Help...My donor has lots of seized nuts/bolts, so far the prop shaft to diff bolts won't budge and the long bolts through the diff are seized too. It's all very rusty (as I expected) and I've used lots of WD-40. I don't want to round off the nuts/bolts.

Any tips? I don't have any method of heat source, but could obtain a blow torch easily.

Could I grind of the prop to diff bolt heads??? but then that would leave the stud in the diff flange!!!!

The blowtorch should be enough to help the situation. A good impact driver might also help. If all else fails try a nut splitter - a bit drastic but they work.

Leave the WD40 to penetrate and keep going back and adding a bit more. Also whack with a hammer to loosen the bolts and after a while they ‘should’ come out.

I wouldn't grind off the bolt heads on the propshaft. Use a good quality socket - preferably flat drive 6 point (impact type) and a longer bar for leverage and they should come out. If you have rounded the heads off already then a cold chisel and a big hammer should get them started.

The long diff bolts are a right pain in the *ss you will need to drift them out in all probability, this is easier if you have the subframe out rather than trying to do it on the car.

HTH

Mark

I'd definitely borrow or buy even a little propane touch to get some heat on there.

dont forget to slacken the hub retaining nuts while you still have a handbrake and weight on the wheels.there well tight and handed

You need a mate with an IMPACT GUN - pref Snap-On.

That shifted everything I threw at it.

Other than that - an impact driver as mentioned is the next best thing. You need the quick sharp torque of undoing it - hanging off a bar is far too linear.

Heat and WD40 should help - although not together - well unless you've had enough and wanna torch it

Forget WD40. Buy a tin of proper pentrating oil, available in most hardware shops. Far better IMO.

Also buy an impact driver, they arent that expensive.

For seized nuts, dont bother, just use a nut splitter.

David

i use lusol over WD40. give it time to soak. Try and get heat into it if you can. Use a six sided impact bit or spanner, not a 12 as you may round the heads. if you use a spanner on a lever, apply a force and hit the bolt with a hammer to get the 'shock' thing going.
Be patient. An extra ten minutes thought instead of buggering the bolts is well worth it.

plus gas is far better than wd40 (don't ask how i know).

just give it time to work and don't rush it. After shocking if it still doesn't work add more plus gas and leave it again.

then try heat (or try it first) and add more plus gas after its cooled.

if that doesn't work ......

If you can, try to get in with a wire brush first then treat liberally with penetrol, wd or duck oil whatever you have, then brush some engine oil on after and leave it to soak. The prop bolts are coated to stop them coming undone, that's why they are blue. A good socket will get them off and once they move they will release.

I allways use a 6 point socket as I find you are less likley to round the nut/bolt of.

Wouldn't be without an air impact wrench.

You will also find it much easier to drop the complete back end and split the diff ect when its not under the car.

I took the complete car to bits in one day with the impact wrench

See if you have mate with a BOC spanner, they usually fetch most things off:

whatever happened to plus gas? i havent seen any for ages and it used to work a treat! wurth do some good stuff but not cheap ,personally heat does it for me eevery time

I always prefered Plus Gas over WD40 too. Havn't seen any in my motor factors for ages though. Can you still get it?

24" breaker bar with impact socket will unwind most things without too much brutality. Get a good one and extend if necessary with a length of scaf tube. Prop to dif flange bolts are loctited in mine came off with breaker bar in a scrappy so didn't have time to do wd40 thing! A good bang on the bolt head can help break rust, use a 4lb lump hammer and hit the bolt straight with a full swing, if you don't hit it straight you can bend the head or shaft of the bolt making things more difficult.

Good luck!

Caber

Thanks for advice, I'll go and get a blowtorch at lunchtime. I've got some impact hexagon sockets and am applying WD-40 every evening. I'll start attacking the front end of the car and leave the back end to soak.

The rear hub nuts came loose easily with a 41mm socket and 18" bar.

there is also a new product by locktite that actually uses freezing method i have used it and it works well