Preferred penetrating lubricant?

[DJL2]

I've got a stubborn barrel nut, looking to let it sit for a minute over the holidays. I can think of Kroil, Liquid Wrench and WD-40 offhand... what have you all had best success with? Stubborn in this case being 125 lb-ft indicated on the torque wrench (nut spec'd at 100) and haven't done much other than mar the tools and scrape up the nut - figure I should try smarter rather than just more unga bunga.

 

[Waorani]

Kroil was always my go to and still use it but after reading some reviews/comparisons, I've started using PB Blaster. Don't have a whole lot of experience with it but has worked so far. Neighbor is the local antique car guru and former GM mechanic. He swears by this stuff. Gave me a can but haven't had anything to use it on since.

Well not letting me insert link so - Genuine GM Fluid 88862628 Rust Penetrant and Inhibitor

 

[Halfnutz]

Kroil.

Don't use a torque wrench for loosening.

 

[Jaron3]

Sea foam Deep Creep.

 

[candyx]

A little heat should help by expanding the barrel nut.

 

[Kamerad]

PB Blaster and Kroil have both worked well for me, from hobby level to industrial applications.

 

[missed]

Kroil and heat.

 

[kyzim311]

Project farm on YouTube has some head to head stuff on this topic, if I remember correctly heat and a few good taps on the bolt do as much good as any of the oils.

 

[Bacarrat]

KY Jelly

 

[Halfnutz]

KY Jelly

That would help if something is too tight. Not the kind of penetrating oil he needs (at least for a stuck barrel, I don't know him personally or want to in that regard). Always a smart ass willing to lend a hand. Gotta love this place.

 

[Brettmparker1]

That would help if something is too tight. Not the kind of penetrating oil he needs (at least for a stuck barrel, I don't know him personally or want to in that regard). Always a smart ass willing to lend a hand. Gotta love this place.

I bet it’s huge

 

[Hobo Hilton]

If all else fails, take a Dremel and grind out the recoil lug.... It will unscrew by hand. A new lug is cheap.

 

[DJL2]

If all else fails, take a Dremel and grind out the recoil lug.... It will unscrew by hand. A new lug is cheap.

No lug on this action (KRG SOTIC - floating lug a la TRG), would have to cut/grind the nut itself. It's not off the table, since it's basically trash at this point anyway, but as it abuts the action directly that's a high stakes game I'd rather not play.

For whatever reason, I actually expected the nut to just... come off. Crazy, in retrospect. Probably just as well I don't have a breaker bar or cheater pipe to hand...

Now, to soak this thing... looks like I'll be celebrating new years with a heat gun and lube...

 

[Hobo Hilton]

No lug on this action (KRG SOTIC - floating lug a la TRG), would have to cut/grind the nut itself. It's not off the table, since it's basically trash at this point anyway, but as it abuts the action directly that's a high stakes game I'd rather not play.

For whatever reason, I actually expected the nut to just... come off. Crazy, in retrospect. Probably just as well I don't have a breaker bar or cheater pipe to hand...

Now, to soak this thing... looks like I'll be celebrating new years with a heat gun and lube...

Does it look like this? Did it have red Loctite on it?

TRG / SOTIC Barrel Nut – Kinetic Research Group

kineticresearchgroup.com

 

[Mech Eng]

I have good luck with this (Amazon product ASIN B00BV4DBAU) works great on rusty parts for all the salt on the roads.

 

[Baron23]

Fore end cap on a 1957 factory skeet grade Mod 12 and which has NEVER been off the gun.

Kroil and a heat gun to drive it in worked.

 

[K80/6.5]

Kroil is what we use at the refinery on rusted pipes and fitting spray let it soak for a couple of minutes and a couple hits with hammer and breaks easy 90% time the other 10% you break the pipe.

 

[ormandj]

I agree with many of the above, use a little heat, and also use a hammer to tap on your wrench lightly. You need sharp, but not heavy impacts. Same principle an impact wrench works on. Just make sure you're going the right direction with it.

 

[srt-4_uk]

50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Mix only what you need.

 

[Krazy_jim]

50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Mix only what you need.

That’s what the pipe fitters use around us when splitting flanges open on pipe. It works quite well, spray it on all nuts/studs, then get the rest of your stuff together. Makes a large difference.

Operations wise, like myself, we used to use Kroil.. they took it away due to some issues with WHMIS or something, but it worked pretty good for use.

 

[DJL2]

Does it look like this? Did it have red Loctite on it?

