So, I finally got my rusted ass calipers and pads off. Managed to unhook my supremely rusty brake lines. Managed to loosen all the hub nuts.

My hub slides ride off, at least SOMETHING was properly greased.

Then I flip and find the worst rust of all when I'm thinking "Oh good, now I just swap the rotor out for the new one." That though was quickly interrupted by my inner sailor.

Please, any advise on cracking these loose.

Thanks,
-Justin

 

With a propane or butane torch, heat each one up individually and apply WD, PBblaster, or whatever penetrating lubricant to the OTHER end while it cools down. The cooling down should draw the lube into the threads. Also apply LIBERAL amounts of the same lubricant to the side of the bolts visible in the pic- before and after heating them up.
Use a 'breaking bar', not a ratchet to loosen them, and tap ever so hard on the back side of the breaking bar while trying to loosen them with a 2 pound sledge hammer or dead-blow hammer.

 

Hey, thanks for the advice. Hopefully the local True Value has a torch seeing as I can't drive anywhere.... And I have a breaker bar but not the correct socket to fit on the 1/2 in.

I'm using B'reaker. I picked it up at Wal Mart.... it felt half empty but there was only 1 can left so I couldn't compare to the other cans... does B'reaker always sell like that or did I get Wal Raped?

 

Couldn't tell you about the b'reaker. But if it feels half full, you may have been b'raped.

You're basically looking a a bernz-o-matic torch or something similar. I actually think that Wally world sells them in the hardware area. But any serious hardware store should have them, if they sell copper pipe for plumbing- they're often used for brazing water pipes.

 

yeah but your break bar should do get one of those sockets that changes a 3/8 to a half inch so you can use it!!!

heat helps but i have found break bar and air tools are the best.... good luck man we have all been there.. and myself have snapped way too many bolts uncluding one on my cross member today

 

I hear you.
I use heat to help 'draw in' the penetrant- heat the fastener up then spray the heck out of it with the lube. As it cools, it should cause the lube to migrate up the threads.

 

I have found that these bolts are not that bad. Yours look better then any of mine I have taken off. They look like hell but one shot with an impact gun and they come right out. They are metric so get the right socket, 14 or 17mm I think.

 

Impact is the way to go... 14mm 6 point socket.

 

sometimes my impact wont get these bolts off i need to use a breaker bar i dont think you understand canadian rust!

 

Buy a compressor and some air tools...will be your best investment ever!!

 

I agree on the air tools but if not, get yourself a serious breaker bar. I find that MAPP gas seems to work a little better than propane because it's a little hotter. I also tend to spray the piss out of them with PB blaster after heating them up and coming back after a couple beers. Usually I don't have a hard time getting them off with a 12" 1/2" drive ratchet after that but your rust may be a bit worse than mine have ever been.

 

Pennsylvania rust is just as bad:







If you get air tools, make sure you get a good impact, not a wimpy one. My electric impact is better than my air impact.

 

haha...you sure the beers didnt just turn you into superman? I know i always feel like superman after beers

 

I HAVE A COMPRESSOR and air tools 2 sets.... i still need to use a breaker bar whats wrong with this??? its a 5hp 20 galon

 

^ yeah...sometimes it happens, but the air tools do the trick 95% of the time, the other 5%...drink beer and get your breaker bar!!lol

 

what psi should i be runnin out of the tank 80?

 

Hey, thanks everybody.

Couple more questions....

1. Impact.... get what you pay for? Whats a good brand name, or price range?

2. Breaker Bar? I used this to get my calipers off, but what can I do about the rotor nuts? What I mean is it's extremely difficult to hold this round object in place while cranking on it... and I don't have a vice.

3. Heat. I need a torch anyway so I'll try to make it to Home Depot and just by the basic plumber's kit.

Thanks again
-Justin

 

with a 17 year old yota from new hampshire i can tell you that a torch will be by far the best 20$ ever spent on a tool.its the only reason i got my bumper, cv shafts, and sway bar off. evan if a bolt is stripped just get it red hot then whack it with a BFH and force one socket or another on it. works EVERY time.

 

I found the easiest way to hold the hub was to put it upside down in a wheel lying flat on the ground, with the lug bolts through the wheel holes. You can even out a couple of nuts back on to hold it if you want. Then you can stand on the tire and the edges of the rotor. I used my impact to get most of them, but needed a 24" breaker bar for a couple. With a breaker bar it might be easier to get someone else to help, just watch out for the bar slipping and cracking you on the ankles.

 

The big thing is how powerful the impact wrench is. Many cheep ones are only 250lb feet, which i find only works for fresh un-rusted bolts. For really rusted stuff I would start looking for a 500lb ft wrench or more. It took a 900lb ft wrench to get my tow hooks off and they weren't even rusty.

And I watched a trailer place put a new ball on my hitch with a 1400lb ft impact gun...