you missed out the drilling swearing and pleading method, and if you draw blood its a bonus , this usually is what i end up doing! those sockets look decent though, i have found that 6 point sockets and the newer surface drive types grip a worn nut so much better than 12 point, if you are young and buying your socket set, please buy 6 point or surface drive ones now
I meant to do a video about the difference between 6 point and 12 point sockets but have not got around to it yet, you are right about the 6 point ones gripping better ;-) I normally only drill bolts if the head is completely missing or if it's a anti-theft bolt and the device for undoing it is missing. I'm editing a video right now on how to remove a broken bolt, which should be ready for next Sunday (with a bit of luck). The grip tite sockets are good, I lent one to a maintenance engineer on site last week to remove a rounded nut, when he returned I thought he was slating it, but he was well impressed and so was the guy working with him- so much so that three people bought a set each! Thanks for the comment ;-)
You might not have go around to it yet, but you certainly had around bolt :D I have another couple of methods for smaller bolts and screws that I've used successfully in the past. 1: Chase them out with a hammer and centre punch. Make an indentation on the face of the bolt head quite near the (rounded off) edge, then use that indent to seat the centre punch, as you drive it around the centre of rotation with the hammer. 2: Use a hacksaw to cut a slot across the head, and then use a screwdriver to remove it.
Thanks, I have used the chisel/centre punch several times (its in a upcoming video) but I have never used the slot in the end. Thanks for the comment ;-)
Thanks so much for your help. I ordered the Grip-Tite SAE and Metric sockets from Northern tools that you recommended and I was able to remove a rounded over zinc bolt in a machine casting with no problem that I couldn't remove otherwise with anything else, ie. crescent wrench, vise grips, and my standard set of 3/8 drive sockets. These Grip-Tite sockets are awesome! Everyone that uses sockets should have these two sets in their toolbox! FYI for others out there, I also added some liquid wrench penetrant oil prior to using them even though the bolt was not rusted just to lubricate the bolt connection. Thanks again, this video really helped me a lot!
Thanks for the info, I have never come across grip-tite tools before and was so impressed with your demo that I stopped your video and ordered a set on line.
You are welcome John, They are great for rounded nuts and bolts and definitely the quickest method. They are also good because they hold the nut or the bolt captive, which is great in some situations. Thanks for the comment
I've found the best method to avoid getting them stuck is to use anti seize lubricant on the threads, and use lock wire bolts to keep em from backing out
The Craftsman Low Profile Bolt-Out remover set worked for me, along with generous applications of PBlaster over a period of a few days, and careful application of heat from a hot air gun. Well done, thanks!
Yea. I had this a few times now, and this can loosen really any screw (As long as your weld joint is strong enough.) I had a Machine outside for a few years, and i needed to open a very rusted plate with a M36 thread. Normally you would be able to move it with your hands, but as it was so rusted, no way. Welded on a M36 nut, with a jaw spanner and a 2 meter long pipe, it did come off. With that, you double check your welds, and make them extra strong. If it would have broken, it would have been anything but healthy...
really good video, i always find myself in these kinds of predicaments, first thing i do is look for clips like this, so while i dont need it now, thanks on behalf of everyone who will soon.
Nice video thx.I’ve done most of those techniques more or less over 45 years. I’ve got some extraction sockets that I’ve used with great success as well. Thx again.
For smaller bolts I use an angle grinder to create a channel across the head of the bolt then use a suitably sized screwdriver, to release the nut. If you need extra leverage, secure the screwdriver handle in the jaws of some mole grip pliers. It's a bit fiddly but it works. You can also create flat edges quicker with an angle grinder.
My problem is the nut that is rounded is the lower nut on the water inlet housing on my car I might be going with a Dremel tool and a lot of patience and drill a slot, but an angle grinder would never fit, and I could barely get my smallest pair of vise grips in there...couldn't get an iota of purchase. ... and I did think about using J-B Weld to stick a larger nut to the rounded nut, but I wouldn't be able to get a socket in there because of the rounded water inlet housing it is too tight of a squeeze
Thanks for the tips mate I had a rounded bath tap gland, nothing would budge it and hardly any room to swing a cat - I used a butane soldering torch one minute of direct heat and hey presto! Thanks again!
Okay so I can almost guarantee that anybody that looked this up on here did not have those kind of tools handy or they would have been using them without looking it up. Thank you very much
Thanks for the video. I was able to remove 2 in a tight spot today. I had to cut the electrode 2" long and welded an old nut. Melted 2 electrodes inside the nut. Used a vise grip and done, bolt out. Thanks again.
Thanks Great tips! With bolts you have a lot of options to undo. Nuts can be a bugger, using any kind clamping force on a nut can be worse for undoing as you are tightening the nut. Nut splitters however do a good job.
Enjoyed it. after watching realized I had a set of the grip-tite like sockets (Kobalt steel grip) and it worked perfectly. wouldnt have thought of it otherwise, saved a ton of time. Have used the chisel method on bolts with rounded allen key centers.
Thank you thank you!! I got a flat bolt stuck in my son's new bunk bed. I was completely at a loss, but I filed two flat areas to grip the cheap weak bolt and tried that method. Worked excellent!
Good video Chez...I was given a set of Metrinch spanners and skts years which grip the flats..work on metric and imperial....when all else fails.....use the spare pair of mother. in laws.dentures she left me in her will....these will grip anything...lol...
