red locktite removal

A few weeks ago I broke a bolt that was threaded into my spindle. I'm replacing the ball joints and one of the bolts snapped at the threads inside my spindle. The last owner used red locktite and torqued the heck outta almost every bolt on the truck. So I'm planning on drilling out the bolt and using a screw remover set.

Heard from someone that pouring nail polish remover (acetone) will hope break up the red locktite. Anyone hear of this? I'm also thinking of using a torch afterward to heat up the metal to help out after all the nail polish remove has evaporated. Any more hints will help besides trash your spindle and get another one.

Almost every bolt I have came across on my truck cannot be removed with an impact gun and I have to used a breaker bar with a bar over it.

A word of wisdom to the people that love to over-torque the heck outta your stuff. There is a thing called too TIGHT.

 

Drill it out and tap a new thread in it. Its not much just for one tap and die. or you can go to harbor freight and buy a cheap set that has the stuff.

 

heat the bolt up with a torch first and let it cool, then drill and remove. This will break the chemical bond which the loctite creates.

 

Do this and apply heat, loctite comes out easiest with a torch.

 

your right on man! heat is your best friend when removing loctite bolts or any bolt thats stuck for that matter. put heat on it for a few mins. with a torch then try to remove. If it doesnt come out the first time try again because it will. Its a lot quicker than drilling and running the risk of breaking a easy out off in your hole.

 

Some things should not be installed with red loctite if they are intended to be removed.
Yes HEAT is needed to break the bond.
Use blue if you want to be able to remove it.

 

Brakleen....

And actually - loctite really doesn't do much after its disturbed from its original installation (so to speak). So even if you can't get it off, I woudln't worry too much about it. It's not gonna have the same characteristics as it does when first applied.

I use blue/red stuff at work a lot. After you disturb the stuff, it just acts more like blue (or less) loctite the second time around.

 

Thanks for the advise guys! I just wanted some seconds opinions. I mostly go with blue loctite, but the last owner loved to glue and tighten everything down as I found out the hard way.

 

Heat the bolt up almost red hot then put a candle on top of the bolt. the wax from the candle will melt into the threads of the bolt. Works like a charm.

 

wow that actually sounds pretty believable...will have to try that

 

I see this thread is a few days old now.......
FYI, the heat is your friend if you don't use too much and disturb the temper of the metal. Especially important with steering & suspension components.
Another trick to help loosen stuck/seized fasteners is to heat it up, like the others have already said, & while it is hot carefully spray with weasle pee (penetrating fluid) as soon as the fluid hits the heated parts they will start to cool & contract. When they do they will draw the fluid into the threads. It works realy well with rusted bolts.

 

never heard of weasle pee. But this bolt had some clearance to weld a nut on top(by filling in the center of the nut to connect to the broken bolt) . It got the bolt really hot and burnt off the lock tite. Just put a socket on top and came out like a champ. Thanks for the advise everyone