Impact or grunt with a breaker bar on old parts

jeepfreak1020 · Apr 2, 2013

We were having this discussion today on my lunch break me and my buddy. When working on older trucks/cars that are going to have rust on the bolts. Would you rather use a impact? Or just old style grunt with a breaker bar? Whats your guys take? Impact should break it loose bc of the force, verse a breaker bar will more likely shear the bolt off in the case of it being rusted.

No torce! or heat! You have to use impact or break bar.

What do you guys do?

MoparManiac · Apr 2, 2013

Depends on the bolt size/application.

If it's just a through bolt with a free nut on the other side and it's 1/2" or bigger, impact all day long.

If it's a bolt with a weld nut (i.e. leaf spring on XJ), or anything with one end fixed to something, I'll use a ratchet/breaker bar. I can usually feel when something is about to give. I then just tighten/loosen back and forth until it frees up.

tjmotter · Apr 2, 2013

I've gotta go with the impact. I am in the middle of replacing my rear leaf springs and my 500ft.lb impact wrench made short work of the shock bolts (VERY prone to breaking from what I have read) as well as the "U" Bolts. The only bolt I used a breaker bar on was the front leaf spring bolt simply because my impact wrench couldn't move it (I hear you need a 1400ft. lb 3/4" impact). Unfortunately, this was also the only one that broke. Not a fun fix but thankfully PolyPerformance makes a nice bracket to help guys like me.

anthrax323 · Apr 2, 2013

Breaker bar in the way MoparManiac described it. Not a fan of shearing bolts.

kastein · Apr 2, 2013

Wire wheel the threads past the nut before you start. If you can't use a wire wheel, use a pick or the tip of a utility knife to scrape as much as you can off.

jeeperjohn · Apr 2, 2013

I say use an impact with the appropriate setting for the fastener. The shock force helps break things loose but if you use too powerful of an impact gun it will break the head off. Obviously in either case you want to soak the hardware down with penetrating oil.

Hypoid · Apr 3, 2013

Impact, all day long. If it snaps, it has to go anyway.

N8N_99xj · Apr 3, 2013

Impact is less likely to damage the nut, but I've yet to use an impact ballsy enough to budge some of the fasteners that I've busted loose with the monster breaker bar. I know they're out there but none of my friends have seen fit to buy one yet

+1 on wire wheeling if you can. Running a die over the threads if you can is another option. that way you're not fighting the thing the whole way out. Yes, I know that some of the worst bolts on an XJ (that is, the spring hanger bolts and the shackle to frame bolts) this is not an option, and I'm not really happy about that...

kastein · Apr 3, 2013

That's why MJs are awesome, the rear shock mounts are studs instead of weldnuts, the rear leaf and shackle mounts are through bolts

If it doesn't come off, you cut it in half and drive it out with a big punch and your favorite BFH, then put a new one in.

Alexia · Apr 3, 2013

kastein said:
That's why MJs are awesome, the rear shock mounts are studs instead of weldnuts, the rear leaf and shackle mounts are through bolts

If it doesn't come off, you cut it in half and drive it out with a big punch and your favorite BFH, then put a new one in.

Everything about the MJ is a better platform...

Impact gun! It can be used to rock back and forth on rusty bolts by letting it do a few slams in each direction. I am currently sitting idle from working on the MJ since I sprained my left wrist breaking bolts with a breaker bar. This was only because it was late at night and I did not want to wake the room mate with the air compressor.

Frank Z · Apr 4, 2013

Impact gun.
Tighten first to break it free then reverse.

Works every time.

Impact or grunt with a breaker bar on old parts

jeepfreak1020

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MoparManiac

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tjmotter

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anthrax323

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kastein

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jeeperjohn

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Hypoid

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N8N_99xj

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kastein

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Alexia

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Frank Z

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