Cut a slot into it with an angle grinder and loosen it with a flat screwdriver. Drill into it with a drill bit a little smaller than the core diameter of the bolt. In the rare case of it being possible, remove all other bolts on the part held by it and rotate the part out of it.
Thanks for the ideas, I was at my wits end trying to remove a 10mm bolt from crankshaft position sensor on my car. It was so tight in the threaded hole that the bolt head rounded off and absolutely refused to turn. In an awkward position and with no easy way to remedy and restricted access I gave up and called my local garage who weren't confident they could remove it either. Remembering this video, I then purchased a Erbauer bolt removal set from Screwfix as a last resort. After tapping the 10mm extractor and a good tug and turn of my ratchet the troublesome bolt started to turn and I eventually removed it! The extractor dug in and actually did the job, saving me time, money and a lot of hassle. £13 or do well spent, thanks for the suggestions in the video that eventually led to my small triumph. Apologies to my neighbours for my profanities, (think Basil Fawlty whipping his car with a tree branch). Thanks again for these informative videos, much appreciated!
I'm glad the video helped 👍 I've bought a few Erbauer tools from Screwfix and they have been really good, I'm really happy with the quality for the money. I once bought some unbranded tools from Toolstation and when they arrived they were Silverline - Need I say anymore 😱😱 Thanks for the comment 👍
@@tupapisoyyo676 no. This is useless. With optimal access, a kindergartner could figure this out. In the real world that rounded bolt is around some tight ass corner.
I came here for tips and they’re all great! Trying to replace suspension springs on my Fiancé’s Daughters car and the pinch bolt holding the strut to the hub, decided to round off due to being old and rusty!!! Hopefully, with a few of these methods to have a go at, I’ll get the buggers out!! I sadly didn’t have my blow torch or welder with me today, or my stiltsens! The joys of doing jobs away from home!!
Thanks for the tips. Here's another tip for removing rounded Allen socket screws like the one at 7:45: Just find the right size Torx key/screwdriver that will just fit inside the rounded hole. You can usually find a Torx size that fits and will still provide enough grip to unscrew the rounded Allen socket screw.
Thank you for your youtube video. A Million thanks. My husband had a hard place nut from his manifold, so i watched your video. He tried the wd40/heat then the power chisel and surprise it worked. So, again thank you so very much for your video. Happy camper.
Nice tips but unfortunately heat isn't an option for me as it would both damage paintwork and set fire to the wheel arch liner :-/ I wont be able to get enough access to use most of these tools due to the curved concave shape of the inner wheel arch so looks like filing some flats on or drilling out are my only options in this instance. The other methods are great....provided you have the room.
Some good techniques there! I always thought as a last resort for removing rounded or sheared bolts you could centre punch and drill a small hole into the bolt (preferably using a left handed drill bit just in case it bites) and then tap a left handed thread in the hole. Then if you tighten a left handed bolt into the hole it would hopefully undo the bolt when it bottoms out or when the head hits the bolt surface. Not sure how well it would work though.
Thanks, it would probably work but its a lot of effort and if the bolt is hardened you would have very little chance of tapping it. I'm editing "how to remove a broken bolt" right now ;-) Thanks for the comment
These are all great ways to remove rounded fasteners......if you can actually reach the bolt easily and it isn't tight. I'm an auto tech and have been for 12 years and i'll say that many of these techniques don't work in the real world. A bolt or fastener is stripped for a reason, usually because it's so corroded in there that so much force is required that rounds the head off. However, the head usually breaks off instead of rounds which leaves you with a broken stud that is practically welded into the part and no amount of heat or trying to weld a nut onto it will remove it. Heat is the BEST option BEFORE trying to remove it. Use the proper size wrench and wait until it's super cherry red. If that doesn't work, STOP. It won't come out.
If the nut you are working on is inside a recessed hole on an aluminum rim, the option that worked for me recently was drilling a tiny hole with a drill bit in the center of the stud using oil and a slow drill speed with lots of pressure about as deep as the base of the nut. Then go to the next size bigger diameter drill bit. After many hours and many drill bits you will be approaching the outside diameter of the nut. Pound off the rim and buy a new lug nut stud and matching lug at the auto parts store.
Nicely done. Of course, in a commercial situation, you better have faster and better techniques, even if there are none, to date. May even be that's how you got the call. The number 1, 2. & guy or company may have already said NO. But that's how you get to be Big Time. get the better contracts, become go to and in demand, etc. Learn to do what others say can't be done.
I love your videos and also enjoy the accent. Reminds me of me old mum who was born in England. Recently had to get some rusty bolts off a car bumper.The problem was the part of the bolt poking through the mounting but was rusty but accessible so hitting it with a small wire brush and lubricating was enough to get them out without shearing off the head. Gotta be lucky sometimes.
Several comments about removing over-tightened or loctited nuts/bolts: To increase your chances of removal without damaging anything, try using a breaker bar (the longer the better) instead of a ratchet. The ratcheting mechanism can become tweaked (and not in a good way) by torquing on a fastener that is corroded in-place or locked down with epoxy. The other is to use, whenever possible, a regular-depth socket instead of a deep socket. The shorter socket will give you more control and leverage over the deep socket, and is less likely to slip off the fastener when applying a lot of force. Using the welder is very effective when other methods fail, but not many American DIYers have one at home to press into service (just an observation, not a criticism). Another piece of equipment I wish I had is a drill press. Most of us use one a few times in a Shop class in middle- or high school, and then never again.