TRG / SOTIC Barrel Nut – Kinetic Research Group

kineticresearchgroup.com

It IS that. I can’t see thread locker, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Spec is 100 ft-lb greased - I would be astounded and somewhat dismayed if they loctited the thing.

 

[johnnyvw]

Another vote for kroil and a little heat. I've made believer out of a lot of people who would have resorted to chisels or a sawzall.

If it is indeed loctited, a good amount of heat, followed by acetone (just let it cool down a bit first LOL)

 

[northshorelumber]

another vote for Kroil and heat

 

[supercorndogs]

Once its moving, they all work ok. When its not moving , none of them make it to the joint to loosen it. You need heat, penetrating oil for "stuck bolts" is snake oil. For lubing and cleaning the threads on the way off, its a god send.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Heat and elbow grease.

 

[Ranger007]

Kroil

 

[DJL2]

Naturally, I can't find my heat gun at the moment... super. I can tell you this - that son of a bitch is going nowhere with my puny little arms and this 25" breaker bar. The scavenger hunt is on.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Got a torch?

 

[Hobo Hilton]

I have hesitated to ask this question... but here it goes: Are you turning it the correct way to loosen it ?

 

[mheimer_45]

ATF for Atleast 24 hrs. ATF creeps like nothing you’ve seen before. Uphill downhill sideways in between. It doesn’t care. A couple of drops 180* apart will do the trick.

And heat. Heat always helps.

 

[MakeSawdust]

Use a barrel vise and action wrench to remove the action. Then you can attack the barrel nut with all manner of tools, chemicals, heat as you wish without the risk of destroying the action.

I use red loctite to headspace savage prefits and then use them the same as shouldered barrels. I have a family full of shooters and we are constantly removing barrels and stocks for creating setups for comps, training, hunting, varmints, what have you. When the goody is gone from a nut barrel I put it in the barrel vise and heat the nut with a heat gun until the nut comes off. Then I turn the nut on and off about a million times until the threads are clean. Then I use the nut again on the replacement barrel.

Using a barrel vise and action wrench is so much easier than using a barrel nut wrench unless the nut is cold welded to the action. I typically only torque to 65 ft./lbs, but 125 is doable with a good barrel vise, action wrench, and a 2 ft breaker bar. Use a piece of black pipe for a cheater if you must, but I worry about twisting things if it takes that much leverage. At that point I would probably have a gunsmith cut the barrel off. That is cheaper than an action.

 

[1911hombre]

Kroil. Also, if the parts can be heated HOT safely without damaging them (like nuts and bolts on machinery, etc) Heat with a propane torch till hot and hold a candle end against bolt where it enters threads on nut or whatever. Wax will go into hot joint and work like MAGIC. Works almost every time.

 

[hesp]

Heat & cool. Heat it up hot. Then allow to cool completely in cold outside weather. Do this over & over, 10 to 15 times, over a couple of days. Makes everything loosen it"s grip. This method along with a penetrating oil. If this doesn't work you have a welded piece.

 

[DJL2]

I have hesitated to ask this question... but here it goes: Are you turning it the correct way to loosen it ?

Yeah, I checked like three times myself. Standard RH/CW thread - CCW as you're looking from the muzzle to remove.

ATF for Atleast 24 hrs. ATF creeps like nothing you’ve seen before. Uphill downhill sideways in between. It doesn’t care. A couple of drops 180* apart will do the trick.

And heat. Heat always helps.

I don't think I'd have thought of ATF, but it's been mentioned several times. I guess I can hit up an AutoZone or O'Reily's to grab some... hopefully in a small-ish container.

@MakeSawdust - the action wrench I have, the barrel vise I don't. I'll agree in principle on this: if I have to use a damn barrel vise, there's no point to having a barrel nut. Ironically, I need the barrel - it's gotta go to the guys at SPR so they can measure the tenon spec and cut a new one. If it gets to that point, I'll just send them the barreled action and they can replace the barrel however with whatever. There's an idea, actually... hmm... Bugnut, KRG nut, or shouldered...

 

[shoobe01]

IF penetrating lubricant will help, I'll be the one who says Liquid Wrench. I have used Kroil and PB blaster and lots of normal oils and none have worked even a little bit as well. But often it has to be impact, heat, even cutting. Depends on what's keeping it from letting go.

Often impact is the key. Lots of troublesome things have worked once I got everything properly locked in. Clamped down, proper wrench, etc. Much smaller scale, but I have a pistol with legendarily tight sights. People send their guns to the mfg who uses a hydraulic press to install for you even! I just clamped the slide in really well, got the absolute most appropriate punch, lined it up super square, and used the engineering hammer and hit it really square and sharp. Moved just fine.

