With your own hands: how to unscrew the stuck nut? How to unscrew a rusty nut? Possibility of unscrewing heavily tightened nuts.

It is difficult to find a master who has never encountered a stuck threaded connection in his life. Today we will talk about better ways how to deal with a problem like this different type connections and using a variety of tools and fixtures.

What wrenches to use

Breaking off a rusted thread requires significant effort. Unfortunately, conventional wrenches are of little use for these purposes. They are not only not effective enough, they can simply spoil good tool. Even Cr-V horns can bend and lose their original size forever.

In the old workshops, open-end wrenches were strengthened by welding pieces of reinforcement on them and using them specifically to break rusty threaded joints. Today, there is no need for such improvements: socket heads and box wrenches are ubiquitous, which are best suited for breaking.

There is, however, a slight caveat: wrenches and sockets with 12 or 18 break facets are not the best fit, and there is a high chance of slipping. It is better to use hex tools for breaking. It is even better if the heads have the so-called rotary or helical edges. They are called so - heads for torn edges. When unscrewed, they themselves provide the required clamping force.

While suitable sockets are easy to find, six-sided box wrenches are extremely rare. However, they are indispensable for stripping nuts with a large thread overhang, where only an elongated head can serve as the only alternative to a box ring wrench, and even then not always. Ring wrenches with twelve edges on heavily boiled nuts are highly likely to become unusable.

In some situations, both socket and box wrenches are useless. Nuts and bolts with fully flattened edges can only be loosened using pipe wrenches or self-tightening clamps. Advice from a car service: use a small bench vise (or watchmaker's vise) with an adjustable wrench as a lever to clamp the nut.

Lubricants and chemicals for pickling

The processes leading to thread jamming due to rust occur on a microscopic scale. Their closest analogy at the macro level is when grain gets stuck in a funnel: wedged against each other, particles of rust and salt tightly clog the cramped space. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, oxidizing in air, the rust increases in size and, as it were, bursts the thread from the inside.

The simplest way get rid of this effect crystalline particles into a sticky mess. A wide range of liquids can serve as a solvent - from water to kerosene and engine oil. The more fluid the lubricant is, the more effective it will be at loosening rusted threads. High fluidity is the advantage of universal greases such as WD-40.

Note that chemical composition rust can vary from case to case, and attempts to lubricate a threaded connection are not always successful. An alternative would be to try to dissolve the salt deposits inside the thread with water, or weakly concentrated acid or alkali solutions. The only disadvantage of this method is that the reaction takes time, often quite long. However, if you leave the threads soaked in Coca-Cola, hydrochloric acid sink cleaner, or even plain water for several hours, then it will be much easier to twist the rusted nut.

What does it mean to "warm up" the thread

The problem can be quickly solved only with the help of mechanical action on the threaded connection. At the same time, the impact must necessarily be dynamic: it makes no sense to press on the grits stuck in the funnel, but if you shake it, the grains will begin to wake up again.

In the common people, this is called "warm up the thread" - inflict a series of pinpoint blows on different parts connections. It is the vibrational effect that helps to loosen the jammed thread and subsequently a breakdown with an ordinary key can occur without any tangible effort at all.

To qualitatively heat the thread, you need to tap the nut both along the edges and in the axial direction. Bolt hits can also be successful. Greatest effect it works with a puncher in the chiseling mode, but the nut must be periodically turned.

How to burn a rusted nut

An alternative to the previous method is to destroy large crystals of salts and oxides, reducing the friction force inside the thread. This can be done due to the thermal expansion of the metal of the nut and bolt. In the very simple case another one, but of a larger diameter, is welded to the licked nut. Due to the heating of the thread and the presence of fresh edges, it becomes very easy to unwind the thread.

Hardening a threaded connection helps in almost 100% of cases, but this is not always convenient for two reasons:

1. Not in place suitable equipment;
2. The connected or adjacent parts are sensitive to heat.

However, it is not at all necessary to heat the thread white. It is enough to provide heating up to about 450-500 ºС, while an expansion of a few microns will be quite enough. Even an ordinary propane gas burner will do the job.

