 Attachment(s)

Truckus, thanks for the suggestion mate, I actually happen to have a set from many years back. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a spanner near the bolt. I ended up grinding the plate off and the nut.. now the damn M20 still won't come out, I think it's seized onto the bearings in the housing... what a war.

Attachment 83322
7th April 2021, 08:54 PM
rusty_nail

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mcflurry

Hey MB,

I wish I knew a welder actually! That sounds like a solid idea. Unfrotunately recently moving down here from QLD I know very few people but will look at finding a welder!

You should touch base with some of us local boys mate. There is a large group down here in Melbourne, someone is sure to be close to you

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
7th April 2021, 08:57 PM
rusty_nail

Ooi have you tried a decent rattle gun to wind it back out mate?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
7th April 2021, 09:08 PM
MB

Top suggestion Nicco Mate[emoji106][emoji106]
McFlurry Mate if you’re anywhere near the Yarra Valley tomorrow possibly send us a PM and we’ll get some Blokes to aggressively help encourage that prick of a bolt out [emoji1696][emoji120][emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
7th April 2021, 10:04 PM
Mcflurry

Yeah Nic I did give it a whirl but only have an 18v rattle gun down here so not alot of joy! I haven't forgotten about that seat also mate, my list of things just keeps growing by the day.

MB You're a gentleman thanks mate! I would jump all over that offer but I couldn't make it out there this week. I'm located in Heidelberg.

On all that, does the forum have any trips coming up? Would be great to meet you all
7th April 2021, 10:06 PM
MudRunnerTD

Agree with the fellas. I am in Geelong, if you bring it to me I will get it out. We have ways of making it talk......

I honestly would have had a crack and belting a cold chisel into the wedge under to ham that nut the hit the bolt with the rattle gun. Trying to do that by hand just won't have the shock needed and it will spin like it did damn it.
7th April 2021, 10:13 PM
rusty_nail

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mcflurry

Yeah Nic I did give it a whirl but only have an 18v rattle gun down here so not alot of joy! I haven't forgotten about that seat also mate, my list of things just keeps growing by the day.

MB You're a gentleman thanks mate! I would jump all over that offer but I couldn't make it out there this week. I'm located in Heidelberg.

On all that, does the forum have any trips coming up? Would be great to meet you all

I reckon your best bet might be @mudski I believe he owns a mig? It at least pretty handy with a welder and owns one of some sort?

Yes there is a group trip coming up. There is a thread on here, I'll go find the link mate.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
7th April 2021, 10:14 PM
rusty_nail

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

Licola 2021 meet up - 20th - 23rd August - book here

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
7th April 2021, 10:17 PM
Mcflurry

Legend thanks mate. I do have the nut off now it's now just a matter of freeing the bolt off the bearings in the housing
7th April 2021, 10:26 PM
rusty_nail

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mcflurry

Legend thanks mate. I do have the nut off now it's now just a matter of freeing the bolt off the bearings in the housing

Come out over the weekend mate, you have my number, I'm sure between me you and my boiler maker mate who is visiting we will find a solution

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk