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Torsion Arm Set Screw Frozen
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RONIN10
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:12 pm    Post subject: Torsion Arm Set Screw Frozen Reply with quote

So I'm in the midst of disassembling the beam in my 69 and was able to remove all the set screws in the torsion arms except for the one on the driver's side lower arm. I discovered that he internal hex on the screw was already mostly stripped out. I've tried drowning the screw with penetrating oil (letting it sit for two days with one or two additional applications), but no matter what the 8 mm allen wrench won't keep a hold on it. I've even gone so far as to resign myself to sacrificing the screw by clamping vice grips on the exposed threads, but with no success.

Anyone have any other suggestions or am I stuck drilling it out?
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miller0358
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:36 pm    Post subject: screw Reply with quote

Try heating it
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benstouffer
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Often if there is a little screw showing I use my mig welder and weld a small bolt onto it. This heats it up enough to let it break loose and gives me something to put a wrench on.
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69 Jim
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:25 pm    Post subject: Re: screw Reply with quote

miller0358 wrote:
Try heating it


x2

Works every time.
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RONIN10
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tried some heat via a heat gun for 2-3 minutes, but that didn't do anything. I'll go ahead and try a longer timeframe and see what happens. As always, the failing is the inability of the allen wrench to hold. Maybe I'll have to see if I can get it welded in place, sacrificing the wrench and the bolt.

First things first, though. More heat.
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69 Jim
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RONIN10 wrote:
I tried some heat via a heat gun for 2-3 minutes, but that didn't do anything. I'll go ahead and try a longer timeframe and see what happens. As always, the failing is the inability of the allen wrench to hold. Maybe I'll have to see if I can get it welded in place, sacrificing the wrench and the bolt.

First things first, though. More heat.


You need to use a torch, propane at the least. The idea is to concentrate the heat source on the screw itself. A hair dryer just won't do it. Let it get RED hot.
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drscope
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A heat gun don't make heat. It makes warm.

You have a BIG GIANT heat sink taking away what little heat your heat gun puts out.

You need HEET! As in FIRE. A propane torch to start with (about $20 at your local hardware store)

But at this point, if you weld a nut to it, it will come right out. But you need a welder for that.
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RONIN10
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wasn't sure if the heat gun could produce enough heat, but I had one so I thought I'd try that before shelling out money for a torch. Long story short, didn't work so I went and bought a torch. That didn't work either, so I stepped away from it for a day or so and came back to work on it yesterday afternoon and realized (with the better light) that there was a minute, hard to see pebble (covered in muck) in the bottom of the socket. This was preventing my allen wrench from fully seating inside the screw and confining it to the tapering lip of the socket where it would spin freely and not catch. Cleaned it out and was able to crank it loose.

Call me the village idiot.

That's a rhetorical statement.
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