A more sophisticated way is to wrap the nut with several turns of nichrome or fechral wire and apply voltage from a car battery to the ends. This local heating will protect sensitive parts from exposure to the flame and help to significantly loosen the threads.

How to use a nut puller

Bolted connections that have remained rusty for a decade or more can be completely unyielding. To separate the parts, the nut was first hacked or loosened with a chisel. Two notches are enough on different faces, but not on neighboring ones.

Today, a special tool is provided for these purposes. Pullers are similar to ring wrenches, but on one of the faces there is a movable carbide cutter with a screw feed mechanism. Using the puller is very simple: twisting the cutter close for reliable fixation, you need to throw a knob on the tail of the screw and make another 2-3 full turns. The sharpening angle is specially selected in such a way that the nut is deformed, and at the same time it increases inner diameter.

Pairs of notches with different parties it will be enough for the thread to start turning freely. However, you should be careful: the steel of the cutter is quite fragile, plus there is always a chance of damaging the bolt thread, which in most cases is undesirable.

If the hairpin boiled: learning to work with an extractor

If the bolt is screwed into an internal thread in one of the parts, then heating, annealing and other effects on the connection are very limited. Very often in such cases, the bolt breaks off and a fragment remains inside the part.

If a large-diameter bolt (M10 or more) breaks, and at the same time, smaller fasteners can be used for fixing, then it is much more profitable to drill a new hole and make a smaller thread in it. The opposite is also possible: drill the bolt completely with a larger drill and cut a larger thread.

In such operations, you need to be very careful and carefully control the direction of drilling. Especially in cases where a hard steel bolt is surrounded by softer material, such as in an engine block.

With a special tool, the chip can be completely unscrewed. It makes sense to use an extractor when the size of the broken bolt is from M6 and above, smaller studs require an almost jeweler's approach.

To unscrew a chip with an extractor, you first need to make a longitudinal hole along its central axis of such a diameter for which the particular extractor used is designed. Before that, the visible edge of the fragment is grinded perpendicularly and centered exactly in the center.

The extractor has a left-hand thread with a slight taper. When screwing it into the body of a bolt or stud, there comes a moment when the friction forces during internal thread become higher than in the outer one, and then the boiled fragment breaks off and can be relatively easily removed.

When using the extractor, it is necessary that there is enough “body” left in the fragment, otherwise the cone screw can crush the remains of the stud and jam it even more. It is also very important to adhere to the prescribed diameters of the preparatory holes and use only the correct size extractors.

Ways to prevent corrosion on threads

When you restore the threaded connection, make sure that the problem does not occur again. Threads can be protected from corrosion by using neutral acid or slightly alkaline lubricants. This class of fuels and lubricants is called conservation, typical examples are graphite lubricant USSA and Solidol.

It will also help to protect the threaded connection from environment. Most paints and enamels based on alkyd or polyurethane are suitable for this. You should not use silicone, because its high acidity only contributes to the formation of rust.

Finally, do not forget that some threaded connections need maintenance and re-tightening. If the connection must remain detachable, it must be periodically (once every 2-3 years) released and lubricated with at least ordinary machine oil.

A stuck nut is a common problem. It is often encountered by motorists, plumbers, cyclists and mechanics. It always takes a lot of time and effort to unscrew a rusted nut.

There are several ways to make this easier difficult task. But before applying various tricks, familiarize yourself with the reasons that lead to the souring of the nut and safety precautions.

Why is a rusty nut hard to unscrew?

Rust is the main culprit for a loose nut. This is one of the types of corrosion that appears on the surface of iron. The reason for such formations is the reaction of the metal with oxygen in a humid environment.

In the process of corrosion formation, a multiple increase in the oxidation product (rust) occurs. As a result, the nut and bolt tightly merge together. Souring of metals can be so strong that when you try to turn the nut, it will be easy to break the bolt.

