[TowerTalk] heavily rusted anchor bolt/nut
Roger (K8RI) on TT
K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net
Mon Oct 7 11:28:05 EDT 2013
On 10/7/2013 6:56 AM, kr2q at optimum.net wrote:
> Hi...
>
> I am changing out the T-Bar base on my TX472.
>
> [You may recall, my old TX472 was bent at the base of the tower during H.Sandy. The replacement tower has arrived]
>
> I tried using my wrench to undo the 3 nuts (on 3 anchor bolts), but I wasn't able to budge them.
>
> Then I slid a six foot long, 2" OD mast over the end of the wrench and for two of them (barely rusted), they easily turned.
>
> But one of the anchor bolts (1.125" diameter) the associated nut is heavily rusted, as is the bolt. Over the weekend, I applied Naval Rust Dissolver Gel which sort of worked. At least enough to demonstrate that the threads are still in tact. I also showered it with Liquid Wrench (several times).
Use an Acetylene torch to quickly heat the nut to a red heat and remove
the flame quickly. Also remove the nut quickly. Keep the flame away from
the bolt. A Map gas hand held torch might do it, but it might take a
while. The danger is heating the bolt which would reduce its strength.
Another option is a "nut splitter", or a plasma torch. Don't cut into
the threads with the torch. It's so quick the bolt will barely get warm
A cut almost to the threads on each side should do it, although the
"nut splitter" is probably the safest. OTOH that's a pretty big
splitter. Don't know how expensive it'd be, but up to inch and a half
are fairly inexpensive. A precision too, they're not<:-))
73
Roger (K8RI)
>
> But even with the 6 foot long lever arm and "cautious" pressure, I was not able to budge the nut.
>
> I know that when nuts have "frozen" before on much smaller bolts (5/16" or 3/8"), I have been able to (unfortunately) break the bolt instead of loosing the nut while applying "lots" of rotational torque on the nut. While a 1.125" diameter bolt seems pretty hefty, I am concerned about doing the same (yeah, sounds ridiculous)..and then I"ll really be out of luck.
>
> Any suggestions on how to proceed?
>
> Thanks,
> de Doug KR2Q
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