Hey kids! Use a breaker bar and you'll violate more than one code depending on where your doing the work and "somebody" may be replacing up to the entire piece of machinery, depending on the mood of the "Observer", or the Inspector. Better to not do it some times rather than violate a code, imo.
Thanx for the video. been struggling with rounded lug nuts for about two days now. gonna put a pipe wrench on there and see what happens. hadn't even thought to try that
Great video. I've once had a great mechanic remove a broken bolt from my engine block by welding a nut onto it. It was broken flush too. My 2 cents: if you're going to file flats on the bolt head, might as well forgo the adjustable wrench and try the pipe wrench or vice grips again as these will still have a better grip.
The hardest nut I ever removed was with a vice grips gripped extremely tight and then hit the handle of the vice grips hard with a hammer. the shock seems to help
@@ultimatehandyman I like to share another trick. Just simply use handsaw to make a diameter groove on the circular stuck bolt and then use flat screw driver to remove it.
What about little screws with hex keys in them. Ones you use for modeling, etc. Only thing that worked for me was dremeling a slot into them and using a flat head.
thank you so much, your clip has got me out of a rather tight situation not to mention gave me a good excuse now to go and buy more tools which I'm going to be really stoked about :-)
Thanks for those tips U.H. They will be logged in my memory banks and the next time it happens ( it always does) I will try some of those tips. A very informative video, easy to follow and as always, professionally made. N.
Maybe if you got enough room, you could try holding a hacksaw blade and cut a grove into the bolt, then use a flat head screw driver? Not sure how thatd go though :P
I find it interesting all the different names for tools there are over seas (I'm American) like at 2:47 from left to right I call them channel locks or adjustable pliers , pipe wrench, then vise grips and then at 8:37 those are needle nose vise grips
thank you so much, my 3-years old car engine oil plug is rounded off by dealer services, then I have to learn from you and try your techniques and see if I could remove that tomorrow
Thanks for this...having trouble removing a tap to change the washer when I noticed the inner nut was rounded off so will give this a go now cheers mate 👍🏻
The nut will probably be brass. You'll struggle using most of these techniques on bras I'm afraid as it is really soft. If you spray it with spray penetrant you might be able to remove it using mole grips ;-)
Heinous Amos 50/50 mix of acetone and transmission fluid better than pb or kroil or wd try it you'll like it. remember acetone eats paint and plastic and is flammable
How I did mine on brake caliper bolt which was rusty and rounded straight away, was get a Dremel and grind each side down from 13mm until it fit a 12mm socket. Worked perfectly.
Liquid Wrench Super Lubricant, the spray can with the light blue top, is the best product ive ever used to loosen frozen or rusted screws and bolts, nothing beats it
Just last week was struggling with brake calipers and brake bleed valves using WD-40. My brother said use brake fluid, it is better and it did work. Then saw some test's using 50/50 mix of acetone (basically nail varnish remover) and automatic transmission fluid, it outperformed WD-40 for penetration by nearly 4-5 times, it also outperformed all the commercial fluids PB Blaster etc. WD-40 is useful for car door locks that have jammed because rarely used because of remote controls.
Best lubricant is the homemade one. Beats every product sold by a longshot. 50/50 mix of Automatic Transmission Fluid and Acetone. Will penetrate like John Holmes!
You're spot on Texas, you can usually find an Imperial socket slightly smaller than the metric (or vice versa), hammer it on and it does the job no sweat.
Shoot, I could have used that "Weld a nut on" trick more that a few times. That's the problem with being a computer geek with (very modest) wrench-turning skills! +1 sub!
Huge thank you for this. You got me out of a jam yesterday with a badly stuck allen bolt on a bicycle brake caliper. Nothing was working, but I finally got it using serrated pliers on the outside surface (like the ones at 3:29). Problem was the head was smooth and dome-shaped and only had about 2mm of vertical gripping area, so I didn't even think to try that. A rubber glove over the head gave me just enough traction to finally budge it.
I'm glad the person who previously changed the brakes didn't take the time to replace the ten-cent bolt that they rounded the head on! Don't worry I have endless free time, money and patience to get the bolt out. Thank you
Thanks for those, that's great info. Another couple of good methods, particularly for the countersunk socket screw (the conical face is a bugger for jamming): The first one works if you do it BEFORE trying so hard you round off the recessed hex: 1) Take the biggest pin punch you can fit in the hex socket, and smack the hitting end sharply several times with a heavy club hammer. Use the shortest pin punch you can lay your hands on. This shocks the interface and usually makes enough axial room to allow loosening the fastener. 2) If this fails, and/or the socket is now rounded, get a left hand drill a tad smaller in diameter than the tapping size for the hole. Apply it in the recessed socket and run it in reverse with heavy feed: when it grabs, it will wind the remnants of the screw out in double quick time. If you don't have access to left handed twist drill bits, just sharpen a right handed one the wrong way. It doesn't matter for this purpose that the flutes are the wrong helix hand.