Another culprit for a loose nut is contamination. Small particles of metal chips and dust remain on the surface of the thread. When the nut is tightened, dirt becomes an additional obstacle. As a result, the threaded surfaces of the bolt and nut are wedged.

The third reason is that the nut is too tight. Some novice locksmiths tighten the nut almost with their feet. A little time passes, the tightly clamped metal surfaces stick to each other, aggravating the situation. As a result, a tightly tightened nut cannot be unscrewed.

And the last reason for failed attempts to turn the nut is a poor-quality tool. In the process of long-term use, the edges of the keys are deformed or worn down. It becomes difficult for a damaged tool to grab onto the nut and rip it off the thread.

What is the best tool to use

The right tool will help you unscrew faster rusty nut and not damage it. To successfully deal with the problem, use a set of tools. The following tools are best suited for unscrewing stuck nuts:

• a set of heads with a collar;
• mechanical wrench;
• socket wrench;
• flip keys.

Safety

• Do not use a damaged instrument.
• Loosen the nut counterclockwise.
• Securely fix the tool on the nut.
• Wear gloves to avoid injury to your hands.

Dissolving rust

You make great efforts and spend a lot of time to turn the nut, but nothing comes out. Do not get upset and torture yourself in vain. Set the tool aside until it breaks and use a liquid that can dissolve rust deposits and reduce friction.

There are many types of such substances, for example, the most famous remedy is WD-40. Other rust-dissolving fluids exist, such as kerosene, carburetor cleaner, gasoline, and brake fluid. Table vinegar, iodine and alcohol can be no less effective. Some locksmiths have noticed benefits even in Coca-Cola or Fanta, which include inorganic phosphoric acid.

Instruction

1. Wet the rusted nut well and wait 15-30 minutes. After the allotted time, take the key and try to turn the nut. If it does not work, then the liquid has not penetrated deep enough. Try to wet it again, but already with a napkin or a strip of rag, and then wrap the nut around. So the liquid will last longer on the metal and will be able to better dissolve the rust.
2. After carrying out such a procedure, the nut will gradually begin to move. You can speed up the unscrewing by tapping with a hammer. Then take the key (if possible, lengthen it, for example, with a piece of pipe), fix it securely on the nut and try to tear it off the thread with a very sharp jerk. If the nut is small, then it is better to unscrew it sideways (back and forth).

Nut heating

If the solvents did not help to unscrew the nut, then you can try to do this by heating. High temperatures cause the metal to expand and rust to break down. As a result, the soured threaded connection loses its strength. Use any heat source such as a heat gun, gas burner, lighter, or blowtorch.

Instruction: Heat the nut and bolt well (preferably red hot). And then try to unscrew it with a ring wrench. In some cases, the nut has damaged edges, so the wrench will not help. To solve this problem, weld a socket head to the nut and heat up the entire structure. Then, using a wrench, unscrew the nut. During heat treatment, be careful not to get burned.

Nut destruction

This method is not the most profitable, but often becomes the only saving method to free the bolt from the rusty nut. To do this, you can use a chisel, a hacksaw for metal, a grinder or an electric drill.

Instruction

1. Using a chisel and a hammer, start punching grooves on the sides (on the edges of the bolt). Driving the chisel as deep as possible will increase the inner diameter of the nut. As a result, this will lead to the destruction of the threaded connection. Approximately the same can be done with an electric drill, drilling holes in the faces. A broken nut can be easily removed from the bolt. It should be noted right away that these tools are applicable if there is enough space to access the nut.
2. If there is enough free space, then it is better to use a hacksaw for metal or a grinder. Such tools will quickly help to deal with the problem. All you need to do is carefully cut the nut along the axis of the bolt.

In this article, the causes of a jammed nut, safety precautions during operation, as well as various ways to help solve the problem. Thanks to the tips described, you can quickly unscrew any rusted nut, saving time and effort.

