rear starter bolt ain’t moving (and front is a bitch too) (1 Viewer)

[landcruiser3DP]

gents, i picked up a couple additional extenders for a 1/2” breaker bar and a 3/8” breaker bar and a 20” extension for it.

i am comfortably working at it going back over the brace at the differential and just resting it in the lip at the sump.

i am really cranking on it and it is not moving.

i was going to soak it overnight in some liquid wrench and try it again tomorrow. i can’t see getting an impact driver on it (edit: meaning the kind you drive with a sledge hammer) but any other ideas? also i had a bit of an adventure replacing a fuel filter in 105 degree texas heat so i am disinclined to get any kind of torch under there. would a heat gun on the head of the bolt maybe work it a bit?

any more force right now and i’m afraid the bolt might break.

 

[graham5david]

Try an end wrench. I removed that transmission dipstick bolt when I did mine. Made it a little easier. I wonder if all of those extensions are getting you in a bind.

 

[graham5david]

I think mine was pretty snug too. If I remember correctly I used a shorty with a longer end wrench for leverage.

 

[Broski]

I don't think your going to brake the bolt, that newer crapsmans stuff well let go first. just saying.
Don't get me wrong, my box is full craftsman tools tool most of it 40+ years old, the old stuff is good, the parts I have added in the last ten years is junk.

 

[REKCUT]

unbolt dipstick bolts

 

[Pin_Head]

Get a longer cheater bar. Something will break free.

 

[george_tlc]

Lots of extension length will absorb some twist when you try to turn it. Acts like spring.

I MUCH prefer to give the breaker a quick jerk when trying to rotate/break a bolt free. The shock will pop the thread loose, versus just applying static force. That's why impact guns are also a good thing... The starter bolts are meaty - unlikely you'll shear them if you use some technique to break them free.

cheers,
george.

 

[Wrencher93]

I can't tell exactly what angle you're coming in at but I ended up using a long extension and actually had the ratchet handle back right behind the trans cross member. Why? Because I had to go back that far to get a straight shot at the bolt head. The swivel was binding before because it had to bend too much.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Lots of extension length will absorb some twist when you try to turn it. Acts like spring.

I MUCH prefer to give the breaker a quick jerk when trying to rotate/break a bolt free. The shock will pop the thread loose, versus just applying static force. That's why impact guns are also a good thing... The starter bolts are meaty - unlikely you'll shear them if you use some technique to break them free.

cheers,
george.

that’s why no one likes extensions. i was thinking the lever arm was the same. so a solid extension would be way better than a bunch of short ones. got it.

i guess i will try an impact.

definitely a learning experience in terms of needing some tools and the right spaces...

 

[landcruiser3DP]

I can't tell exactly what angle you're coming in at but I ended up using a long extension and actually had the ratchet handle back right behind the trans cross member. Why? Because I had to go back that far to get a straight shot at the bolt head. The swivel was binding before because it had to bend too much.

yeah. i bought a 3/8” breaker bar and a 20” extension for it and a couple for the 1/2” this morning and found this angle was perfect.
but still she wasn’t turning

 

[Wrencher93]

yeah. i bought a 3/8” breaker bar and a 20” extension for it and a couple for the 1/2” this morning and found this angle was perfect.
but still she wasn’t turning

Yeah it took some elbow grease to get that bolt out. Like you mentioned it may take a love tap from an impact.

 

[Kernal]

As George says, too many extensions and the type of flex extension act like a torsion bar: it all twists. Even with an impact that many/type of extensions
and flex joint likely won't work. IIRC last time I did this I used a long 1/2" extension bar (thicker=less twist) and an impact wobble joint on the 1/2" drive socket.

 

[mingles]

^^^ This.

A long 1/2" extension with a 1/2" cordless impact gun eventually got mine off.

 

[Broski]

Just be carefully not to strip the head, I think that's more of a issue the the bolt braking.

 

[bajaphile]

Do you need those U-joint's?? I've really never had luck using them. If you need a few angles of freedom, try a wobble adapter.

 

[Grandlooser]

Smack the head of that bolt with a hammer and punch first too a few times.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Lots of extension length will absorb some twist when you try to turn it. Acts like spring.

I MUCH prefer to give the breaker a quick jerk when trying to rotate/break a bolt free. The shock will pop the thread loose, versus just applying static force. That's why impact guns are also a good thing... The starter bolts are meaty - unlikely you'll shear them if you use some technique to break them free.

cheers,
george.

holy s*** george.

the front bolt was even worse. i mean the front one is like ****ing comical.

on the rear i ended up unbolting the transmission dipstick, and getting enough room to get a 17mm with about a 6” extension and a 1/2” breaker bar on it. and with my feet toward the rear wheels i grabbed the right radius arm with my left hand and gave it about the 1” clearance i had and a hard jerk and i thought i felt a tiny give. so i was then able to get the ratchet on that and work the rear one off.

the front i ****ed with it for an hour and a half. no joke. maybe more. honestly i tried everything.

then i removed the bolt at the hard lines there.

then i tried everything all over again.

then i got really pissed and started swearing like a mofo and i just shoved my makita impact all the way in and got it over the bolt and just held the switch for a full minute and the thing finally unwound.

to get it out i had to tighten the bolt back up and work the driver back out again.

that’s some goldilocks and the three bears s*** right there.

 

[Eyedaho]

I can't really tell in your photos, but I think you definitely want to be using a six point socket and not a twelve point. In my experience, you're most likely to round off the head of a beefy bolt like that with weird drive angles using a twelve point socket than you are to snap the bolt. I also like a longer breaker bar, but I'm kind of a weakling.

 

[landcruiser3DP]

more picks of the “**** it i will shove the makita impact with a 6” extension all the way in” method:

 

[landcruiser3DP]

Do you need those U-joint's?? I've really never had luck using them. If you need a few angles of freedom, try a wobble adapter.

thanks. those knuckles are useless in a situation like this. too much slop.
i may need to pick up a wobble adapter if i can figure out what it is.
also i think a cutoff 17mm would be really really good for the front bolt. a regular socket is too tall i think.