on a 1963 pickup I had trouble getting the original nuts off of u-bolts attaching the rear end to suspension arms. pb-blaster penetrant finally worked. I did not know about chisel technique, thanks
The chisel technique works really well. I was trying to undo a union on a 1 inch condensate pipe on site a few weeks back. I had a spanner and 6 foot long scaffolding pole on the end and could not budge it, but a few smacks with the hammer and chisel loosened it ;-) Thanks for the comment ;-)
Saab 93 v6 starter here got stuck trying to remove a stuck torx bolt on the secondary air pump. . Removing it with the special socket set with the spiral inside allowed me to twist it from the outside of the bolt. FINALLY!!! .
good job! another way I use is if the bolt has a nut on the back and they are free spinning in the things they are holding together, then you can actually split the nut in half fairly easily with the chisel method, otherwise Grind the head or nut off with angle grinder. won't work if it's tapped though. but you pretty much covered it all! i use alot of these when stripping down classic cars. there are some rusty bolts on those things!
Off to buy a $700 welder to remove a $0.50 bolt.
Easy on a flat panel with lot's of room.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Right
Lol well yeah but for easy viewing it's nice to have a flat panel
Yeah ima need a tutorial with 1 in of turn radius in a hole
@@elifarrow5989 Lol.
Your advice about using Grip-Tite sockets saved my life! Thank you!!!
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment 👍
you missed out the drilling swearing and pleading method, and if you draw blood its a bonus , this usually is what i end up doing!
those sockets look decent though, i have found that 6 point sockets and the newer surface drive types grip a worn nut so much better than 12 point, if you are young and buying your socket set, please buy 6 point or surface drive ones now
I meant to do a video about the difference between 6 point and 12 point sockets but have not got around to it yet, you are right about the 6 point ones gripping better ;-)
I normally only drill bolts if the head is completely missing or if it's a anti-theft bolt and the device for undoing it is missing. I'm editing a video right now on how to remove a broken bolt, which should be ready for next Sunday (with a bit of luck).
The grip tite sockets are good, I lent one to a maintenance engineer on site last week to remove a rounded nut, when he returned I thought he was slating it, but he was well impressed and so was the guy working with him- so much so that three people bought a set each!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
You might not have go around to it yet, but you certainly had around bolt :D
I have another couple of methods for smaller bolts and screws that I've used successfully in the past.
1: Chase them out with a hammer and centre punch. Make an indentation on the face of the bolt head quite near the (rounded off) edge, then use that indent to seat the centre punch, as you drive it around the centre of rotation with the hammer.
2: Use a hacksaw to cut a slot across the head, and then use a screwdriver to remove it.
Thanks, I have used the chisel/centre punch several times (its in a upcoming video) but I have never used the slot in the end.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
12 pointed sockets are only good for tight areas.
Jusb1066 drew blood today
Thanks for another great video. As a DIY'er, I'd never have thought of these techniques. Will help me immensely! Thank you!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Thanks so much for your help. I ordered the Grip-Tite SAE and Metric sockets from Northern tools that you recommended and I was able to remove a rounded over zinc bolt in a machine casting with no problem that I couldn't remove otherwise with anything else, ie. crescent wrench, vise grips, and my standard set of 3/8 drive sockets. These Grip-Tite sockets are awesome! Everyone that uses sockets should have these two sets in their toolbox! FYI for others out there, I also added some liquid wrench penetrant oil prior to using them even though the bolt was not rusted just to lubricate the bolt connection.
Thanks again, this video really helped me a lot!
These helped me out plenty of times, when I worked as a maintenance engineer. I'm glad they worked for you!
Thanks for the comment 👍
you should try this when the bolts are torqued down to factory specs
And rusted to shit
Yeah no shit like JBILT said that channel locks or vice grips will not work on one rounded and torqued down
Yeah right . I was doing some work on My motorcycle and none of the methods in the video seem to work for me . Factory nuts are tight af
Thanks for the info, I have never come across grip-tite tools before and was so impressed with your demo that I stopped your video and ordered a set on line.
You are welcome John, They are great for rounded nuts and bolts and definitely the quickest method.
They are also good because they hold the nut or the bolt captive, which is great in some situations.
Thanks for the comment
need to redo this vid with a exhaust manifold bolt while it's still on a vehicle.
also one method is to use a 6pt socket and avoid 12pt sockets/wrench's.
I always avoid 12pt unless it's a 12pt nut/bolt.
how many of those have u seen?
I've found the best method to avoid getting them stuck is to use anti seize lubricant on the threads, and use lock wire bolts to keep em from backing out
Rare, but my flywheel has them.
The Craftsman Low Profile Bolt-Out remover set worked for me, along with generous applications of PBlaster over a period of a few days, and careful application of heat from a hot air gun. Well done, thanks!
Thanks for the comment
i like the idea to weld a bigger noot to it
Yea. I had this a few times now, and this can loosen really any screw (As long as your weld joint is strong enough.)
I had a Machine outside for a few years, and i needed to open a very rusted plate with a M36 thread. Normally you would be able to move it with your hands, but as it was so rusted, no way. Welded on a M36 nut, with a jaw spanner and a 2 meter long pipe, it did come off.