Video: how to unscrew a torn bolt and a stuck nut

Sooner or later, any owner is faced with a situation where a nut, bolt or self-tapping screw does not want to get out. There are several reasons for this: poor quality metal, violation of technology (overheated self-tapping screws), rust, time, too much effort applied when tightening the connection. Nevertheless, it is possible to unscrew a bolt with torn edges, a licked nut, a rusted connection. In this article, we'll talk about how to do it.

Loosen loose bolts and nuts

"Licked" edges on the heads of bolts or nuts are not uncommon. Excessive forces that are applied when tightening, and then when loosening, often lead to the fact that the boundary between the faces of the bolt is erased. If the bolt does not unscrew - ordinary keys are powerless in this case - they simply scroll, and the fasteners remain in place.

Torn or licked edges on a nut or bolt prevent it from being unscrewed

There are several ways to loosen shear bolts and nuts:

If there is a plastic or rubber gasket under the bolt, remove it and try one of the suggested methods again. If you can’t unscrew the bolt with torn edges in all these ways, one thing remains: cut / cut off the hat and drill out the pin.

Rusted nut

Another problem that is familiar to motorists (and not only) is a rusted nut and / or thread. In this case, you should not make heroic efforts to unscrew the fasteners. Your faces will simply “merge” and another problem will be added to the boiled thread. If after a couple of attempts, you can’t unscrew it, try the following methods one by one:

You can also fight rust with lubrication. Try filling the joint with fluid multipurpose grease (available in WD40 cans). After waiting a couple of hours, we try to work with the key. Didn't work - try other ways one by one.

Self-tapping screws with stripped slots (asterisk)

If the overheated self-tapping screws are twisted / twisted a couple of times, their edges lose their sharpness, the screwdriver scrolls, and the screw itself remains in place. If he "sits" in wood, plaster, chipboard or other similar, not too hard materials, you can put a thin elastic band under the screwdriver (for example, for hair). Due to the force of elasticity, they achieve a tighter fit to the remaining faces, which helps to move the self-tapping screw from its place. Other methods are more "traumatic":

The remnants of a bolt or stud without a cap can be unscrewed as follows: cut the left thread in the remaining body, drop the “moment” glue, screw in the left tap, leave for an hour. Apply oil to the main thread and leave for an hour as well. When the glue sets, twist it out. If the remains of a self-tapping screw are stuck in the wood, it is easier to close this hole and install other fasteners nearby.

Hi all! In today's article I want to talk about how to unscrew a rusty nut. And let's discard the philosophy that it was not necessary to launch the node to such a state, it was necessary to process it before twisting, etc., etc. now it doesn’t matter anymore ... this will be a lesson for the future ... and now we’ll talk about the means and ways of unscrewing the ill-fated nut ....

It is better, if possible, to avoid open-end wrenches, and if there is no other option, you need to set the key correctly. The key should be placed on the lapel like this (it’s just that this edge of the key is much stronger and the probability of straightening the key and rolling the edges is lower):

If you use a ring wrench or a head, take the hexagon. The fact is that its strength is higher and the probability of rolling the head is less.

If the nut does not immediately succumb, do not repeat attempts to unscrew it! You will only roll up the edges, ruin the keys and make the situation worse.

Sometimes it is advisable to unscrew the nut first, on the contrary, to start tightening the nut, since the edges for tightening are usually more intact and the load in the thread for turning is somewhat lower, but if this does not help, you can’t do without soaking ....

Modern classic - soak with WD.

Everyone knows about the miracle tool WD 40, that with its help it is very easy to unscrew the soured threads, but only now its price has not been encouraging lately.

Applying WD 40 is simple - we take a metal brush, remove dirt and rust as much as possible, which prevents us from unscrewing the nut and spill the soured nut with WD, wait a bit and try to unscrew it, if it doesn’t help, repeat the procedure.

