I had to remove a nut from the end of a threaded shaft. All parts were de-rusted w/ thread penetrant the day before. This allowed me to wrench the nut almost to the end. But then when I wrenched on the nut, both the nut and shaft twisted in unison. Nuts! … lol … There was nothing to grab hold on either end of the threaded shaft , but there was just enough room to grab the threads under the nut with vice grips. I didn’t want to damage the threads so I tried wrapping a piece of cotton cloth around the threads before clamping the vice grips on. But the vice grips couldn’t grip it robustly enough, the shaft still turned with the nut. Eventually I got the nut off just by gripping harder w/the vice grips. But I’m wondering if there’s a trick to solve this sort of problem more easily? I got to thinking maybe wrap the threads with rubber inner tube material wouldn’t slip as easily?
Could you have run the nut back down the threaded shaft and then cleared the threads that were not cooperating? I have a cheap tap and die set I bought at a popular cheap tool source. I only use them to clean up threads.
Yes, I could have done that. Considered that option. But the time that would have taken would be better used just to cut the nut off.
I think you could just cover the jaws of the vice grip with a piece of the inner tube or rubber hose. Check and file away any thread damage and work the nut back and forth a little.
I have an idea. What if you cut a new nut in half and then put the halves on the threads. Then use the vice grips or other clamp on the nut. The threads will be a perfect match to not mess up the outside threads!
Then the inside diameter would be smaller then the original, by whatever the thickness of the blade was.
I like spilt nut suggestion.
Then you still have to fix the corroded threads and that is best done with the appropriate die. So using the die in the first place makes sense to me as long as there is room for it.
I have used/tried all manner of methods of holding threaded rods for stubborn nuts. Using a complaint enough material like rubber or slit PVC tubing has worked for me. The key being it is thick enough to squish down into the threads without the gripping tool making contact with the threads.
In one case, I slit the end of the rod with a grinding wheel so a flat bladed screw driver could hold it while I removed the nut with a wrench.
I agree that using a die to chase/clean the threads is the best way… but I have also just used my pneumatic 1/2 drive impact gun and pop the trigger going back and forth until the nut comes off, you can run across this a lot doing shaft mounted shocks, I have also used my pneumatic angle drill with 1/4 hex shank socket driver in tight spots, it’s fast and low torque, just takes a lot longer if it works… lol
Which would allow greater clamping pressure by the vise grips.
I’ve never managed to get a grip on my vices.
I take 2 nuts, put a split-ring locknut between them, tighten them together to get a purchase on threaded rod or hanger bolts. Gripping with a vise grip has always damaged threads.
Another approach would be to use a “Nut Splitter” on the frozen nut.
Carefully begin the cut on the nut with a fine Dremel blade, then use the Nut Splitter to expand the cut until it’s large enough to remove. Hopefully it will come off with minimal damage to the threads that can be easily cleaned up with a die.
I used that method to move the nut to the end of the shaft.