Do you have a favored method of getting a rusted nut off , especially in a tight, hard to reach place ?

I am currently attempting to remove the alternator from a 3 gen T4R.
No problem getting the pivot bolt off, but the locking nut will not budge. (The locking nut is part of the belt tensioning system.)

Currently, I have sprayed on WD-40 and I'm letting it hopefully soak in for 2 days. several spays during that time.

PLAN B: If that doesn't work, I plan on buying a propane torch and heating the nut.

Any other ideas ?
Thank you

Standard WD40 or penetrant?



You need to use some sort of penetrating oil, I use PB Blaster. Liquid Wrench is another popular one. Spray that on and wait a while and then try again. If it doesn't budge, a torch on the nut should help.

pb blaster+ bfw, or breaker bar. Last resort heat.

I have heard of PB Blaster, but I have not yet tried it.

Currently using what I have on hand, regular WD-40.

My tool box is somewhat limited, as I have been out of the country for 15 years.
So, I may have to buy a breaker bar, and a 6 point 12 mm socket.

If nothing else works, I'll have to take out the radiator to have better access.

Yikes. If you're forced to pull the radiator, you might just consider replacing it while you're at it if it's never been done. PB blaster done several days ahead of wrenching is a game-changer though when combined with a good socket and breaker.

Yeah. I was doing some reading on youtube and many people said that a 6 point socket/wrench has "more grab" than a 12 point.

A bit hard to tell without pulling the radiator, but the nut in question may be a tad worn. Either that or a gorilla over tightened it.

A new 4Runner.

Pardon ? What do you mean ?

LOL - he means buy a new truck ;-)

Oxy Acetylene and a candle. Only way to go.


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For better or worse, I am stuck in Mexico. My Spanish is not good enough to give explicit instructions to a mechanic's shop. There is a Toyota dealer, that I COULD have the T4R towed to , but their prices for such work is completely open ended. I very well might come back and have a $600 bill. No way !

So, I'm on my own. I'll have to do the job with hand tools, WD-40 (perhaps some PB blaster) and a propane torch.

At age 74 and on retirement SS, there is no possibility that I could ever afford a new T4R.

I just watched a very interesting video on youtube about a side-by-side test of a wide variety of penetrants. He had a steel beam with about 30 rusted on nuts on bolts. He mixed up a solution of tranny fluid with equal parts acetone, moving on down the line he sprayed on 3 coats of penetrants (one hr apart). Tests were of PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, WD-40 etc etc and finally heat only. Each test was of 4 rusted on nuts.

The clear winner was heat only. He had a digital readout torque wrench that showed exactly the foot pounds needed to remove each nut in turn. 2nd place was Liquid Wrench and 3rd place was WD-40. Surprisingly, PB Blaster came in 5th place.
The mix of Tranny fluid and acetone was better than nothing but nowhere near as good as the top 3: heat, Liquid Wrench and WD-40.

I'm certainly a long way from being a mechanic but it seemed to me to be a fair and honest scientific test.

Trick is with a breaker bar to get minutely small 'jarring crack' the movement either way, preferably lefty loosy... Add penetration fluid again. The first small incrimental movement this may need a hammer for a 'jarring love tap or two'. WAIT a couple of minutes for re-spraying fluid to work. then small movement the opposite way... a few times back n forth to get penetration fluid all the way into the threads before undoing the nut. A tad of heat on nut only if needed to get the first cracking movement. Heat begins annealing (softens) metal so go easy or refrain from adding lots of heat, to the rod-bolt part.
This worked well, works well on my 1st and 2nd gen 92 4runners. Tell us how it goes dude.

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My go to penetrating oil is using kroil since its a spray or sometimes I'll do the tranny fluid & Acetone mixture in one of those little eye glass cleaner sprayers. But my newest purchase was one of those induction heaters for bolts. It worked great recently removing some stubborn body mount bolts on a F250 that was used for plowing.

There's something about 4R's hardware, no experience to say all toyotas, that rusts so completely. I've never had more trouble removing bolts on the underside of vehicles like I have my '14 4R. It's maddening.