The composition of WD 40 both dissolves rust and simultaneously lubricates the surface and reduces friction. There is nothing secret in the composition of WD 40, but the composition is a patented and registered trademark, this situation could not last long and now there are a lot of budget analogues of WD 40 on sale, for example RW 40 or FK 80 ....

The first old-fashioned method is to soak with brake fluid.

The method is no different from the previous one except for the means. Instead of WD40, regular DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid is used. It differs from WD40 in slightly worse permeability and danger to paint.

brake fluid is very well replace kerosene or white spirit mixed with engine oil ...

The second old-fashioned method is soaking with acids.

Orthophosphoric acid gives the best result, and that same Coca-Cola is a very weakly concentrated phosphoric acid!

Once the author of this article, during the years of devastation, was able to exchange a barrel of phosphoric acid for a bottle in a disbanded military unit! It was taken “in reserve” and for many years stood to no avail, until one fine day it was tested as a means for cleaning a clogged sink! The result - the pipe hissed, and the blockage was gone, but what a surprise it was when the rusty cast iron pipe glittered with a metallic sheen! Of course, you cannot buy concentrated phosphoric acid in a store, so we will make do with what we have.

All these rust converters of the "zincar" type, etc. this is phosphoric acid, you can shed soured threads with them.

By the way, any concentrated acid, citric, orthophosphoric, acetic and even 70% essence dissolves rust. So it’s quite possible to drop a drop of vinegar essence or solution on a rusty nut citric acid and that will help break it down.

The acid soaking method is very simple - we drip onto the thread (several times) and wait until the acid eats up the rust, after which we unscrew it as usual.

The third old-fashioned method is heating.

The method is based on thermal expansion. If with the help gas burner how to heat the nut in the picture and quickly (until the bolt warms up) try to turn it off, then the probability of successful unscrewing is greatly increased .... And the heating-cooling itself often releases the thread and the nut turns off with less torque.

The last methods are heavy artillery ...

Tapping.

The idea of ​​the method is as follows - a blow to the nut (or bolt) due to the nature of the load can loosen the thread. Nuts are usually tapped in a circle, and the bolt head is hit along the axis. The method of action is this - knocked - twisted ...

Hitting with a chisel.

The shape of the chisel allows you to "cut" the metal. The principle is as follows - we point the chisel in the direction of the lapel on the edge of the nut and unscrew the nut with light blows of a heavy hammer! Due to the impact nature of the load, the chisel unscrews everything! If nothing happens during blows in the direction of unscrewing, put a chisel on the side face of the nut and cut it as shown in the video below, after the nut is cut through, unscrew it to the lapel:

If this method didn’t help either, or if you don’t want to waste time because the mounting bolt is of no value, we take the most universal key:

The grinder will unscrew any nut.

That's all for me today, everyone smooth roads, honest traffic cops and unscrewing nuts ....

Each person in his life more than once encountered such a nuisance as rusted and stuck fasteners. This situation is known to everyone: motorcyclists, motorists, cyclists, mechanics and plumbers. The last one in particular.

It often happens that, well, it is simply necessary to either change the tap in an apartment or house, and the nasty nut or bolt does not want to get out in any way. In this situation, forceful methods will not help: the nut sits dead. Yes, and applying excessive force to it is not always possible. You can easily break something, strip a thread, cut off the edges of elements. In order not to spoil your nerves, and in such a situation this cannot be avoided, you need to know how to unscrew a rusted nut at home. There are several effective ways to do this.

Why and what to do?

Repair can be seriously difficult, the replacement of the necessary spare parts will have to be postponed until later. It's all about corrosion. And the reason for this is very, very banal. For example, during installation work at the factory or during previous repair work"professionals" in one area or another decided to ignore the processing of fasteners lubricant. Then liquid got under the thread. Water caused loosening processes on the surface of the bolt and nut. This loosening tightly linked the parts with a new connection at the molecular level. How to unscrew a rusted nut is a whole science, and the process of unscrewing can take a lot of time, effort and nerves.

