The impossible nut

If you’re a home mechanic you’ll get plenty of life on an element. Using it every day all day in the rust belt as a career mechanic, different story, but still have a lot of use in the lifespan.

Not sure what they run but if they’re pricey, don’t feel like it’s necessary to get spares right off the bat.

 

I use mine quite a bit at work (rust belt mechanic) I’ve yet to replace any coil. Had it for 2 years now

 

Well...job complete..new coilovers, new shocks. The driver side went much faster because all the nuts came off with no issue. Letting them soak in PB helped a lot and I torched each one.
However, the left rear nut (driver side)does not provide enough clearance to use a socket so you need to wrench it..a ratchet wrench would be ideal.
I went for a test drive after i was done and it rode great. It cornered better and handled all the bumps better also. Getting an alignment tomorrow.

 

Someone help this man bust his nut!

 

Welp...valve cover gasket was leaking on my riding mower and I broke a bolt off...almost the whole thing except the head. Should I attempt to bore a small hole in the bolt and use a screw extractor?

Note: it is not rusted in place, I removed it and when I was bolting it back it snapped.

 

Can you just drill it out and put a longer bolt with a nut on the other side?

 

It is threaded and I think oil would leak from the back side..unless i rethreaded the new hole.

 

I have used Speed Out with 50/50 success. It is usually at Lowe’s or Home Depot.

Watch videos on how to use , google them first. Will give you better odds on it working

Since there is no Phillips or Flat head markings you may need to drill a small hole in the broken bolt to get the speed out started.

 

Here's a pic of my hardware:

 

Air hammer that thing off and put a new strut. I've had good luck with an induction heater, but its kind of a specialty tool.

 

THIS!

 

Yep that thing. But if it's getting replaced brute force will be easiest. I didn't realize how old this thread was. I'm sure he's figured it out since last year!

 

I had this exact problem, rusted/rounded and couldn't get a reciprocating tool in there because it was tight (the offending nut was of course the one furthest into the wheel well).

I didn't have a Dremel or anything small and I wound up cutting the d*mn thing off in negative temps with one of those $5 micro hacksaws. Worst two hours of my life...

 

Going back to that original issue with the nut on the top hat...just had that exact issue last night.
I soaked them, no luck....could not get a socket in there straight enough. Stripped the nut.
I ended up using a 3/4" belt sander I had laying around with a 60grit belt. Ground it flat and it popped off. Then knocked the stud put and replaced it with a similar one I had laying around the garage.