Rusty bolt remover

[georgerkahn]

Maybe germane -- hopefully -- I was faced with a new challenge day-before-yesterday, as the battery on my DR Field & Brush mower had died. "No problem -- a 20-minute job" to put in its replacement? No way! The negative terminal bolt and nut was rusted/corroded to the "Nth" degree, and I first wire brushed it to get the majority off. I then got some Kroil which -- after several hours -- did not seem to do anything. Similar results with Liquid Wrench. For all solutions, Google, right? I did and recommended was mixing together, at an equal 1:1 ratio, some Automatic Transmission Fluid and Acetone. A quick trip to store got me the ATF -- I bought cheapest they had -- and mixed an ounce or so with an equal amount of Acetone. All I can say is, "WOW!" The mix, dropped on with a glass pipette (I use to make 50:1 into 40:1 by adding 3.5ml per quart), it kind of bubbled a little, and disappeared. I added a few more drops, to get a repeat. With my third application, liquid remained. I put the wrenches back on, and guess what? The nut came off with almost no resistance!!!
Albeit my challenge was with a piece of lawn/garden equipment -- I have experienced similar challenges with firearm disassembly too many times to list... Hence, I thought I'd post this in hopes it may be worth a try for others with rusted/corroded challenges!
geo

[Hossfly]

Looks like a version of Ed’s Red without the lanolin and other ingredients. Very good combination for a penetration fluid, good information for solutions. Thanks for info.

[RickinTN]

I've never had Kroil fail. Now if I do I know what to use. Glad it worked for you!
Take care!
Rick

[TD1886]

The best penetrating oil I've ever used is GIBBS.

[MrWolf]

Cheapest solution going. I can't stand the smell of acetone but can't argue with results. I also use Kroil.

[schutzen-jager]

next time make a solution of baking soda + hot water to instantly desolve the corrosion blooms, [ do not get it into a good battery, next soak threads in either Liquid Wrench [ proven to be superior to Kroil in some recent tests or 50/50 mixture of ATF + paint thinner -
Comparison of best penetrating oil for cars in 2021
Penetrating oil Product Name Quantity Price
Best overall penetrating oil Kroil 8-ounce can $17
Best spray-can penetrating oil PB B'laster 11-ounce spray can $10
Best value-priced penetrating oil Liquid Wrench 11-ounce spray can $4
Best fast-acting penetrating oil Knock'er Loose Plus 11.5-ounce spray can $10
Best paint-safe penetrating oil Free All 11-ounce spray can $8
Best name-brand penetrating oil WD-40 Specialist Penetrant 11-ounce spray can $

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

There is some guy on Youtube that does tests of all sorts of things, and he showed that the AFT/Acetone is top of the line. BTW, in his tests Master Blaster beat out Kroil. I've not had the opportunity (challenge) to deal with a nasty stuck fastener in a few years. This post shows too info. He tried several.

[Txcowboy52]

Good info to have, thanks George!

[uscra112]

Farmers have used the ATF-acetone mix for years, if not decades. Around cows, everything rusts like crazy.

[porthos]

it works better than ANY "store bought" penetrating juice!!!

[uscra112]

But it has to be kept in tightly capped metal or glass, because acetone can evaporate right through most plastics. My ready-use store is in a cleaned-out glass Kikkoman soy-sauce bottle. A larger volume is in a tall Smuckers Natural peanut butter jar, glass with a metal lid that has a gasket that acetone doesn't attack.

[justindad]

Sounds like it could be better than PB Blaster. That’s pretty good.

[schutzen-jager]

careful with the acetone mixture, quickly destroys wood finishes, plastics, + is known carcinogen - been using ed's red less the acetone for decades -

[45DUDE]

Heat helps also.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve often heard about the mix to use as penetrating oil. I keep meaning to pick up some ATF to give it a try. Don’t discount the fact that the penetrating oil you put on kept working, while you went to buy ATF. Penetrating oil takes time. Sometimes days.

[wildwilly501]

Non synthetic ATF mixes a lot better with the acetone some of the ATF for older vehicles are still non synthetic.

[uscra112]

Non synthetic ATF mixes a lot better with the acetone some of the ATF for older vehicles are still non synthetic.

Good to know, I guess. I'll put aside a couple of old quarts of ATF I have in case I need more Ed's Red.

[Mk42gunner]

I've come to the conclusion that there is no "One Best" penetrating oil.

They all seem to work on some things, but not others. Another may work. Sometimes nothing works except the old smoke wrench.

Added heat can do wonders. I tried just about everything I could think of to get the lower bearing race out of a 30-40 year old Kubota steering box. Nothing worked, and it didn't help that there was only enough room to get the head of a 16 or 20 penny nail under it to pry with. Nails are not hard enough to use as a pry bar btw. Customized junk screwdriver to the rescue.

The solution was to heat it until the ATF mixture I was using (may have been Ed's Red) was boiling, then it ever so reluctantly came out.

Another time I used gear oil and a propane torch to get it thin enough to get the mounting bolts out of a steering box on a Jeep.

Come to think of it, I really don't like working on steering boxes.

Robert

[TD1886]

I've come to the conclusion that there is no "One Best" penetrating oil.

They all seem to work on some things, but not others. Another may work. Sometimes nothing works except the old smoke wrench.

Added heat can do wonders. I tried just about everything I could think of to get the lower bearing race out of a 30-40 year old Kubota steering box. Nothing worked, and it didn't help that there was only enough room to get the head of a 16 or 20 penny nail under it to pry with. Nails are not hard enough to use as a pry bar btw. Customized junk screwdriver to the rescue.

The solution was to heat it until the ATF mixture I was using (may have been Ed's Red) was boiling, then it ever so reluctantly came out.

Another time I used gear oil and a propane torch to get it thin enough to get the mounting bolts out of a steering box on a Jeep.

Come to think of it, I really don't like working on steering boxes.

Robert

That heating the oil made me think of heating the bolt or nut and then putting a piece of paraffin on it, that it will work it's way down the threads.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

The 'youtube ' guy has quite a few tests on things like rust buster, epoxy strength, other good stuff. I have used Kroil, not particularly impressed, OK not great. I have had Kroil gum up in a rifle after two or three years. Used Sili-Kroil with some success as rust buster, Liquid Wrench, PBlaster work OK. ATF/acetone is best, but keeping the acetone from disappearing into the air is a problem. Only metal containers work, would not use glass because of cracking/breaking. ATF is an excellent lubricant for most places oil is used, pistols and rifles. Heat and cooling cycles/vibration, LIGHT tapping help with rust, along with your favorite solution. Many fasteners have been 'loctited' in today's assemblies, heat is needed to break the adhesives.