Use of aids

The first thing to try is various means, among the properties and characteristics of which the reduction of friction and the dissolution of various contaminants are indicated. This substance can be absolutely any agent that has a high penetrating power. Modern market offers a wide variety of products that can facilitate the process of unscrewing a rusted nut.

The most popular drug for these purposes is the legendary composition of WD-40. This is a truly unique tool that allows you to solve not only this, but also many other problems. Before unscrewing the rusted nut, it is necessary to carefully spray the liquid from the can and wait a bit.

But WD-40 isn't the only option. The composition of the drug contains kerosene, which means that if the master also has kerosene, gasoline, then this may not optimal choice but still effective. In any case, the nut can be unscrewed.

Another available handy tool — acetic acid. If any other non-strong acid is freely available, then you can use it. Here are all the same recommendations - thoroughly moisten the compound.

At the very least, American technology will help. In the nearest supermarket you can buy 0.5 liters, or rather a whole liter of Coca-Cola. As part of this miracle drink, there is one that, although imperfect, will help solve this problem.

Before unscrewing a rusted nut, the joint is thoroughly moistened with any of these agents. Then you can rest for about 20 minutes. This will be enough for the drug to show its penetrating abilities. While the liquid penetrates, you should tap on the culprit with a hammer. It is necessary to knock on the entire perimeter. The element should be torn off gradually, swinging the nut. If it doesn’t work out, it’s worth pouring the compound with any of the drugs and waiting even longer. If it didn’t work out again, then you should look for another, more effective method how to unscrew a rusted nut on a faucet or anywhere else.

Solving the problem by heating

If the nut stubbornly refuses to give in, then it is worth applying heat. It will not be a secret for anyone that any metal, if heated to certain temperatures, has the ability to expand. Therefore, you should definitely try as one of the options to warm up the nut well. Then, while it has not yet cooled down, you need to try to pick it off. But everything should be done as quickly as possible, otherwise the bolt will also heat up, and then it will not work. But even if the connection is completely warmed up, this process will occur unevenly. The rust will warp and loosen the nut.

To heat up enough fastener, you can use any available options. It can be a lighter, matches, boiling water. Powerful soldering irons are best. Before unscrewing a rusted nut, you should make sure that reliable protection hands You should work carefully and extremely carefully. If in working area there are parts made of wood, do not heat the nut: this can damage the wood.

twist

In addition to these two proposed methods, it also recommends not unscrewing, but twisting the part. Often in this way it turns out to shift the layer of rust and swing the fastener, after which it can be easily unscrewed. This option can be combined with heating.

tapping

In the process of tapping the edges, everything is unscrewed, even if the nut is very rusty. How to open? Simply tap around the perimeter of the fastener. In the process of impacts, microdeformations will occur. These deformations will destroy the rust layer. But here it is important not to make serious efforts. The blows should not be strong, according to the size of the connection. If you hit hard, you can damage the edges, and then the nut will never unscrew.

Destruction and annihilation

If no method has brought closer to solving the problem, it remains only to destroy and destroy the connection. There are also several options here. The method is selected based on where the nut is rusted. How to open? Yes, just saw it with a grinder or just a hacksaw with a metal blade. But not everywhere you can destroy the connection by cutting. For example, in a car wheel, this will not be easy to do. On a bathroom faucet, the faucet itself can be damaged.

If there are no options for how to unscrew the rusted nut, for example, on a wheel, then you can try to drill out the scoundrel with electric drill. Another effective way- using a thin chisel and a hammer, you can make grooves on the edges of the product. It is necessary to deform the part very evenly on each side so that it can be easily unscrewed. Naturally, instead of this, you will then have to screw in a new one.

Prevention

It is much easier to take care of bot information so that later you don’t have to think about how to unscrew a rusty nut at home or garage conditions. It is worth following the recommendations, tightening the part up to a certain point, always lubricate the joints.