With that, you double check your welds, and make them extra strong. If it would have broken, it would have been anything but healthy...
thats wut I'm talking aboot
😂😂😂
Thanks for posting the video. I had a nut that was getting stripped and the 6 point ratchet worked like a charm.
really good video, i always find myself in these kinds of predicaments, first thing i do is look for clips like this, so while i dont need it now, thanks on behalf of everyone who will soon.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Nice video thx.I’ve done most of those techniques more or less over 45 years. I’ve got some extraction sockets that I’ve used with great success as well. Thx again.
Thanks for the comment 👍
For smaller bolts I use an angle grinder to create a channel across the head of the bolt then use a suitably sized screwdriver, to release the nut. If you need extra leverage, secure the screwdriver handle in the jaws of some mole grip pliers. It's a bit fiddly but it works. You can also create flat edges quicker with an angle grinder.
clever man
Been there done that! Works great
also very clever
My problem is the nut that is rounded is the lower nut on the water inlet housing on my car I might be going with a Dremel tool and a lot of patience and drill a slot, but an angle grinder would never fit, and I could barely get my smallest pair of vise grips in there...couldn't get an iota of purchase.
... and I did think about using J-B Weld to stick a larger nut to the rounded nut, but I wouldn't be able to get a socket in there because of the rounded water inlet housing it is too tight of a squeeze
@@Elena-ul1ve Hope you somehow worked that nut out! If you did, how did you do it?
Thanks for the tips mate I had a rounded bath tap gland, nothing would budge it and hardly any room to swing a cat - I used a butane soldering torch one minute of direct heat and hey presto! Thanks again!
Glad it helped
Thanks for the comment
Okay so I can almost guarantee that anybody that looked this up on here did not have those kind of tools handy or they would have been using them without looking it up. Thank you very much
Thanks for the video. I was able to remove 2 in a tight spot today. I had to cut the electrode 2" long and welded an old nut. Melted 2 electrodes inside the nut. Used a vise grip and done, bolt out. Thanks again.
I'm glad the video helped ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Thanks Great tips! With bolts you have a lot of options to undo. Nuts can be a bugger, using any kind clamping force on a nut can be worse for undoing as you are tightening the nut. Nut splitters however do a good job.
Absolutely.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Enjoyed it. after watching realized I had a set of the grip-tite like sockets (Kobalt steel grip) and it worked perfectly. wouldnt have thought of it otherwise, saved a ton of time. Have used the chisel method on bolts with rounded allen key centers.
👍
Whenever this happens to me i never have all that room like that
Yes it's always between other parts of an engine, barely reachable.
That's why you've got to be careful when removing those, and if someone else rounded it off before you, that's why we have cuss words.
Snap-off used cars always have one nut like that. You just wish that person who did it dies a slow and painful death.
Currently going through this right now smh
Yeah ! If you have room for a big huge pipe wrench, it never call that’s a problem!
Thank you thank you!! I got a flat bolt stuck in my son's new bunk bed. I was completely at a loss, but I filed two flat areas to grip the cheap weak bolt and tried that method. Worked excellent!
I'm glad the video helped
Thanks for the comment
Good video Chez...I was given a set of Metrinch spanners and skts years which grip the flats..work on metric and imperial....when all else fails.....use the spare pair of mother. in laws.dentures she left me in her will....these will grip anything...lol...
I never thought about using a pipe wrench on a rounded bolt, but it did the trick! Thank you👍
No problem 👍
Cut a slot into it with an angle grinder and loosen it with a flat screwdriver.
Drill into it with a drill bit a little smaller than the core diameter of the bolt.
In the rare case of it being possible, remove all other bolts on the part held by it and rotate the part out of it.
Thanks for the ideas, I was at my wits end trying to remove a 10mm bolt from crankshaft position sensor on my car. It was so tight in the threaded hole that the bolt head rounded off and absolutely refused to turn. In an awkward position and with no easy way to remedy and restricted access I gave up and called my local garage who weren't confident they could remove it either. Remembering this video, I then purchased a Erbauer bolt removal set from Screwfix as a last resort. After tapping the 10mm extractor and a good tug and turn of my ratchet the troublesome bolt started to turn and I eventually removed it! The extractor dug in and actually did the job, saving me time, money and a lot of hassle. £13 or do well spent, thanks for the suggestions in the video that eventually led to my small triumph. Apologies to my neighbours for my profanities, (think Basil Fawlty whipping his car with a tree branch). Thanks again for these informative videos, much appreciated!
I'm glad the video helped 👍
I've bought a few Erbauer tools from Screwfix and they have been really good, I'm really happy with the quality for the money. I once bought some unbranded tools from Toolstation and when they arrived they were Silverline - Need I say anymore 😱😱
Thanks for the comment 👍
This is all very well when you have 100% access like your video.I find things a little different in reality.
This is to get a general idea of removal tools, not to be used in every situation einstein.
Tupapi Soyyo thank you
He'll. That was easy. How about an exhaust manifold. With access like he has, I would use vicegrips
Not everything is gonna be handed to you in reality, bud.
@@tupapisoyyo676 no. This is useless. With optimal access, a kindergartner could figure this out. In the real world that rounded bolt is around some tight ass corner.
I came here for tips and they’re all great!
Trying to replace suspension springs on my Fiancé’s Daughters car and the pinch bolt holding the strut to the hub, decided to round off due to being old and rusty!!! Hopefully, with a few of these methods to have a go at, I’ll get the buggers out!! I sadly didn’t have my blow torch or welder with me today, or my stiltsens! The joys of doing jobs away from home!!
