Board logo

Best way to remove a rounded off nut
smart51 - 25/6/17 at 03:40 PM

My MR2's exhaust broke yesterday where the flexies meet the cat. I've taken the cat off but one of the nuts holding the flexies to the manifold is rounded off a bit. It isn't too bad (see the pic) but the other nut took a lot of force to remove. Predictably, it is in an inaccesible place. A deep socket on a 300mm extension can reach, but you can't get a nut breaker or an angle grinder in there. Or even a spanner, not without removing the subframe.

So, what's the best way of getting it off?

Exhaust Stud
Exhaust Stud


cliftyhanger - 25/6/17 at 03:52 PM

Any chance of a "slightly too small" socket that can be hammered on?? 12 sided sockets are good for this.
Adition bonus the hammering helps free the nut....


smart51 - 25/6/17 at 04:00 PM

I've tried but a 13mm socket is not going to go on.


loggyboy - 25/6/17 at 04:03 PM

Looks like an etorx bit. Might be an option for a hammer on.


smart51 - 25/6/17 at 04:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Looks like an etorx bit. Might be an option for a hammer on.

that's the stud and also the reason for a deep socket.


loggyboy - 25/6/17 at 04:42 PM

Can you not withdraw the stud?


matt5964 - 25/6/17 at 05:26 PM

We do a socket which will work on a faster that's 95% rounded off it's our own brand kengrip

It works by driving the centre of the flat face of the nut not the points like conventional 6 or 12 point drives

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop?query=Kengrip

They really work well


rusty nuts - 25/6/17 at 05:48 PM

Can you get at the nut with a nut splitter ? Failing that a sharp chisel in line with the stud should split the nut , I've removed loads of exhaust nuts that way. Don't know about the Kengrip but if their anything like the Irvin nut removing tools they work well but if the nut has rounded due to being siezed then heat or splitting is the way to go.


smart51 - 25/6/17 at 06:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Can you get at the nut with a nut splitter ? Failing that a sharp chisel in line with the stud should split the nut , I've removed loads of exhaust nuts that way. Don't know about the Kengrip but if their anything like the Irvin nut removing tools they work well but if the nut has rounded due to being siezed then heat or splitting is the way to go.

A chisel might work. The nuts have got slits in them so a blunt chisel may do the job


gremlin1234 - 25/6/17 at 07:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by matt5964
We do a socket which will work on a faster that's 95% rounded off it's our own brand kengrip

It works by driving the centre of the flat face of the nut not the points like conventional 6 or 12 point drives

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop?query=Kengrip

They really work well
I have used 'surface drive sockets' and the do work remarkably well

another option is to weld something to the rounded nut then turn that.


tims31 - 25/6/17 at 08:49 PM

I have a set of these that work really well, hammer on and as you undo the nut/bolt the spiral grips down the flutes

Irwin bolt extractor


nick205 - 26/6/17 at 09:17 AM

Looks/sounds tight for access otherwise I'd suggest welding another nut on.

Do you belong to any MR2 forums? May well be a common issue and they may well have a proven solution to resolve it.


motivforz - 26/6/17 at 10:09 AM

My first port of call is normally lots of heat followed by plusgas. The thermal growth then cold shock often breaks the corrosion bond between the two. Then molgrips or an under sized socket as above. Keep a fire extinguisher handy!


Brian R - 26/6/17 at 05:54 PM

Maybe try something like this. I used something similar on a munched pozi drive screw and it worked fine.
There are several types/brands on the market.

http://www.toolovation.co.uk/mobile/Product.aspx?id=37759