Old trick I learned from a retired machinist saved me 2 hours

I was wrestling with a seized bolt on a lower control arm last Tuesday, the kind that just laughs at penetrating oil. An older guy who was waiting for his oil change walked over and said 'try hitting the bolt head with a hammer first, not the nut.' I figured why not, gave it a few good whacks with a ball peen, and that bolt came loose in under a minute. Has anyone else had luck with that trick or is it just one of those things that works sometimes?

3 comments

3 Comments

bettyfox1mo ago

Wait, you're telling me a whack on the head does more than soaking it all day?

nancy_ross5d ago

My sister tried that whole soak thing for like 3 days straight, wrapped her ankle in a warm towel every night, and it still looked like a grapefruit. One accidental bump against the nightstand and the swelling actually went down faster than all that soaking did. It's wild how our bodies work, right? Sometimes the rough stuff does more than the careful stuff. I hope you're not dealing with anything too painful though.

grace5081mo ago

Guess my head's good for something besides holding up my hat.