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Frozen screws

Chicken lights

Chicken lights

Forum Pony Express Driver
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I doubt the sill plate in my truck has ever been out. I wasn’t looking forward to this. Standard #2 philips head. Started with a couple of picks, cleaning out the heads. Spare screwdriver tip used as a punch to clean out the grooves and hopefully shock the screws some. Then back to the picks, rinse and repeat. Try tightening the screws then loosening. Try some heat. Just keep wiggling.

Took a couple panels off so I could see underneath. Broke out the penetrating fluid and heat. The little butane torch wasn’t cutting it, so out came the big torches.

There was a top row of six, those actually came out pretty well, all things considered.

The bottom row of four was no joy. Grabbed a die grinder with a zip cut wheel. Moved to the orange handled screwdriver.

Still no joy. Moved to the large black handled screwdriver. Got 3 of the 4 out, the fourth broke the head clean off.

All in all, out of ten frozen, covered in mud and grime, never moved in 15 years....to get nine out I consider that a victory.

I don’t have a plan to get the broken one out, that can wait for another days battle.

Steel screws in aluminum panels....not the best combination
 
If this problem ever comes up again ,one word will solve that problem for you..."Iodine"...regular old pharmacy bought Iodine is the best "loosener" we have ever used on this farm. From rusted nuts, bolts, bearings, pulley's or anything else rusted onto a shaft, none of the new store-bought aerosol spray stuff is as good.

Bearings or pulleys (usually it's the woodruff keys that really cause the problem) that have been rust-frozen to shafts for 30-40 yrs will pull easily after a couple treatments of the stuff.. The tip was passed on to my old man by a heavy duty mechanic back in the sixties and every combine, swather, baler or anything with a turning shaft or bearing in it, we ever had on the farm since then has had it's own bottle of Iodine in the tool box.
 
historicalarms said:
If this problem ever comes up again ,one word will solve that problem for you..."Iodine"...regular old pharmacy bought Iodine is the best "loosener" we have ever used on this farm. From rusted nuts, bolts, bearings, pulley's or anything else rusted onto a shaft, none of the new store-bought aerosol spray stuff is as good.

Bearings or pulleys (usually it's the woodruff keys that really cause the problem) that have been rust-frozen to shafts for 30-40 yrs will pull easily after a couple treatments of the stuff.. The tip was passed on to my old man by a heavy duty mechanic back in the sixties and every combine, swather, baler or anything with a turning shaft or bearing in it, we ever had on the farm since then has had it's own bottle of Iodine in the tool box.
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I will have to try that. Thank you, sir
 
historicalarms said:
If this problem ever comes up again ,one word will solve that problem for you..."Iodine"...
Click to expand...

That's fascinating. Never heard of that. Also never heard of an old farm trick that didn't work...so I may try that.

I guess it has the ancillary benefit that if you slip with the screwdriver and cut your knuckles, at least you have a disinfectant handy.

Learn something new everyday. Thanks.
 
Hit up a couple pharmacies today and came up dry on finding iodine. I was surprised and so was the pharmacist. I’m actually perplexed this isn’t a staple anymore

The hunt continues
 
With steel screws in aluminum body you might also be seeing galvanic corrosion which makes for tough sledding. Maybe there is something in the iodine that helps (the iodine phosphate or whatever the base chemical is) but I cant say, never tried it. I've had some seized engine parts where WD-40 soak did the trick but its only really effective if it can work into the 'glue' & that may take eons. Heat generally helps if it doesn't damage anything because the aluminum expands more than the steel so the gap is opening up a bit. But usually what happens with the stuck ones is the old screw head shears off & the fun begins.
 
I've never had a whole lot of luck with WD-40 with seized parts (but I would always tried anyhow). Now I used a 50/50 mixture of auto transmission fluid and acetone. Can't say I know for a scientific fact that is is any better, but I "think" it works better. My perception is no doubt largely influenced by the claims of others that this mixture works. But I also believe it is at least as good as WD-40. LOL. I've never heard of the iodine trick but find it intriguing enough to give it a try someday.
 
DPittman said:
I've never had a whole lot of luck with WD-40 with seized parts (but I would always tried anyhow). Now I used a 50/50 mixture of auto transmission fluid and acetone. Can't say I know for a scientific fact that is is any better, but I "think" it works better. My perception is no doubt largely influenced by the claims of others that this mixture works. But I also believe it is at least as good as WD-40. LOL. I've never heard of the iodine trick but find it intriguing enough to give it a try someday.
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WD-40 stands for water displacement, formula 40. It was originally used in the aerospace program as a rust inhibitor.
I find it to be a poor penetrating oil, and prefer other brands instead

One of those things I was taught at a young age in the shop. Sorry
 
I
Chicken lights said:
WD-40 stands for water displacement, formula 40. It was originally used in the aerospace program as a rust inhibitor.
I find it to be a poor penetrating oil, and prefer other brands instead

One of those things I was taught at a young age in the shop. Sorry
Click to expand...
I find it particularly poor as a rust inhibitor. I've read many times from folks that it claims to make rust worse. I'm not sure it makes rust worse than using nothing but I know it's not as effective for rust inhibition as many other oil based products.
 
DPittman said:
I
I find it particularly poor as a rust inhibitor. I've read many times from folks that it claims to make rust worse. I'm not sure it makes rust worse than using nothing but I know it's not as effective for rust inhibition as many other oil based products.
Click to expand...
I’m a big fan of Fluid Film. It’s not cheap but it seems to do a good job, for rust prevention.
 
WD sells a separate rust inhibitor product but I've never tried it. Maybe that infers infers WD-40 itself not really intended for that.
https://www.wd40specialist.com/products/corrosion-inhibitor/

Ever watched those YouTube vids on WD-40? Some of them are quite interesting. Others are like - what would possess you to try that?

It does have some bizarre properties. Like when I am lapping, that sticky grease/abrasive compound is stubborn to remove from metal with many typical solvents. They thin the residue but it takes several baths & wipes. WD-40 is like anti-gravity to the lapping compound, it just separates right off. I also spray it on wet & dry paper or fine grit stones when I do basic finishing. Or maybe I'm just making excuses & just enjoy the fumes :)
 
I grew up on Glendale in SW Calgary in the 1960s and 70s. We once had a friend do some reno work on our house. He wasn't very handy, but more so than my dad I guess. Anyways, by accident he plastered in our wall cabinet where my mom kept all the medicines and First Aid stuff—including a HUGE bottle of iodine. We had a big laugh and forgot about it. The house is still there, four or five owners and several upgrades later. But I can still see the wall though the living room window when I drive by the house. So I bet the iodine is still hidden in the wall....

I have no idea why I remembered this while reading this post. Old age is some scary weird stuff.

:eek:
 
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