"Basics of Basics" Removing rusty bolts.

[MARTINSR]

Removing rusted bolt basics
One of the first jobs I ever had was at a shop doing full on restorations on vintage Fords (we specialized in model 40s 1933-34). By boss taught me MANY things I use every day. One of them was the best trick for getting rusted bolts out that I have ever tried.
You need your torch with a small tip.
Take the torch and make a perfect flame like you are going to weld. Heat the bolt head up till it starts to turn red. (If the bolt is already broken off you will need to saw a grove to use a flat blade screwdriver or have enough to grab with locking pliers) Then quickly cool it with a squirt bottle of water. Repeat, heat it, then cool it. Do this a number of times and the bolt WILL turn right out. If you can, heat the nut around the bolt right before you try turning it out, BUT DON'T HEAT THE BOLT. This will expand the nut from around the bolt. I have did this on Model A door hinges, if you are not familiar with them, it is a 5/16 bolt with a little flat blade screw driver head! A ridiculous design that rusted in to tight to remove around 1950! You can imagine how hard they are to remove in 2000. I have did these with total success, only needing a regular hand screw driver about 99% of the time.

The way I figure the heating and cooling expands and contracts the screw breaking it loose from the rusts grip.

Today I used this method and it worked so well, it was kinda sexy.

This window frame from my 1948 Chevy pickup had 1/4" bolts that held it to the regulator. Those bolts were so rusted that they broke off trying to remove them.

Photo 1: On the front side I ground off the mushroomed broken off end flush with the nut.

Photo 2: The end of the bolt that was sticking out of the nut I made a "screw" out of it by cutting a slot with a hack saw.

I then heated the bolt and the nut with the torch and then cooled it with a squirt bottle of water. I did this three times. Then just for fun I did the back side where I had ground flat the broken end of the bolt, just once and cooled it.

Photo 3: I then turned right out without so much as a grunt with a hand screw driver!

Man I have to thank my old boss from 1979 every time I use this trick, it is like magic!

Brian