Can penetrating fluid loosen a seized nut where heat couldn't?

seatbeltnoob

I took my car to national to get the front wheels aligned as there is unever wear on the shoulders.

It was half price with a voucher making thw alignment just £15 so I thought I'd give it a go.

The people at national tried but could not align it saying that the track rod assembly is sized and the nut won't move.

gave me a nice quote for £200 to put a new set in and align the wheels.

I'd rather fit this myself. I saw an assembly only costs £29 (lemforder) per wheel. So they are trying to charge a bit too much in labour for my tastes.

They said that assembly is seized up and tried once to heat it up to loosen it, but it wouldn't budge and they dont want to heat it too much and weaken it which would make it unsafe and told me to come back next day to get the work done.

So my question is, should I give up or is it worth me spraying penetrating fluid every 4-5 hours for a day onto the nut and getting a wire brush onto the threads and try to remove it that way.

I understand for garages time is money and they would rather me just give them new parts to fit then then gently try to persuade it off with a lot of patience.

C_Mababejive

I dont think constant application will help. What i would do is give it a good spray, leave it overnight then using good quality, perfectly fitting socket, apply some torque using a good quality sockethandle/T bar. I may also apply some heat but clearly care is needed to prevent fire/damage. Continually applying spray lube day after day to a cold assembly will probably do nothing

Warwick_Hunt

You could give it a go but heat is usually the next step after penetrating fluid so it's unlikely to work.

Iceweasel

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

I took my car to national to get the front wheels aligned as there is unever wear on the shoulders.

It was half price with a voucher making thw alignment just £15 so I thought I'd give it a go.

The people at national tried but could not align it saying that the track rod assembly is sized and the nut won't move.

gave me a nice quote for £200 to put a new set in and align the wheels.

I'd rather fit this myself. I saw an assembly only costs £29 (lemforder) per wheel. So they are trying to charge a bit too much in labour for my tastes.

They said that assembly is seized up and tried once to heat it up to loosen it, but it wouldn't budge and they dont want to heat it too much and weaken it which would make it unsafe and told me to come back next day to get the work done.

So my question is, should I give up or is it worth me spraying penetrating fluid every 4-5 hours for a day onto the nut and getting a wire brush onto the threads and try to remove it that way.

I understand for garages time is money and they would rather me just give them new parts to fit then then gently try to persuade it off with a lot of patience.

I would be trying a few applications of a good quality freeze spray first - not a penetrating liquid lubricant spray such as WD 40

Freezing shrinks the parts and cracks the seizure.

This is what I mean: Wurth Rost Off Ice

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Wurth-ROST-OFF-ICE-400ml-Spray-Can-Rust-Remover-Extreme-cooling/252635981572?epid=1349404783&hash=item3ad2472704:g:VSsAAOSwux5YKevm

Rost Off is amazing stuff - I now wouldn't dream of any other product for rusted/seized components.

konark

Don't believe a word some garages say. They probably made some half-arsed attempt to free it then deemed it too much like hard work and went for the 'upsell'.

Your DIY options include, penetrating oil/spray, hit with hammer, freeze spray (very good), heat (you don't have to heat it much, and the warning from garage about weakening it is quality BS)

macman

I've never been let down by Plus Gas-it will shift almost anything.

Jackmydad

I wonder if they did try heat. As already said, you don't need to get it that hot. Sometimes heat followed by penetrating oil works wonders. Another vote for Plus Gas as well.

Norman_Castle

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

So my question is, should I give up or is it worth me spraying penetrating fluid every 4-5 hours for a day onto the nut and getting a wire brush onto the threads and try to remove it that way.

If its easy for you to do a few applications between now and when you do the work won't hurt and may make a difference.

arcon5

Freeze spray isn't as good as the ads would have you believe.
If heating it up doesn't work then nah penetrative spray wont. As said you usually pull out the gas torch after oils don't work.
Heat it til it's glowing then a good length be easier bar and crow foot attachment. Never failed me. That's what they will do to replace the ends anyway to remove them

force_ten

my first thought was they cant undo it it adjust it but they can undo it to replace it

tonyh66

try tightening it, sometimes this breaks the seize.