Ok...extremly Frustrated!!

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Mar 24, 2008 | 10:38 AM

gvrangr98

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Ok...extremly Frustrated!!

I'm trying to remove the old hub assembly, front, passenger side. the three bolts, that make up a triangular shape, the ones that hold it to the steering knuckle, well they are frozen on! I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING! you need an open ended wrench,(no room for a socket) 15mm I believe. I first soaked the bolts with PB Blaster,(yesterday and again this morning) they won't break or budge. I used a long breaker bar(for leverage), then put the torch to them, still nothing! What the *EDIT* am I supposed to do now? I need a tip, some advice, some ideas! HELP, HELP, HELP! This needs to be done today. so I can go to work tomorrow. oh, its a 98 ranger 3.0.

Last edited by fordboy_52; Mar 25, 2008 at 09:18 AM. Reason: cussing

Mar 24, 2008 | 11:53 AM

NewEnglandHerdsman

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From: in the woods of MA

They should come off if you use enough heat... you're using an oxy-acetylene torch, I assume? If you can't get enough heat into the knuckle, try this: heat the bolts red hot, then let them cool completely - use some water to cool them down. Do that a couple times. Then when they're cool again, try to break them loose...

Mar 25, 2008 | 07:49 AM

gvrangr98

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no i was using a hand held propane torch, which was the problem, it takes a long time to get them red hot with one of these!....if you can at all! I finally got them to break with as much heat as the little torch could give me and a 2 1/2 ft breaker bar. yeah, I was cursing pretty much every other word by then.
thank you for your advice.

Mar 25, 2008 | 08:08 AM

NewEnglandHerdsman

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From: in the woods of MA

Yes, the propane torches are of limited use for this - the trick with heat is to get one part (usually what the bolt is threaded into) much hotter than the other part (the bolt) so you're taking advantage of the different expansions. But with the small propane torch you end up heating everything about equally - better than nothing, but sometimes just not enough.

Glad to hear you got it done though - even with the blue wrench, sometimes persistence is what's really required...

Mar 25, 2008 | 09:18 AM

fordboy_52

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if you skirt the filter again, ill close the topic

Mar 25, 2008 | 11:37 AM

jdthespy

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I've heard you can take a can of compressed air(like a keyboard duster)and hold it upside down and spray onto a stubborn nut after you use extreme heat. I've been waiting to see if it works, but I've been lucky so far to not needing to try this trick yet...Glad you got it though.

Mar 25, 2008 | 11:59 AM

NewEnglandHerdsman

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From: in the woods of MA

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdthespy

I've used that technique (using ice rather than compressed air) to try and cool the bolt (or pin, in the case I recall). Same principle - get the two pieces to expand different amounts, (hopefully) loosening the bolt/stud/pin/whatever...