Driveshaft bolt removal

cevtv said:
:bs: Who said anything about "superheating"?????? Just heat it enough to loosen the loctite - only a few seconds. If that changes the temper of the bolt, the bolt was screwed to begin with. :bang: Have you ever read the Red Loctite directions??? They say "localized heating and hand tools are required to seperate parts".

You guys are thinking WAY too much about this........
I don't know why my post warranted a :bs:, but I wasn't just referring to removal of a bolt covered in loc-tite. It was a general statement that referred to a common practice when getting rusted and ceased bolts out, is to superheat them with a torch. While it’s successful 99% of the time, it does tend to take the temper out of them and if you're not careful, the surface they’re mounted in/on. This makes them/the area potentially brittle and prone to breakage.


....and I don't have a clue why the board is doing this tonight? :shrug:
 
When you heat a part red hot and then let it cool that tempers it. It is probably not as good a tempered bolt from a manufacturer, but it will be PLENTY hard.

Heating a part up, then letting it cool SLOWLY, by very gradually removing heat, is what anneals it by giving the molecules time to rearrange into a weaker state.

Nothing wrong with replacing heated bolts if you want to be safe. But from my experience, it is generally not necessary.
 
From my 79 and 82 car experience, I would suggest getting a 12 mm, 12 point socket. I use this with an extension, and usually put an adapter on so I can use a 1/2 in drive breaker bar. If you had a 1/2 drive,, 12 mm, 12 point socket, you could eliminate the adapter. This will allow a socket on the bolts in the lower position.

I had the socket for some other reason, and it just became the tool for this job when I got these cars.
The breaker bar does accommodate extension with a piece of pipe if you need it. Put the handle and pipe in the horizontal position and put a jack under one end if need to apply overwhelming force.

Most of the time, after I have done it once, for a couple years they will come off with a plain 12 point box wrench.

(appologies if I remembered the wrong size)