Editing Removing stuck fasteners (section)
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==Mechanical means== ===Tighten, then loosen=== In some cases simply tightening the fastener and then loosening it will do the trick. In some cases, wiggling the fastener back and forth may be helpful. ===Strike it with a hammer=== Though this may not be practical for all situations, a stuck bolt can often be broken loose simply by hitting it on the head with a hammer. In such a case, a brass drift may be helpful. Drifts of varying lengths can be made from brass bar, and used to access hidden bolts. Brass is used because it's softer, and thus less likely to damage the head of a fastener. Brass and lead hammers are also available and one about 3 or 4 lbs. in weight is good for this. Another option is to get a wrench or ratchet onto the stuck fastener, and then hit the wrench or ratchet with a hammer, creating a manual impact wrench. If you can access the nut, try hitting each flat of the nut with a drift punch and ball peen hammer. ===Smack it with a hammer #2=== This method is useful when dealing with a bolt that is rusted very tightly. A lot of people will get a wrench or ratchet and push against it with a steady force. Doing this will more than likely break off the bolt head of a rusty bolt. The best thing to do is to get a wrench or ratchet on it, and either hit it with your hand or a hammer several times. The sudden force will break the bolt loose with less of a chance of twisting off the head. Some times a homemade impact wrench will work, get a cheap wrench that fits tight and hit it with a hammer, watching carefully that it isn't damaging the fastener. It's important when loosening this way to use a tight fitting wrench like a 6-point box end, as a loose fitting one will round the bolt head. ===Tap it for a few minutes=== Lightly tap on rusted fasteners for several minutes, apply a little penetrating oil, lightly tap a little more, then remove the rusted fastener. ===Metric method=== Hammer a close-fitting metric socket tightly on a SAE nut, or vice versa. Then use breaker bar socket wrench (or longest you can fit in a cramped space) to turn it. There is a product that works basically the same way, but the inside of the sockets are lined with sharpened flutes that are also angled to dig further into the rusted nut or bolt as you turn the wrench. These are called '''''bolt extractor''''' sockets; they bite into rounded and rusty bolts and nuts, as the flutes are sharp and point counter clockwise. Think of what you would get if you made a mold of an extractor drill bit. See '''[[Removing stuck fasteners#Special tools|Special tools section]]'''.
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