Rusted exhaust nuts - Dremel?

[reidy]

Hi all, i have an issue most people probably have had with rusted exhaust bolts where it meets the engine block, i want to get them off but im not sure how, both rusty and rounded :smt091 ive read various things regarding this about heating the nut etc .... i was thinking why cant i just use a dremel and carefully cut the nut in half ? Sure after one cut i could prise it appart, there rusted anyway, one of them was a 12mm now is like a 10.5mm with it corroded like that surely it should give up fairly easily ?

Any thoughts appreciated :)

[TamSV]

Yep. I drilled mine off, but much the same idea. They looked like twiglets so i didn't bother trying any non destructive methods.

[jambo]

I have used a junior hacksaw for this, running down the length of the nut on one side, *just* touching the threads. When you have exposed the tip of the threads all the way down, give the cut faces of the nut a sharp tap with a drift and hammer and it should split on the now very wasted section, opening up slightly. You can then generally spin it off. No fuss, no snapped studs.

Having been shown this method by Mr Squid, I don't even bother with anything else unless they look in great condition. The pain of dealing with snapped studs is just not worth it.

Jambo

[maviczap]

I used a dab of C4 ;)

[keith_d]

I used a dab of C4 ;)

A whole lot safer than that stuff the Americans supplied to the bike shop in Nagasaki.

I'll admit that a single application did get the nuts off the studs, but it vaporised the rest of the bike.

[squirrel_hunter]

I've taken them off with Irwin sockets before. Replace the stud and the nut at the same time. After cutting the nut off there is likely to be damage to the stud anyway so its going to be stud extractors after if required.

[jambo]

If you're careful the damage to the stud is a slight flattening of one face. Plenty of purchase left for the new nut.

Jambo

Sent without a real keyboard

[reidy]

Thanks all for the comments, will have a go at doing it on my next day off work :)