Axial Nut Splitter

[awemawson]

Is there such a thing as an 'Axial Nut Splitter' ? ie one that slips over a nut rather as does a socket, rather than radial as per the conventional type?

I have various sizes of the conventional 'radial' ones but I have an application (*) where I need to remove very rusty nuts but there is no room for a normal splitter. If I have to I'll burn the nuts off with oxy-acetylene, but I'd rather not.


(* I need to remove the 10 mm coach bolts that retain the mudguards on a Ford 4600 tractor that I'm working on)

[BillTodd]

can you drill the head off from above? (or is the coach bolt irreplaceable)

[David Jupp]

Where using oxy-acetylene is a problem due to nearby items, or just lack of access; there are other ways to get heat in that might be worth considering...

I have one of these http://autoheat.co.uk/

[awemawson]

Bill I probably can drill them out - the square that stops them rotating normally sits in rather rusty steel that probably won't stop rotation any more, they somehow need restraint and access is very awkward .
David that looks a handy device in some situations but I think here where the nuts have been in wet cow poop for over thirty years, a full head on blast from oxy-acetylene is probably going to be the only way !

[PeterE]

Would it be possible to get access to the nut to cut it using a Dremel and a cutting disc? That way it should be easy enough to finally split it using a small chisel?

/Peter

[RussellT]

Can you drill a couple of holes through the nut?

Russell

[vtsteam]

If they're really rusty, and I know the bolt is in bad shape and going to be replaced, I usually take a pair of vice grips and come at the nut end-on, clamp tight on the flats - top and bottom (or whatever way has clearance), and then rock the vice grips lightly up and down until the bolt fatigues through and breaks off behind the nut. Then bang the bolt back through with a drift.

[mattinker]

I have used a cold chisel from the side. If you can hit nut with a chisel in the middle and at right angles to the flat (the chisel parallel with the stud or bolt) you can split the nut without damaging the thread. you don't need to cut very far into the nut, as as soon as it splits you can unscrew it. This works very well on things like exhaust manifold nuts damaged by rust.

it's a little difficult to describe, get back to me if it's not clear, I take a photo.

Regards, Matthew.

[John Hill]

Andrew, sometimes it is easier to attack the head of the bolt and presumably in your case the rounded bolt heads are easily accessible on the 'finished' side of the mudguard assembly?

In that case drill into the head of the bolt, start with 6mm or less then follow with a 10mm drill.  Once you are through the head and into the bolt proper there will be so little bolt you will be able to break it off.

Cheers.

[Fergus OMore]

I've just removed several 'coach bolts' from my plastic guttering which had corroded over the 13 years since installation. I literally had to spot drill and then follow up with a stub drill. All removed save one which required so much that the plastic melted.  As your problem is probably metal, I'd put a thin disc in the angle grinder and make a notch to use a drift on. My guess is that the heat of grinding will burst the rust which is stopping the release.

I've just done fretted and rusted in blades on one of my shredders. Bloody countersunk 6mm Allen key things.

The new blades were £10 for both. My sympathy, Eh?


Norman