Now the fun starts (Pics)

BrianRBM · Aug 12, 2014

The manual steering is shot on my "67 Ford 3000 and I need to get to the steering box. As you can see, the steering wheel nut is rusted solid on the shaft. Not my fault.....I got this tractor 10 years ago and its never stayed outside since I had it. Someone left it outside for forty years and weather is hard on it. Anyhow, what is a good way to remove the nut---will a nut splitter work. There is no way a wrench, BP blaster, pounding,etc. will loosen it. Maybe I can grind it off and re-thread the shaft. Any ideas are much appreciated. Thanks.

mab570diesel · Aug 12, 2014

an impact might do wonders.I'd spray the daylights out of it and hit it with the impact.

mgriff543 · Aug 12, 2014

A dremel tool with the fibrous cutoff wheel would be worth a shot to split the nut.

Rex in Australia · Aug 12, 2014

The nut us U/S anyway Drill a hole down through it just away from the thread. More than one if you can, then split the nut with a sharp cold chisel.
Rex

HillsofTn · Aug 12, 2014

I vote with mgriff - use a dremel to cut through as much of the nut as you can without cutting into the shaft threads. Then take a chisel and "peel" the nut gradually away from the shaft.

Note: PB Blaster will help peel the nut off once you get a cut into it.

Pete Hall · Aug 12, 2014

Heat it cherry red and use impact,very quick job,the steerig wheel needs replaced anyway

JRSutton · Aug 12, 2014

Living in the northeast I've removed countless thousands of rusted nuts and bolts, and I've never met one that didn't respond to being heated till glowing red.

You might burn up what's left of the steering wheel, but if that doesn't matter, heat is your best friend.

After that - impact is your next best friend.

If by some strange act of fate neither of those work - crack it off with a cold chisel.

Penetrating oils can work - but I usually don't have that kind of patience unless I'm trying to preserve the parts for some reason.

MAX-KY · Aug 12, 2014

Try a method that my grandfather taught me over 50 years ago. Heat that nut until it is at least red hot, yellow hot is better if you can. Then put water on it and cool it as fast as you can then try the impact. The expansion and rapid contraction will loosen it most of the time. If you have an old rusty bolt with a nut on it you can try it first as an experiment. Let us know how you it turns out.

donjr · Aug 12, 2014

Use an air die grinder and cut ONE side of the nut most of the way through, then finish splitting it with a chisel and hammer. Dremmel tool will also work, but will be slow....

GordoSD · Aug 12, 2014

Use the air cutter with a really thin wheel. Set your wheel at a tangent to the shaft and actuall cut through at one oclock and 7 oclock,

Hobo,NC · Aug 12, 2014

If you get the nut off I bet the wheel will B a bear to get off also...

retired farmer · Aug 12, 2014

Wire brush the sides good and get a six point socket and impact wrench.

samuel c · Aug 12, 2014

cut a slot down side of nut with Drexel cut off wheel and split
open with chisel. Drexel has REALLY improved cut off wheels
with metal hubs and quick attach shaft. works really nice.

ih_bug · Aug 12, 2014

the rest of the tractor looks really nice so I would probably replace the steering wheel anyway.and if your replacing the wheel may make your decisions on removing it easier.good suggestions below.

BrianRBM · Aug 12, 2014

Thanks for all the suggestions......I'll probably get a new steering wheel anyway, so I guess I can cut away at the nut and hopefully chisel off. I will let you know the results. I know heating can be effective but this will be my last resort.

howdy1960 · Aug 12, 2014

If was me and I went with the impact gun I would give a couple whacks in forward then reverse over and over a few times then some heat and start again.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 13, 2014

A die grinder with a carbide burr could grind a notch(s) in the nut without destroying the shaft. If it was me, I might get a nut about 3 sizes bigger that doesn't quite fit over the existing nut and weld it to the existing nut missing the shaft and then try turning it off. I think the heat from welding would expand it enough to loosen it pretty easily.

Dean · Aug 13, 2014

A six point socket and a good impact wrench will have it off in a heartbeat.

The steering wheel is another matter, however.

Dean

bill mart · Aug 13, 2014

any seals to worry about if using heat ? Bill

johnlobb · Aug 13, 2014

Kroil or Aerokroil is supposed to creep into 1 millionth of an inch. Apply it for a week, a few times a day, I have seen it always works with some patience and the impact gun is a good idea also.

Traditional Farmer · Aug 13, 2014

Lube it good and back the nut off with an impact with an impact socket then screw the nut part of the way back on and take a rounded nose bit in an an air chisel and hit the end of the shaft while pulling on the steering wheel.They usually pop right off.

1130Leo · Aug 13, 2014

Try an impact first, what could it hurt? If you
heat it up cherry red, plan on replacing not only
the steering wheel, but likely in the near future,
the shaft... Penetrating oil and patience will get
you there, and would likely cost much less than the
extra parts, at least that is what I have found.

HenryO · Aug 13, 2014

I had the same thing on MY farmall H, I had to split the nut and chisel it apart. Ended up also sawing the steering wheel because it wold not come off no matter heat, PB blaster etc, Recut threads for a new nut

Now the fun starts (Pics)

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