What's the best way to....

[Shalershasker]

Remove a nut that has rusted and crumbled to the point where a socket will no longer fit on it but is too tight to even undo with mole grips.
It's the three front shock absorber retaining plate nuts, I finally managed to get some time to do the suspension lift today but didn't get very far after finding this problem, I did think about cutting them off but if I damage the threads on the plate then I'm stuffed.
I'm not too sure how to proceed with this, anyone got any ideas???

[Team Japan]

Is there room to get a nut splitter over it? Like one of these:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165469

In case you've never used one, you slip it over the nut, give it large with a socket on the end and it forces a sharp edge into the side of the nut until it splits open. Then you just peel the remains of the nut away from the bolt.

Otherwise, cover it in WD40 and leave to soak overnight, then heat it up and either try again with the molegrips, or sacrifice an old socket which is slightly too small and hammer it on!

[Rustinho]

PlusGas all the way as a dismantling lubricant. Soak it overnight and it does the biz much more effectively than WD40.

Does no-one you know have access to a tap & dye set? That means if you do damage the thread you can just re-cut it.

A stilson is worth a go too - better than mole grips in my experience.

A nut splitter could work (as suggested above).

If you've got the space to fit a drill in it might be as easy as anything to just drill it out.

[Shalershasker]

This is a job I've been trying to get onto for weeks now so they've all been WD'd pretty much every other day, I didn't think about a splitter, good call fella's, will pick one up tomorrow.
I'll try the stilson's first, if that doesn't work then splitter it is.
Thanks people.

[Bogus]

If you can get at it with a hacksaw just saw down the nut parallel with the bolt, close to but not quite touching the thread. That usually weakens a nut so much that a mole grip or stillson or a couple of taps with a chisel will soon have it off. If you do damage the thread just run a die down it, but if you are careful it will be fine. For smallish nuts you can even use a " faux chisel" ( screwdriver)
Somebody mentioned drill, but thats only going to work if you drill a bolt out of a nut. I think youd like your bolt bit to stay intact.

[Shalershasker]

If you can get at it with a hacksaw just saw down the nut parallel with the bolt, close to but not quite touching the thread. That usually weakens a nut so much that a mole grip or stillson or a couple of taps with a chisel will soon have it off. If you do damage the thread just run a die down it, but if you are careful it will be fine. For smallish nuts you can even use a " faux chisel" ( screwdriver)
Somebody mentioned drill, but thats only going to work if you drill a bolt out of a nut. I think youd like your bolt bit to stay intact.

I've been digging about in the shed this evening and found an old tap and die set so I'm hopefully covered for the thread so long as it doesn't get to damaged. I can get a saw onto the front two nuts but not the back one but your right I want the bolt part to stay intact as I'm not 100% certain but I "think" they are a welded part of the plate rather than a separate bolt, it would be easier if they were a separate bolt as that could easily be replaced.
Cheers for the input, all help and ideas are much appreciated .

[nos4ra2]

Can you weld another nut to it?

[tintin]

Man up Neal and bash the fecker with a big ammer and cold chisel!

[Rustinho]

Man up Neal and bash the fecker with a big ammer and cold chisel!

Put the cold chisel in the freezer overnight, then it'll be even colder!

[deltabravo61]

These have never failed me yet.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/ca...s/filter/irwin

[Shalershasker]

Man up Neal and bash the fecker with a big ammer and cold chisel!

But.....but......but...... It's a hairdresser's truck, nothing more drastic than curling tongs can be used with it .

deltabravo61 These have never failed me yet.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/ca...s/filter/irwin

I've not come across those before, might look into a set of those for future use, thanks for posting that .

[Shalershasker]

Can you weld another nut to it?

I've never welded anything before and if I'm honest, wouldn't really know where to begin but it's the threaded section that I think is part of the plate and not the nut.
If I could weld, I would probably have taken tintin's advise .

[tintin]

Good luck whatever you try mate!
Shout if you need back-up!


Alan

[charvell]

These have never failed me yet.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/ca...s/filter/irwin

i have those and they work a treat

[Shalershasker]

Good luck whatever you try mate!
Shout if you need back-up!
Alan

Cheers mate, much appreciated .