Nut removal 101
 

Trying to mount a trailer hit on my car (not the Box), and where there should be holes in the frame into which I can place the bolts for the trailer hitch there are...holes + bolts/nuts IN the holes. These, far as I can tell, serve no purpose whatsoever other than frustrating someone trying to install a trailer hitch onto the frame. Of course, this being a 2007 with 8 years exposure to NE Ohio weather (read: snow, ice, megatons of applied road salt), they're corroded all to hell. Been spraying PB Blaster on them daily for a few days, even applied some heat at one point.

Went over to my kid's house and got his impact out and worked on them awhile. One started to budge, but we discovered that the hidden end of the bolt has just a plate it's pulled up against---nothing to keep the bolt from turning. Which is what happens...turn the nut, the whole thing turns...no progress made.

What's the next step with something like this?

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...pslamzc0uz.jpg

explosives?

cut it off it is does not do anything

Nut splitter. It will sheer the nut off.

[QUOTE=JayG;464832]explosives?

Cut it with what? I can't get behind the nuts with a hack saw.


Okay...I'm off to google..see what one of THEM looks like.

Cut it with a Dremel?

Nut splitter looks like the way to go for me. Hopefully I've got room to work it in there.
Thanks.

Cutting torch . Gone .

Don't have one...but thanks anyway.

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgmkjlfun.jpg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps2vlh2w3i.jpg

Until circumstances prove otherwise, that's the ticket.

Just gotta head out to HF and pick me some up :)

HF also has a small $10 rotary tool with attachments (including cutting wheels). Get one of those while you're there. ;)

I've seen those. You really think they're worth the $10? I sorta decided they may well be junk. Have you used one? The $10 one from HF?

Nice fingers Tim

Drill the flat of the nut with progressively bigger drill bits.

No. I have/use a Dremel, but if you don't, $10 may be worth a try.
There isn't much to a rotary tool. A motor and a chuck...

the $10 HF tool is not very powerful
I got one for my wife to do her nails

I DO have a dog that hates nail trims...maybe you got something there!

PB Blaster or Kroil and patience

Read my original description. I have no doubt the impact wrench would have gotten these puppies off...but the bolt turns with the nut. PB Blaster doesn't help with this.

Ended up getting them off with a combo of the (recently-purchased) nut splitter AND my kid's dremel. Neither was perfect, but together I muddled through. Took awhile---those tools are one helluva lot easier to use when access is simple. Working in a tight space, not so much..

50/50 mix acetone/transmission fluid then a nut splitter. If the former doesn't work or use the second. If the splitter doesn't break, the nut will.