These are the times when good quality tools pay for themselves.
Try a RBRT hex driver from Mac or Proto.....My concern is rounding the stupid hex bolt out. Then I’m really screwed.
I broke a brand-new HF 3/8 impact hex a few years ago working on a Mercedes. Might want to look at a COA of buying a Snap-On or equivalent 3/8 impact hex.I have a right angle air impact but no 3/8 impact hex. Might need to just buy a cheapie to ruin.
That’s all I have. All US made quality tools.These are the times when good quality tools pay for themselves.
I broke a brand-new HF 3/8 impact hex a few years ago working on a Mercedes. Might want to look at a COA of buying a Snap-On or equivalent 3/8 impact hex.
Last idea i have besides heat, is to insert the hex socket by itself, then give it some taps straight on with a ball peen hammer, or whatever you have.
Ideally this is all it will take. A good blow on a longer 1/2” drive breaker bar.Looking closer at the pictures, the bolt is a shoulder bolt. Shoulder bolts have a short effective length. Bolts rely on stretch and spring tension to keep them in place. Regular bolts effective area starts from under the bolt head, shoulder bolts start from the shoulder, so not much stretch. When removing a regular bolt you are overcoming head bearing surface area friction + thread friction. On a shoulder bolt it's more the surface bearing area friction you are trying to overcome. The lack of effective area on this bolt is why there's thread locker on it.
Also, thought it was an external hex, but it's an internal. Yeah, try a longer 1/2" drive breaker bar. Make sure the hex is fully engaged and squared up, if possible, support the drive end of the breaker bar. If your socket is 3/8" drive, you'll need a 1/2" drive one to connect directly to the breaker bar, don't try adapting a 3/8 drive to a 1/2 drive breaker bar. Give the bar a quick hard shove to loosen, if you're lucky it should pop loose with a bang. Once this happens, it should be loose enough to easily remove without much effort.
I have a set of the proto ones.Try a RBRT hex driver from Mac or Proto.
1/2" Drive R.B.R.T. Hex Driver 12mm
Innovative and exclusive anti-slip dual directional driver .Bi-Directional - works for both loosening and tightening fasteners .Prevents rounding of new fasteners .Effective at removing compromised fasteners .S2 tool steel bits are precision machinedwww.mactools.com
Would it be worth it to remove the rad?Not enough space between the radiator and bolt. Heat is easier - driving a bit then heating the bolt.
If I need to, to get frontal access, sure, the radiator and condenser could come out.Would it be worth it to remove the rad?
I’m not. I’m interested in doing it the right way. This bolt goes into the block. A giant thermal mass. It’s a dissimilar metal combo so different expansion rates.Why are you opposed to heating the bolt to loosen/break the bond on the Locktite/threadlocker?
The heat loosens the locktite bond.. and heat and cold cycles break loose corrosion on the threads.Is there an issue with using an impact to remove a loctited bolt? For example with residues in the female threads?
I’m not sure how that would work. The tensioner looks like this:
View attachment 120581
If I hit the bolt with heat, it would expand faster than the block that it’s threaded into. Wouldn’t that make it ultimately harder to remove and more chance to damage the threads? I would think at minimum if I use heat, I need to get the engine up to temperature so there isn’t a huge disparity.
I'll have to get a can of that stuff, as I don't have anything hotter than a propane torch, which I have found is mostly useless... Maybe for loctite I guess but seems to do nothing for rust.After you’ve verified it’s not a LH thread, this would be my next step:
CRC Freeze-Off
It works in seconds : minutes not hours or days. I’ve used it on many applications, from bolts & nuts to stuck on disc brake rotors, which had resisted all types of impacts from a mini-sledge.
You have to use a liberal amount of it, up to a 1/2 can if needed. . Ventilate the work area as the fumes are toxic as well as extremely flammable. spray directly on the bolt head and flange as well as the surrounding area. Use your removal wrench immediately before the bolt has a chance to warm up. The Freeze-Off will be effective against all types of thread sealer, including loctite red.
The key is to use A LOT of it, otherwise it won’t help.
View attachment 120623
Z
yeah, right -I have a new Mercedes tensioner, it’s the same as the one on there. They are installed with some sort of thread locking sealant.
Thanks!
JHZR2,I appreciate all the comments.
Sometimes you just need a longer ratchet.
View attachment 120625
I wanted to do it right, and it didn’t HAVE to be done today, but I wanted to try…. HF had a 1/2” impact hex kit and I decided to try it. Could always return it to get better tools if the bolt wouldn’t budge.
I had to know. It budged. All good.
Now this afternoon/tonight I can finish this phase of the job.