Would anybody know how to get the thread going again when this got stuck over the years? We tried with quite a bit of force (including WD40), but without any luck.


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Yes, I have had to do it. I bought new parts.

That said, WD40 is not a good penetrating lubricant. I have read a thorough study that compared several different types of penetrating lubricants (on rusted steel) and it determined CLEARLY that a 50/50 mixture of acetone and automatic transmission fluid was the best penetrating fluid you could make or buy. They provided torque and all sorts of data. It wasn't even close. So, I recommend trying that before you settle on purchasing new parts.

In the US PB-blaster or Kroil are superior to WD-40 in almost everyway. I've been amazed at what they have loosened up over the years.

I don't know what is available in your country, but try some penetrating oil and some heat. The key is some time, spray it on and let it sit. Don't force it.

LPS-3 is my go to for penetrating oil.

Ok...so don't listen to me. Steel bolts with nuts soaked in an acid solution for a couple of days (to make the rust and seize) and then tested with various solutions to determine what works best. figures below are actually the torque needed to break the nut loose. You would have to seal the acetone solution so the acetone doesn't evaporate out of your mixture while it sits on the shelf.

I've had some success saving some really bound up multi tools by soaking them in olive oil for a week or more.

Chicken grease works as well.

In a bind, you can use ostrich secretions...

Moose drool too...

I've submerged then in diesel with good results.


One thing with that spreader screw, put a screw driver on it and give it a whack with a hammer. That can help break the corrosion free a bit too.

Ok, so the general solution is to stick it in whatever fluid I can find, and try if it's lossening up a bit ;-)

I didn't look at the picture super close and had something else in mind.

Them's some big threads. Should take a penetrating oil pretty well. Is there access from the other end so you can hit it from both sides? Patience will be key. Get it to wiggle a bit, and hit it with oil again and let it sit over night. Assuming the threaded part is stainless and the spreader arm is aluminum, you could heat it with a torch too. The aluminum will expand much faster than the stainless.

When you put it back together. Grease that bitch.

That's a waste of good beer . . .

Agree fully. Time and patience will be required.

Also, some penetrating oils instruct you to hit the object to set up vibrations so that the oil will seep into the threads. I've always thought that to be odd, but if it works???

If you do manage to salvage these parts, be sure to remove all rust and corrosion from the inner and outer threads before reassembly.

As Karl said, use grease (or anti-sieze compound) when reassembling (or on the new parts).

One last thing: On boats, especially those used in salt, if there are parts that you want to be able to remove or adjust in the future, remove them at least once a year, remove any corrosion and salt, and re-grease.

Hope this helps.

Mike

Go get a can of canned cold, used for electrical circuits. Heat it, then blast it with cold. It may shrink it.

When I worked at a power plant, a 1 1/2" main steam control valve mounting stud broke. Day shift got a 1/2" hole through it, afternoons got it to 1". We on midnights heated it with several rosebud torches, then hit it with the canned cold. It went clink and we cleaned up the rest with a hammer and chisel and then ran a tap through it.

Thanks for all comments again. I will try if I can get it apart like that. If not, I probably will spent some pocket money....

Are both pieces of the same metal (Alu or SS)? Or do you have some galvanic thing going on there?

They are both aluminum.

You can also use Teflon tape to wrap the threads.

One other thing to try before the oil treatment is using something like snobol or any acid toilet bowl cleaner first. Squirt some in there and let it sit for 10-15 minutes rinse it out and do it again. Dry it out and soak it with the oil, Acetone and ATF sounds good. Looking forward to trying it.

Acid. That's an interesting idea.

Indeed both aluminum, and very fragile. Especially trying to get it moving is dangerous as you are tempted to use the "teeth"on the other side. However we got them loose again, but do not ask me which treatment finally helped. We used everything available from heat to soaking it in oil and other fluids.

That is NOT good beer.