Nut Splitters

Removing rusty nuts and bolts - from your antique vehicle can be a problem. Nuts which refuse to leave bolts can be removed using a "nut-splitter" tool or can be split using a sharp chisel. While disassembling  my 29 Chevy truck almost every thing was rusted so badly special measures had to taken to remove numerous bolts. One good tool to have handy are NUT SPLITTERS. No heat or oil is required just a wrench, generally no damage is done to the bolt unless you cut into it. Here is a set from Harbor Freight tools that work well. 
Nut splitters - can be found in automotive supply, hardware and tool supply stores. Size and shape vary from manufacture but consists of a bolt that you tighten to drive a hardened wedge into a frozen nut splitting it open. These work well for stubborn nuts that you cannot remove or the corners have been rounded from wrenches. Prices vary from 8 to 30 dollars depending on tool quality and maximum size nut they can split open. I have used this tool many times over, it really works. 

Applying Heat - to rusty parts can break the bond between nuts and bolts. Generally you need a hot flame from a acetylene torch to cause enough expansion quickly to break the bond. Propane hand torches are to slow to heat parts and lack sufficient flame temperature. If the problem is a nut, apply heat to the outside of the nut. If you are struggling with a bolt, heat the area around the bolt. Never ever use heat if you are working near gas lines.   

Penetrating oils - under names, Kroil, Liquid Wrench, WD40, etc. work to penetrate and loosen frozen nuts and bolts. These products can be found at hardware and tool supply stores. Spray a liberal amount of penetrating oil on the offending fastener, then go do something else. This stuff needs at least 24 hours to work its magic. After 24 hours have passed, try the nut or bolt again. If it still won't budge, spray on some more penetrating oil and wait another 24 hours. I have had to use two or more applications to remove a severely rusted bolt.  Depending on the severity, worse case, I have found you must submerge parts if possible for up to a week for best results. Alternately tighten slightly then loosening nut or bolt to work it free.      

                   
Sears Extractor Set           Extractor                  Left Hand Drill Bit        

Screw extractors -  are available from Sears ( shown above ) and hardware, tool supply houses (Harbor Freight)  from 10 to 80 dollars in sets. Extractors work by the fact that they turn the broken fastener in a counterclockwise direction to unscrew broken bolts and screws. Using a center punch mark and drill a hole down the center of the broken fastener. The extractor and hole size depend on fastener, a guide is usually provided with extractor. To extract fastener the extractor is inserted in the drill hole and turned counter clockwise using a wrench.

Left hand drill bits - work in the same way except that they do it in one operation. Using a electric drill that has a reverse switch simply drill the fastener out. As the dill works it way into the fastener it is constantly forcing the fastener to unscrew. This works if the fastener is not lodged to tight and can be easily screwed out.

After 70 years - of rust and corrosion some bolts will break with minimal applied force.   Bolts and nuts which are seized together can be sawed off using a hacksaw or ground off using an angle grinder.  These bolts due to age or condition should be replaced and not reused, cheap insurance. A friend of mine damaged his 32 Chevy coup due to broken front wheel bolts that he should have replaced while undergoing  restored. 

If you have an impact gun or driver, use this to try and remove the frozen fastener. The use of impact wrenches to remove, old weakened frozen bolts, from a casting can cause them to break. The only recourse then is to use easy outs or drill and re-tap with a larger size bolt. 

You can also use a sturdy wrench and hit the end of the wrench with a hammer. Remember, you do not want to snap the head of the fastener off. Corrosion will weaken the metal over time, remember patience is key. 

Last Resort, after having tried everything and the fastener  just won't let go. Your only choice now is to drill out the screw or bolt. Using a center punch and mark the center of the head of the bolt. Drill a small pilot hole down the center of the bolt to at least the depth of the nut plus one quarter of an inch. Then, using a succession of larger drill bits, open up the hole until the bolt falls away. Finally clean the threads using the appropriate sized tap. Hopefully you won't have too many on your restoration project. When replacing damaged nuts and bolts, put an anti-seize compound on the threads so you or someone else will not have to go through this torture in the future. Where practical I replaced most of my bolts with stainless.

Screw extractors, left hand drill bits can be obtained on line from  many tool sources, such as:

        Sears      Harbor Freight Tools    Tools-Plus