Thanks for the tips. Here's another tip for removing rounded Allen socket screws like the one at 7:45:
Just find the right size Torx key/screwdriver that will just fit inside the rounded hole. You can usually find a Torx size that fits and will still provide enough grip to unscrew the rounded Allen socket screw.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Thank you for your youtube video. A Million thanks. My husband had a hard place nut from his manifold, so i watched your video. He tried the wd40/heat then the power chisel and surprise it worked. So, again thank you so very much for your video. Happy camper.
I'm glad the video helped ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Nice tips but unfortunately heat isn't an option for me as it would both damage paintwork and set fire to the wheel arch liner :-/
I wont be able to get enough access to use most of these tools due to the curved concave shape of the inner wheel arch so looks like filing some flats on or drilling out are my only options in this instance. The other methods are great....provided you have the room.
Me wife found this after I had trouble like this this afternoon and it was a great help thank you for a great and helpful video
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment 👍
We call them Channel Locks or slip joint pliers, pipe wrenches, and Vice Grips.
u guys know everything.thanku 4 helpful video.love from INDIA.
Thanks for watching!
Some good techniques there! I always thought as a last resort for removing rounded or sheared bolts you could centre punch and drill a small hole into the bolt (preferably using a left handed drill bit just in case it bites) and then tap a left handed thread in the hole. Then if you tighten a left handed bolt into the hole it would hopefully undo the bolt when it bottoms out or when the head hits the bolt surface. Not sure how well it would work though.
Thanks, it would probably work but its a lot of effort and if the bolt is hardened you would have very little chance of tapping it.
I'm editing "how to remove a broken bolt" right now ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Unless the lefty bit breaks. New issues then. No judgement. We all could easily be there.
Regardless...
Best wishes and best of luck.
Thanks so much for the info on grip tite sockets. Very helpful in removing my stripped out oil pan drain plug!!!
You are welcome. They have helped me a couple of times ;-)
Thanks for the comment
What do you call a Jamaican trying to remove a rounded bolt?
A Threadlocked Rasta.
That was funny.
Yeah it was funny
Usain Bolt might like this comment
These are all great ways to remove rounded fasteners......if you can actually reach the bolt easily and it isn't tight. I'm an auto tech and have been for 12 years and i'll say that many of these techniques don't work in the real world. A bolt or fastener is stripped for a reason, usually because it's so corroded in there that so much force is required that rounds the head off. However, the head usually breaks off instead of rounds which leaves you with a broken stud that is practically welded into the part and no amount of heat or trying to weld a nut onto it will remove it. Heat is the BEST option BEFORE trying to remove it. Use the proper size wrench and wait until it's super cherry red. If that doesn't work, STOP. It won't come out.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
What if it needs to come out tho
@@coreylee7890 you need to drill it... no other option
OMG welding a nut to a bolt BRILLIANT MATE! So simple but ingenious.
Been doin it for decades.
You will never work on a flat panel in the real world
thank you for these videos. as a complete novice I find them extremely useful.
You are welcome.
Thanks for the comment
If the nut you are working on is inside a recessed hole on an aluminum rim, the option that worked for me recently was drilling a tiny hole with a drill bit in the center of the stud using oil and a slow drill speed with lots of pressure about as deep as the base of the nut. Then go to the next size bigger diameter drill bit. After many hours and many drill bits you will be approaching the outside diameter of the nut. Pound off the rim and buy a new lug nut stud and matching lug at the auto parts store.
^^^^^THIS^^^^^
Nicely done. Of course, in a commercial situation, you better have faster and better techniques, even if there are none, to date. May even be that's how you got the call. The number 1, 2. & guy or company may have already said NO. But that's how you get to be Big Time. get the better contracts, become go to and in demand, etc. Learn to do what others say can't be done.
I love your videos and also enjoy the accent. Reminds me of me old mum who was born in England. Recently had to get some rusty bolts off a car bumper.The problem was the part of the bolt poking through the mounting but was rusty but accessible so hitting it with a small wire brush and lubricating was enough to get them out without shearing off the head. Gotta be lucky sometimes.
Thanks for the comment 👍
Several comments about removing over-tightened or loctited nuts/bolts: To increase your chances of removal without damaging anything, try using a breaker bar (the longer the better) instead of a ratchet. The ratcheting mechanism can become tweaked (and not in a good way) by torquing on a fastener that is corroded in-place or locked down with epoxy. The other is to use, whenever possible, a regular-depth socket instead of a deep socket. The shorter socket will give you more control and leverage over the deep socket, and is less likely to slip off the fastener when applying a lot of force. Using the welder is very effective when other methods fail, but not many American DIYers have one at home to press into service (just an observation, not a criticism). Another piece of equipment I wish I had is a drill press. Most of us use one a few times in a Shop class in middle- or high school, and then never again.
would grip tite work on flat nuts? with adjustable knob ontop? so very thin this is what is stuck.
and are these grip tite a rip off of gator grip?? same idea
Hey kids! Use a breaker bar and you'll violate more than one code depending on where your doing the work and "somebody" may be replacing up to the entire piece of machinery, depending on the mood of the "Observer", or the Inspector. Better to not do it some times rather than violate a code, imo.
