rgs944

I am beginning to think someone put thread locker on my crank bolt. I already broke one bar. I had a lot of force using a 4 ft. cheater before it broke. Any ideas on why it would be so tight other than thread locker? 87 auto.

rgs944

Can I use heat without screwing up the seal?

oaros

I ended up using a 2 meter pipe stuck onto a solid ratchet. 1 meter bar (1/2in socket) flexed so much I got worried it would spring off and hit something.

John Speake

Are you using a 3/4" drive ?

rgs944

Went to my local machine shop and borrowed one. Actually I think it came loose a bit before the first bar broke. When I came back with the 3/4 in. Blackhawk it did not take as much. Thanks guys.

Shark Attack

Mine was really in too. I just Hung on it with an impact for a loooooong time. I think after about 45 min of waiting on the compressor to catch up n hitting it again, it came lose.

Mongo

I had to use a jack handle and a second person to break my bolt loose. It made a loud bang. After removing the bolt, I found RED LOCTITE. Expect the same thing if you are having this much trouble.

Bill Ball

Never fails with a 4-6 foot pipe over the handle. Works well for rear axle shaft nut too.

http://www.harborfreight.com/20-piec...-set-5494.html

FBIII

Put a long enough breaker bar on it that it will reach the floor. Stuff a sheet of plywood to protect the radiator. Then just tap the starter.

Mongo

I have always wondered about that 3/4" drive set at Harbor Freight. How is the quality of it for being made in either China or Taiwan?

jcorenman

I'm guessing that cheap 3/4" trumps the best 1/2" drive, for this application.

dr bob

I use the H-F 3/4"-drive deep impact sockets. They are 6-point, and the one fr the crank bolt is just the perfect length to get the handle out the front of the pulley stack. So far so good with them.

For the other important part, I have an adapter from somewhere in the past that has a hole crossways in the non-drive end, perfect for a 5-foot long demolition bar I happen to have. Slide the bar into the hole in the adapter, the socket on the nut, the adapter into the socket. Might take a little fiddling to get the bar over on the driver's side at first, but with four rotational options at the drive end and six at the driven end of the socket, it doesn't take long to get things lined up. Then a firm pull is all it takes (so far, knock on wood, etc)

Bill Ball

Absolutely. And the ratchet in the HF set has been tortured over and over without failing. Good enough for me.

Kiln_Red

These have been my preferred methods. I always hit with the impact first. If that doesn't work within.a reasonable amount of time, I slip a cheater bar over my long Snap-On 1/2" drive ratchet and let the starter do the work. 3/4" drive is better. I have blown the guts out of the 1/2" drive ratchet before when using it in the place of a job for 3/4" drive.

CraigL

This tool makes short work of crank bolts and rear axle nuts. Most importantly it allows you to do the job safely. Don't forget to purchase the 3/4" drive sockets and 6" extension bar to use on those areas. I don't get to use it often, but when I do ... no drama!

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ttn-12048/overview/

I'm sure you can find it on Ebay for a few dollars less.