1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Stuck Bolts

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Dhalsim, Oct 17, 2016.

  1. Dhalsim

    Dhalsim New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2016
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Tracy, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I was installing some TRD springs this weekend and the rears went in very easy but got stuck on the fronts because I could not get the 2 bolts on the strut tower off. They are completely stuck. I used a breaker bar and my impact gun and still couldn't get them off. I sprayed them with PB Blaster and then bought a Dewalt impact gun with 1200 Ft/Lb breaking torque and it still didn't come off.

    Is there any reason why these bolts would be so tight? Any trick to getting them off?

    TIA for any help/advice
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Get a steel pipe to extend the breaker bar, to get more leverage
     
  3. Jimi1976

    Jimi1976 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2013
    242
    124
    0
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I'm guessing rust?
    MAP gas, and a good PB soaking
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    These are the bolts you're talking about?

    upload_2016-10-17_13-6-2.png

    The bracketed value (highlighted) is foot/pounds. So, 177, not so much... :whistle:
     
  5. Dhalsim

    Dhalsim New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2016
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Tracy, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Yes! Wow supposed to only be 177 ft/lbs?? Its definitely way more than that. I cant understand why they are seized on.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I was saying "not so much" in jest. Considering some oxidation in the threads, with a 2 foot breaker bar (177/2 lbs) you'd be pretty much standing on it I think.
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,073
    14,982
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Torque they were tightened to and torque needed to bust them loose after rusting can be very different things. :)

    Water heater anode rods can get that way; I changed my sister's last summer. Used an air impact wrench and a 4 gallon air tank, which I refilled about 12 times.

    In cases like that, I like to paint a match mark on the part. Not because it makes anything come loose faster, but when finally after using up, like, the tenth tank of air, you notice the mark has moved a hair, and you know victory is in sight.

    -Chap
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. Dhalsim

    Dhalsim New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2016
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Tracy, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Did you read the part where I said I used my air impact gun and a Dewalt electric gun that puts out 1200 Ft/lb of breaking torque and a normal 700 Ft/Lb of turning torque??

    And there is no rust! this is a California car that is only 3 years old. Purchased off a 3 year lease and these bolts have never been off before so its not like they were over tightened previously.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    What socket size are these, 22?
     
  10. Dhalsim

    Dhalsim New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2016
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Tracy, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    II
    yes. here is my 22mm impact socket I busted trying to get these bolts off
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Jimi1976

    Jimi1976 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2013
    242
    124
    0
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Have you tried heat?
    Heat and cool cycle will break the fusion
     
    Robert Holt likes this.
  12. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2013
    1,313
    888
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Yowzer! Cracked impact socket? That's a lot of torque!
    I +1 the heat/cooling cycles. Then I would try to selectively heat the nut with a propane or map torch so that it expands and gives a little clearance. If you can get even pressure on both sides of a T bar on top of the socket, that may help the socket not break. Glad that socket did not fail suddenly and completely as that can hurt you. Good luck!
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Know when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em: hand it over to a shop with heavy duty air tools?
     
  14. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    A sledge hammer and a new impact socket
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    It needs the pulsed impact of a heavy air tool I think. Just kinda jitters it loose. (He says, having never used one.)
     
  16. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2013
    1,313
    888
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Might work, but I have also sheared off the bolt completely using a method like that. Not sure how much of a problem that would be in this case, but it was inconvenient when I sheared off the wheel lug nuts, for example.
     
  17. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,073
    14,982
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    After putting that much stress on the bolt to get it loose, I might reassemble with a new one anyway. Bolts are cheap. But beware: those particular bolts are sold in several variants (count the dots on the heads). Camber alignment is done partly by which bolt variant is in the top and which in the bottom position.

    I remember a suspension nut once that I ground into from both sides with a Dremel ('cause no room for something heavier) until I could knock the two halves off. I don't want to remember it, but I do.

    But that was in an area with winter and salt. I'm baffled at what's making these so stubborn.

    -Chap
     
  18. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2013
    1,313
    888
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Agree with new bolt as old one might have underlying stress fracture.
    Agree checking the head of the bolt. At least in aviation those pips stand for the maximum possible torque value for that bolt, and you MUST have a bolt that is equal or greater rated than the torque to which it will be subject.

    I have a tool designed to crack apart nuts when they are locked on--it's an odd thing with a circular cage and a threaded, pointed awl that simply is screwed directly into the side of the nut. Haven't used it in decades and didn't think of it until you brought up the Dremel tool approach, which sounds quite laborious.
     
  19. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2011
    1,355
    486
    0
    Location:
    District 6
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Did you loosen them? If not, please take a close up photo of the bolts. It's difficult for me to believe that they're rusted on solid. I needed to replace a front wheel bearing on my Gen 2 last year when it was 10 years old. I had no difficulty loosening those bolts whatsoever with an impact socket and a two foot long breaker bar and a four foot extension (steel pipe). It is possible that someone over torqued the bolts when your car was serviced in the past. Did you ever have a front end alignment performed? That might have been when it happened.

    Take your car to a professional mechanic. They will succeed in loosening the bolts. No point in continuing to struggle with it.

    BTW, that's a pretty chintzy impact socket you used there. Not much wall thickness to it and why did you use a deep well socket when you didn't need to????
     
    #19 jadziasman, Oct 17, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2016
  20. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,464
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Counter clockwise to loosen lol