Thanx for the video. been struggling with rounded lug nuts for about two days now. gonna put a pipe wrench on there and see what happens. hadn't even thought to try that
You are welcome.
Good luck with it and thanks for the comment ;-)
how about reshaping it using angle grinder?
Same as the file tip, works well.
Excellent video! Lots of options for real world problems.
👍
Using valve grinding compound on any tool makes it grip about twice as well.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
specialtymachining will try it out
Thanks a bunch! The file and adjustable wrench just worked for me. Such a simple solution. I dreaded drilling this out!
Glad it helped!
Great video. I've once had a great mechanic remove a broken bolt from my engine block by welding a nut onto it. It was broken flush too.
My 2 cents: if you're going to file flats on the bolt head, might as well forgo the adjustable wrench and try the pipe wrench or vice grips again as these will still have a better grip.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Thank you so much! I combined the filing with the grip tite sockets. Worked perfect Good stuff
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment
The hardest nut I ever removed was with a vice grips gripped extremely tight and then hit the handle of the vice grips hard with a hammer. the shock seems to help
Yes, shock certainly helps.
Thanks for the comment
@@ultimatehandyman I like to share another trick. Just simply use handsaw to make a diameter groove on the circular stuck bolt and then use flat screw driver to remove it.
I was skeptical first but when I used it, I became a believer. Excellent product.
I have rounded a few in my time, from experience if it looks sus spend the 10 seconds and grab a single hex socket, it saves time in the long run
Thanks for the comment ;-)
The welding technique is awesome.
Yes, it works really well.
Thanks for the comment
Protip: Don't use your teeth!
Thith would of been bery helpful earwier
@@SinisterRubberDuckie Hahahahaha i thee wuthu did thew
that's what she said
@@untartelette7545 he did too
That was a lot of effort for you to produce. thank you very much!
You are welcome. I'm always happy when people appreciate the time and effort that goes into making these videos.
Thanks for the comment;-)
What about little screws with hex keys in them. Ones you use for modeling, etc. Only thing that worked for me was dremeling a slot into them and using a flat head.
A screw extractor or easy out work well for screws that have striped heads.
thank you so much, your clip has got me out of a rather tight situation not to mention gave me a good excuse now to go and buy more tools which I'm going to be really stoked about :-)
You are welcome.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
hammer the wrench into the bolt. works every time, easiest solution. it works because the wrench is harder.
Thanks for those tips U.H. They will be logged in my memory banks and the next time it happens ( it always does) I will try some of those tips. A very informative video, easy to follow and as always, professionally made. N.
You are welcome Neil.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
all these Ideas never work in tight restricted areas
Maybe if you got enough room, you could try holding a hacksaw blade and cut a grove into the bolt, then use a flat head screw driver? Not sure how thatd go though :P
buk lau I've done that, it work's.. You can even use a sharp chisel and "Stamp" a groove to remove with a flat head screwdriver.
Buk Lau, is your name a Ownage Pranks referance? lol
Surface drive sockets can be used anywhere a normal socket can be used and they are useful for removing hex bolts with rounded off corners.
Rusty Shackelford type game of
Great tips. I'm a Stilsons man, but will keep the other methods in reserve.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Weird names for the tools.. In the US we call them vise grips and channel lock pliers.
Yeah never heard them called "mole grips"
funny thing is that's we've accepted the name vise grips even though it's the brands name haha
Haha yeah I think they are technically called locking pliers.
Just like the old Hoover ;-)
Haha exactly. Just found your channel, you sir earned a new sub.
VERY helpful. Thank you for making this video. I had a stripped bolt on the starter of my '97 BMW 528i.
You are welcome.
Thanks for the comment
I find it interesting all the different names for tools there are over seas (I'm American) like at 2:47 from left to right I call them channel locks or adjustable pliers , pipe wrench, then vise grips and then at 8:37 those are needle nose vise grips
Thanks for the comment ;-)
thank you so much, my 3-years old car engine oil plug is rounded off by dealer services, then I have to learn from you and try your techniques and see if I could remove that tomorrow
Good luck with it
Thanks for the comment 👍
who has all of this laying around smh
Me
There aren’t just magical solutions to problems, you have to get tools to fix problems💀
I do
what a great video very helpful for many people of different skill levels
Glad you think so!
Thanks for the comment
If it stuck in aluminum you can't move it by heat
Not move, but melt
lol
Thanks for this...having trouble removing a tap to change the washer when I noticed the inner nut was rounded off so will give this a go now cheers mate 👍🏻
The nut will probably be brass. You'll struggle using most of these techniques on bras I'm afraid as it is really soft. If you spray it with spray penetrant you might be able to remove it using mole grips ;-)
I'll get the wd40 out! Thanks for the quick response this dripping tap is sending me ad lol
cool sockets.cool accent
Thanks ;-)
Big THANK YOU! for this video. Got stripped bolt out of car suspension and panic turn to relief....
👍
i dont know why i never though about filling the sides. So intuitive
Thanks for the comment
Ya just got yourself another sub mate. I have used the welding technique before, with great success.
wd40 isn't a penetrating oil
Jim Krauss yes it is. Haven't looked lately. It used to say so on the can.
Heinous Amos 50/50 mix of acetone and transmission fluid better than pb or kroil or wd try it you'll like it. remember acetone eats paint and plastic and is flammable
Plus gas
Been doing the welder trick for years. 100% of the time it works when you have a welder!
