Need ideas, I rounded off one of the fan clutch nuts

[StreetCreeper]

Changing out the fan clutch and the first three nuts went easy -- the fourth I thought was moving, but turns out it was rounding off instead.

Tried PB and Kroil for an hour without luck. Vise grips wont bite hard enough and now made more of a mess with the nut. Theres no room to pound a socket on either.

All bright ideas or tricks welcome...

 

[Unner]

Can you apply heat? I've also heard ATF is good for breaking loose seized nuts. Worst case I'd say put the other 3 back in and keep soaking the seized one for a few more days and try again.

 

[fourfive]

I've had decent luck with these...

VamPLIERS

 

[Jhelms]

For rounded off nuts like that in hard to get places, I find battery pliers work very well. The teeth are very sharp and dig into the steel. Some examples...

Wilde Tool G410 7 1 2" Battery Terminal Fixed Joint Pliers Bulk Auto Made in USA | eBay

Snap on Tools Angle Nosed Battery Terminal Pliers Red Grips 208CP USA | eBay

Blue Point AWPP90 Adjustable Battery Terminal Pliers | eBay

These are the ones I use along with the snap-on above that I bought ages ago... I like the 307's better though.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Channellock...147236?hash=item3cd8f7a9a4:g:gmgAAOxy3NBSkbZG

 

[Joe Z]

Changing out the fan clutch and the first three nuts went easy -- the fourth I thought was moving, but turns out it was rounding off instead.

Tried PB and Kroil for an hour without luck. Vise grips wont bite hard enough and now made more of a mess with the nut. Theres no room to pound a socket on either.

All bright ideas or tricks welcome...

Something like these needle nose vice grips should be able to get in there and break it loose.... vice grips, like a pipe wrench works best without slipping when clamped in the proper direction

http://www.amazon.com/Tools-VISE-GR...5259639&sr=8-1&keywords=needle+nose+vise+grip

Or maybe a "Nut Splitter"
http://www.amazon.com/Steelgrip-226...8&qid=1465259949&sr=1-1&keywords=nut+splitter

If your good with a very small chisel you can split that nut by hand

I've never seen those Vampliers recommended above.... looks like a nice item to add to the tools

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

If it isn't 100% round, you might do well with some Vise Grips, specifically the Locking Wrench. This tool has saved me several times with rusted and partially rounded bolts.

IRWIN Tools VISE-GRIP Locking Wrench with Wire Cutter (4) - Adjustable Wrenches - Amazon.com

 

[meRockboost]

Put the other ones on and tighten the crap out of them, this should relieve some pressure on the nut. Get a big ass pair of pump pliers and go to town.

 

[Scramble]

For rounded off nuts like that in hard to get places, I find battery pliers work very well. The teeth are very sharp and dig into the steel. Some examples...

Wilde Tool G410 7 1 2" Battery Terminal Fixed Joint Pliers Bulk Auto Made in USA | eBay

Snap on Tools Angle Nosed Battery Terminal Pliers Red Grips 208CP USA | eBay

Blue Point AWPP90 Adjustable Battery Terminal Pliers | eBay

These are the ones I use along with the snap-on above that I bought ages ago... I like the 307's better though.
Channellock 307 7" Nutbuster Battery Plier Tongue Groove Solid Joint Pliers | eBay

The 307's are only $12 on Amazon, free prime shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Channellock-3...id=1465261707&sr=8-1&keywords=Channellock+307

 

[pauldub]

Worst case, you can slice it off with a cutoff wheel in a Dremmel and replace the stud if you need to.

 

[etc.]

Ideas? How about righty tighty and lefty loosey?

 

[2old2soon]

Mr

Haven't used these myself, but added to Amazon wish list since seemed like an idea worth knowing about:

IRWIN Tools Professional's Industrial Extractor Set, 13-Piece (54113)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CCXVZ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=35IDUJO37073C&coliid=I1W2IBIB2I8T1A&psc=1

From description:

"When you are faced with a rounded-off, rusted-tight or painted-over bolt, bolt extractors will break it free."

Several sizes are available. Might be able to find same thing on ebay.

 

[StreetCreeper]

Alright guys — so much good advice here as usual!

So I managed to get that sorry motherf@$ker loose. What eventually worked was letting the the Kroil sit for a couple hours and then I got the vice-grips as tight as I possibly could, then squeezed like my life depended on it while cursing in Japanese.

And it broke free!

Lessons I learned:

1) Apply a good penetrating oil at least a couple hours in advance — even if you have a Cali truck that sees nothing but dirt and heat.

2) Use a 6 point wrench — not an open ended flex-head Gearwrench to break the nuts loose. Had I done those two things, I would not have had an issue. Sadly I knew I should have done it before I even started, but I got lazy.

3) Cursing loudly in Japanese seems to help too...

Pic of that little bastard next to its replacement. Doesn't look as bad once off, but it was quite rounded before I went all Incredible Hulk on it with the Vice-grips.

Many thanks everyone — your advice was on point. I'll be doing some tool shopping ASAP.

​

 

[StreetCreeper]

Haven't used these myself, but added to Amazon wish list since seemed like an idea worth knowing about:

IRWIN Tools Professional's Industrial Extractor Set, 13-Piece (54113)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CCXVZ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=35IDUJO37073C&coliid=I1W2IBIB2I8T1A&psc=1

From description:

"When you are faced with a rounded-off, rusted-tight or painted-over bolt, bolt extractors will break it free."

Several sizes are available. Might be able to find same thing on ebay.

Would probably work well for a lot stuff, but there is not enough room to get any type of socket on the clutch nuts because the fan itself is in the way. Have to go at it with a regular wrench.

 

[LittleCaesar]

All bright ideas or tricks welcome...

I thought this was funny considering the avatar and the proclivities of the OP.

Either applying some MAPP gas or taking a dremel with a cut off wheel to it then using a chisel would have made short work of such. Glad you got it off. I take it then the fan clutch is original then.

 

[StreetCreeper]

I thought this was funny considering the avatar and the proclivities of the OP.

Either applying some MAPP gas or taking a dremel with a cut off wheel to it then using a chisel would have made short work of such. Glad you got it off. I take it then the fan clutch is original then.

Yep! Original clutch. Made it 20 years and exactly 400,016 miles. As you can see in the pics, I replaced it with a new OEM Aisin clutch — so I figure I'm good till 2032 or 800,032 miles.

​

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[IamGroot]

Probably it's too late. But I ran into the same problem one of my bolts rounded off. I was planning to get a vice grip tomorrow and try what you did. I was drinking with my after that and I struck gold. We don't have to remove the fan clutch assembly separately, we can directly remove the fan bracket. The entire assembly pops off if you have the belts off.
Wanted to share so no one has to go through the same thing again

 

[MaineRunna]

For rounded off nuts like that in hard to get places, I find battery pliers work very well. The teeth are very sharp and dig into the steel. Some examples...

Wilde Tool G410 7 1 2" Battery Terminal Fixed Joint Pliers Bulk Auto Made in USA | eBay

Snap on Tools Angle Nosed Battery Terminal Pliers Red Grips 208CP USA | eBay

Blue Point AWPP90 Adjustable Battery Terminal Pliers | eBay

These are the ones I use along with the snap-on above that I bought ages ago... I like the 307's better though.
Channellock 307 7" Nutbuster Plier Tongue & Groove Pliers Capacity 16 mm USA | eBay

I totally agree, those little pliers will remove almost any rounded, rusted nut or bolt. I'm on my third pair in 20 years due to wearing out the teeth after years of hard use. I have remove completely rounded, worn down rusted fasteners, brake lines and bleeder screws with that style of pliers. They rock!