How to Break the Bonds of a Rusted Bolt

rusty bolt

If you work on virtually anything that has been exposed to the outside, you know how hard it can be to get a nut to separate from a bolt, particularly if rust is involved.

You have a better chance of breaking the bolt, particularly if you are relying solely on your massive arm strength. (If the bolt is big enough, you also can injure yourself.)

But anyone who knows anything about working with metal and rust understands that the easiest way to separate a rusted nut or bolt from a nut or bolt is to break the rust bonds that are holding it together.

Depending on the size of your nut and bolt, there are a few hacks you can use to force that separation without landing yourself in bed for a few days to deal with a back injury (not that that has ever happened to me!)

See how to do it on the next page!

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17 Comments

  1. John Belote said:

    Spray it with WD-40. That’s literally why it exists, to remove rust.

  2. Daren Miller said:

    A seized bolt in the middle of winter at midnight when you have to be at work in the morning. Just typing it pisses me off. Lol

  3. Steven Lowe said:

    WD-40 doesn’t remove rust, it displaced water, hence the WD for water displacement. It will penetrate rust, however and lubricate.

  4. Dan Bodnar said:

    Hmm for some reason I feel the writer has no experience with heavy equipment .. and the like it.. don’t move add a bar to that wrench ..length is leverage…torches are OK if your not with fuel and oil

  5. Fred Cadet said:

    Trying to torque off nuts is how you break bolts. Torches are easily improvised depending on how much you ingenuity you have.

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