Appreciation post: a customer's old trick for stuck caliper bolts

Had a guy bring in a 2012 F-150 with a frozen rear caliper bolt last week. He said his grandpa taught him to heat the bracket with a propane torch for 30 seconds, then tap it with a hammer before trying the wrench. Tried it and the bolt came right out without rounding... saved me a ton of time and a possible broken extractor. Anyone have other old-school tricks for rusty hardware that actually work?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannahcraig9d ago

Is that really a frozen bolt or just a tight one? A little heat and a tap is basic stuff, not some secret trick. Sounds like you just got lucky with a bolt that wasn't actually that bad.

gracethomas9d ago

Seriously, that exact trick saved my butt on a rusty Subaru last month.

cameron_hernandez699d ago

Hannahcraig must have never met a truly frozen bolt. Some of us don't have a full shop setup, a little luck is a valid tool.