So, get the right tools to hang onto it before more destructive methods risk damage, frustration.


(There is not one can of WD40 in my house and never again will be. Get outta here with that stuff

 

[ormandj]

Yeah, I checked like three times myself. Standard RH/CW thread - CCW as you're looking from the muzzle to remove.


I don't think I'd have thought of ATF, but it's been mentioned several times. I guess I can hit up an AutoZone or O'Reily's to grab some... hopefully in a small-ish container.

@MakeSawdust - the action wrench I have, the barrel vise I don't. I'll agree in principle on this: if I have to use a damn barrel vise, there's no point to having a barrel nut. Ironically, I need the barrel - it's gotta go to the guys at SPR so they can measure the tenon spec and cut a new one. If it gets to that point, I'll just send them the barreled action and they can replace the barrel however with whatever. There's an idea, actually... hmm... Bugnut, KRG nut, or shouldered...

It shouldn’t be this bad. Was anti-seize used? That said, shouldered barrels are the way to go. 80ft/lb with some Aeroshell 64 and gtg. You can even make a hitch mount barrel vise jig if you want to swap in the field.

 

[supercorndogs]

It shouldn't, maybe some thread locking compound was used, and wicked into the action joint. I hate when shit is way too tight. I like working on my own stuff for this reason. That said, a couple pieces of stainless can weld themselves into quite the ball.

Do you know who put it together? Can you ask them anything was used. Rocket needs boiled. Most other thread lockers need heat. A little propane torch from your local hardware store will supply plenty of heat.

 

[Forrest84]

Kroil, pb blaster, heat. Sometimes oil just can’t penetrate but heat always works.

 

[shoobe01]

Kroil, pb blaster, heat. Sometimes oil just can’t penetrate but heat always works.

Can't be stuck if it's liquid

 

[JMcQ]

Pretty much all of the above
Kroil has been my go to for years but PB is easier to find. Never used the acetone/atf. Not sure if it would work better but certainly cheaper if need in large quantities.

 

[Baron23]

I think the "Finnish" will be ok

 

[DJL2]

It shouldn’t be this bad. Was anti-seize used? That said, shouldered barrels are the way to go. 80ft/lb with some Aeroshell 64 and gtg. You can even make a hitch mount barrel vise jig if you want to swap in the field.

Yes... I guess I need to stop dithering and just drop the money on a proper setup. Le Sigh... the sheer amount I've spent on the "oh, I don't need that, I can make do" items is staggering.

 

[DJL2]

Well... things did not go as planned. I couldn't do it with heat and a breaker bar. I gave up and took it to a smith... he couldn't either. One barrel nut and some finish damage to my action later, the barrel is off. The finish damage is from being chucked up in a lathe. The action should be otherwise fine... cut stayed in/on the nut. Fun times...

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Thanks for the update...... Eventually we all run across that "threaded assembly from Hell"..... You came out OK... Could have been worse.
At least you did not have to use a cutting torch.

 

[Lionsbreath]

KY Jelly

Works in a pinch if you’re off your game..

 

[Carlos Danger]

50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Mix only what you need.

This

 

[Kingbird87]

Amazon product ASIN B0049C7170I had a broken distributer advance on my 79' Ford Bronco. The magnesium housing was seized into the cast iron block on my 351 Windsor engine. After trying everything except drilling it out, a mechanic I used to hunt with, and knew from working on my aircraft at Northwest Airlines , told me about Mouse Milk. He said they used it to remove turbine fan blades and stuck jugs on piston aircraft engines. I used it, and he said let it sit for weeks, which I did. The distributer then came out in one piece with a strap wrench. I have used Kroil forever, and PB Blaster and neither did anything on this problem. Mouse Milk is my new recommendation for tough nuts.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Been a good discussion.... Now we are to the point of discussing the actual make up of the parts, previous exposure to moisture / salt water, temperatures, length of time parts were bolted together... Every situation is slightly different. Probably why different products work in different situations... After all else fails the cutting torch prevails.

8 Best Penetrating Oil Reviewed With Detailed Information 2022

Remember that different penetrating oils exist, and using the wrong one may damage the surface. Follow our detailed guide to know more.

www.cargister.com

 

[Steel head]

 

[DJL2]

This thread has been a wealth of knowledge, thank you gents. Especially you, @Steel head .