Description
The job is dead in the water - one bolt seized solid. You thought you'd finish in a day, but this has occupied your entire afternoon. You're cold, tired, bruised and frustrated. For me, it was a seized brake on my wife's hatchback, but it could be a bike, boat or barbecue. All components exposed to the elements have a harsh life. Dust, mud, grit and, in vehicles, rust sped up by road salt. We didn't have the money for a garage bill, let alone a tow truck to take it there. I had to fix it, or sell at a loss, then brave the nightmare of replacing it with a fresh can of worms.
I'd bought a longer spanner (wrench), but couldn't use the ring end because the gap was too small. All I'd done with the open crescent end was smear 4 of the 6 corners from the bolt head. One chance left... so I hit the Internet.
Use a long lever and a heavy friend. Been there, didn't need the friend...
Use a blow lamp. No use, brake pipes and ABS wires I didn't want to mess with.
Use an impact wrench or driver. No room for a socket... and I didn't own either.
Several searches later, several pages down, I found the answer, a freeze spray. It shrank the bolt, cracking the rust, creating a tiny sliver of space for the lubricant in the spray to seep into. I did not know such a thing existed until adversity taught me.
Everything I discovered is here. Myths are in the bin, and solutions ranked in order of aggression. Starting gently has bonuses. Basic tools and cheap materials, less collateral damage and reduced risk of injury. No burns or grinder marks mean you can reuse more original, possibly even rare parts and panels. Finally, you avoid delays for replacements, and save money.
I wish you luck fixing whatever brought you here. Happy trails!
Chas Newport, Somerset, UK. Autumn 2021
Author: Chas Newport
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 12/15/2014
Pages: 254
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.72lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.58d
ISBN13: 9781503176393
ISBN10: 1503176398
BISAC Categories:
- Transportation | Automotive | Repair & Maintenance
- Transportation | Ships & Shipbuilding | Repair & Maintenance
- Transportation | Motorcycles | Repair & Maintenance
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