Thread: The restoration of Wombat

How do you undo these brutes when the nut underneath is rusted?



As you can see with this one, I've already started to mangle the screw driver slot and, of course, there are lots of them. This one is on the seat box but I'll be facing the main body work at some point where I'll face the same issue. This is going to be a good test of that homebrew penetrating oil.

Cold chisel time?

Grinder, new disk, and grind the head off. Use the washer as the stopping point. Remember to make sure petrol tank is fuel less, and all glass is covered or removed from line of sparks. Oh, and have a bucket of water to hand for those 'just in case' moments!

Thanks. Didn't think of grinding the head off and seeing I'm not wedded to keeping the original fasteners... (it would be nice though).

I am going to look at getting new batteries for my cordless drill - it's a Bosch 14.4V which has done sterling work building boats (got so much epoxy on it it's waterproof ). The thought is that using the ratchet, I may be able to bang a few loose but for the really stubborn ones, the grinder makes sense.

providing its not sitting in anything flimsy and you have access , I've had some success with whacking the nut off with a hammer and a cold chisel.
cheers,
D

Originally Posted by Dark61

providing its not sitting in anything flimsy and you have access , I've had some success with whacking the nut off with a hammer and a cold chisel.
cheers,
D

That's what I was considering but as you say, 'flimsy' and 'access'.
Mmmmmm, tools of Landy destruction.

One thing about it, if the nut and bolt I circled in the photo above comes free next time I try, we'll know that homebrew penetrating oil works, it's been flooded with it.

I was out all afternoon so couldn't get back to her. However, I have this week off

Originally Posted by Sitec

Grinder, new disk, and grind the head off. Use the washer as the stopping point. Remember to make sure petrol tank is fuel less, and all glass is covered or removed from line of sparks. Oh, and have a bucket of water to hand for those 'just in case' moments!

Um! A full fuel tank is way safer to work along side then one that is empty and has only fumes in it.
The empty fuel container has been responsible for more fatalities as they have a explosive mix of fuel and air.
.

Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

Um! A full fuel tank is way safer to work along side then one that is empty and has only fumes in it.
The empty fuel container has been responsible for more fatalities as they have a explosive mix of fuel and air.
.

Granted, but I think this vehicle has been idle for many a yr, so would prob be vapourless too. Most that I've had to work near have been empty, and then had an airline poked in the filler and blown for a while to remove the 'boom' factor! It was nice removing the petrol and filling the 101's tanks with diesel when the Cummins engine went in. Was happy to then sit the batteries in the cradle next to the tank knowing it was diesel next to it not petrol!

Thanks for the warnings. I do agree with Sitec that it's probably not an issue in THIS CASE. Generally speaking though, you certainly can't be too careful.

I've priced battery packs for my cordless drill - hell, if it wasn't a Bosch with a long proven track record of being a heavy worker, I wouldn't be bothering. However, I do know of a mob that rebuild battery packs at good prices so, provided they are still in operation, I'll have a chat with them in the next few days.

I was at Mum and Dad's today. Dad found a screwdriver in his collection of 'where the **** did I get that' tools - he thinks he picked it up in a roadside stop in Northern WA but anyways, it has a square shank. My Whitworth socket fits nicely on the nut and is help in place by a lip in the body - with the handle fitted to the socket and caught against the body work to stop it turning, I reckon I can apply my weight to the screwdriver and turn it with a spanner. If that doesn't get the bolt free, it's angle grinder time.

I'd be out there working on it now but it's bloody cold, the cat's comfy on my lap, the bottle of red is lowering with satisfying regularity and the Tour de France broadcast has just started.