2 Sweet Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Trying to remove the trailer hitch off my car, and there is one nut on each side that is giving me trouble... http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/skoval25/3246.jpg Using a 3/4 deep socket on a 1/2 drive breaker bar. After letting it soak in PB Blaster, I tried to loosen it and got nothing. It'll turn, but the stud is spinning along with the nut. Space is limited and I can't get behind it since it's mounted to the frame. On one side of the hitch, I was able to grab the thread with a pair of Channellocks and spin the nut loose a little at a time (huge pain in the ass) just enough to the point that I could awkwardly fit my sawzall between the hitch mount flange and the washer, and cut that bitch off. I'm not having any luck on this side though. I figured my angle grinder would get it off, but I'm nervous about throwing around a shit ton of sparks with it being right by the gas tank, and I don't have a face shield, just a pair of safety glasses. I'm not much of a mechanic. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE-O Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 If pb doesn't work sometimes but not very often brake clean will help it. If you can't hold the stud still any way you probably won't every get it off without cutting it or torch. If you just need it to come off, take a pair of vise grips and hold the stud under the nut as tight as it can go and use a wrench to work the nut down far enough to where you can cut it with your saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted March 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 If you just need it to come off, take a pair of vise grips and hold the stud under the nut as tight as it can go and use a wrench to work the nut down far enough to where you can cut it with your saw That's exactly what I did on the other side. For some reason I had better luck keeping the stud still with my Channellocks than I did with my vise grips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl1647545492 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I used a butane torch as Macgiver fix last year and it worked,surprisingly it gets the bolt pretty hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE-O Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I used a butane torch as Macgiver fix last year and it worked,surprisingly it gets the bolt pretty hot. This could work but I was thinking if he is worried about sparks a open flame might send him running also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted March 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yeah I'm probably being worried about nothing, but I have very little experience with torches or anything that could potentially fuck shit up when in the wrong hands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POS VETT Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Cover the side of fuel tank with a wet rag/towel, secure it. Use a torch, heat up the nut, hold the bolt head as much as you can, and use an impact wrench with a proper impact socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffro Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 An Impact ratchet would zip that right off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Well, I decided to sack up and said fuck the sparks, I'll just cut it off with the grinder. Got a face shield and went to town, took me two minutes. No more trailer hitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Why did u take the hitch off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Why did u take the hitch off? It was on my '95 Caprice. Didn't really see the need for it. I don't have a trailer or camper or anything. If I need to pull something, I'll borrow my brother's truck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 NO fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky31186 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Now who is Paul going to drop chains with this summer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Now who is Paul going to drop chains with this summer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berto Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 for future reference, if you have room a nut splitter may have helped here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted March 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 for future reference, if you have room a nut splitter may have helped here. I'm glad you mentioned this. How well do they work? I've heard varying opinions but never tried using one myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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