Not and not in british is not the same clearly
You nut!
I never did figure out what he was sayin.... I been tryin to find some nawts in my toolbox...
How I did mine on brake caliper bolt which was rusty and rounded straight away, was get a Dremel and grind each side down from 13mm until it fit a 12mm socket. Worked perfectly.
👍
WD-40 is NOT a penetrant, it is a water displacer
Liquid Wrench Super Lubricant, the spray can with the light blue top, is the best product ive ever used to loosen frozen or rusted screws and bolts, nothing beats it
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Just last week was struggling with brake calipers and brake bleed valves using WD-40. My brother said use brake fluid, it is better and it did work. Then saw some test's using 50/50 mix of acetone (basically nail varnish remover) and automatic transmission fluid, it outperformed WD-40 for penetration by nearly 4-5 times, it also outperformed all the commercial fluids PB Blaster etc. WD-40 is useful for car door locks that have jammed because rarely used because of remote controls.
Best lubricant is the homemade one. Beats every product sold by a longshot.
50/50 mix of Automatic Transmission Fluid and Acetone. Will penetrate like John Holmes!
Rounded my very first caliper pin, will try these thanks!
Good luck!
Thanks for the comment 👍
I just drill things
thats usually all i have on hand
I just beat the next size down socket on (1/2 inch beat on a 12mm)
You're spot on Texas, you can usually find an Imperial socket slightly smaller than the metric (or vice versa), hammer it on and it does the job no sweat.
Shoot, I could have used that "Weld a nut on" trick more that a few times. That's the problem with being a computer geek with (very modest) wrench-turning skills! +1 sub!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
I use my teeth
Good tutorial for easy to get at bolts only.
I'm afraid I only get easy jobs when I'm at work. I never do any jobs in hard to reach places, at height or in confined spaces 😂
Huge thank you for this. You got me out of a jam yesterday with a badly stuck allen bolt on a bicycle brake caliper. Nothing was working, but I finally got it using serrated pliers on the outside surface (like the ones at 3:29). Problem was the head was smooth and dome-shaped and only had about 2mm of vertical gripping area, so I didn't even think to try that. A rubber glove over the head gave me just enough traction to finally budge it.
I'm glad the video helped
Thanks for the comment 👍
ha good on ya. i thought i was the only one that still calls a pipe wrench a stillson. great content brother.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Just wanted to let you know that this helped me, thank you!
I'm glad the video helped
Thanks for the comment 👍
This was incredibly useful. I'll be using one of these techniques next time I run into this as an amateur do it yourself-er!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
🤯Can’t wait to try these on my trackbar bolt thank you 🙏🏼
Have fun!
Thanks for the comment 👍
I'm glad the person who previously changed the brakes didn't take the time to replace the ten-cent bolt that they rounded the head on! Don't worry I have endless free time, money and patience to get the bolt out.
Thank you
😱
Thanks for those, that's great info.
Another couple of good methods, particularly for the countersunk socket screw (the conical face is a bugger for jamming): The first one works if you do it BEFORE trying so hard you round off the recessed hex:
1) Take the biggest pin punch you can fit in the hex socket, and smack the hitting end sharply several times with a heavy club hammer. Use the shortest pin punch you can lay your hands on. This shocks the interface and usually makes enough axial room to allow loosening the fastener.
2) If this fails, and/or the socket is now rounded, get a left hand drill a tad smaller in diameter than the tapping size for the hole. Apply it in the recessed socket and run it in reverse with heavy feed: when it grabs, it will wind the remnants of the screw out in double quick time.
If you don't have access to left handed twist drill bits, just sharpen a right handed one the wrong way. It doesn't matter for this purpose that the flutes are the wrong helix hand.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
I've found that so far a small pipe wrench gives me the best results but I should really try those grip tite sockets!
Thanks for the comment 👍
on a 1963 pickup I had trouble getting the original nuts off of u-bolts attaching the rear end to suspension arms. pb-blaster penetrant finally worked. I did not know about chisel technique, thanks
Thanks for the comment ;-)
The chisel technique works really well. I was trying to undo a union on a 1 inch condensate pipe on site a few weeks back. I had a spanner and 6 foot long scaffolding pole on the end and could not budge it, but a few smacks with the hammer and chisel loosened it ;-)
Thanks for the comment ;-)
All well and good, but what about a rounded bolt in very tight quarters, highly limited access where regular socket or other wrenches won't fit?
This video was very helpful. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Saab 93 v6 starter here got stuck trying to remove a stuck torx bolt on the secondary air pump. . Removing it with the special socket set with the spiral inside allowed me to twist it from the outside of the bolt. FINALLY!!! .
Glad you got it sorted 👍
This guy, ultimate handyman, is smart!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
good job! another way I use is if the bolt has a nut on the back and they are free spinning in the things they are holding together, then you can actually split the nut in half fairly easily with the chisel method, otherwise Grind the head or nut off with angle grinder. won't work if it's tapped though. but you pretty much covered it all! i use alot of these when stripping down classic cars. there are some rusty bolts on those things!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Thank you so much I finally got a rusty bolt of with the chisel trick I thought it wouldn’t work but it did
I'm glad the video helped
I often use the chisel at work ;-)
Thanks for the comment 👍