What is the best way to break a rusted bolt off? Torch? Saw?

honestly, it depends on what the situation is.

I'd try applying some liquid wrench or other penetrating oil first, a little at a time, tapping the bolt with another metal thing. Then let it sit awhile. Then do it again. Then wait...

...and then try and gently get it to break loose. If it does, reapply some oil and thread it in and out a bit, and tap.

This has worked for me many times. When I was in a hurry I'd break bolts :( so it's better to wait.

Heat I haven't tried, really.

Coca-Cola, you'd be surprised

What is the best way to break a rusted bolt off? Torch? Saw?

yea the situtation I guess warrents the action. I had a broken bolt on my headers that was causing the gasket to leak like a mother. So I had to just end up tapping it and borring a new hole. But thats because I was ABLE to do that. Sometimes the spots to small or inclosed to do that.

Anything that would lube up the bolt probably wont work. If its rusted in there, it means the lube cant get in there to do its job, so its really pointless. Some good old force always works well lol

Thanks for the replies, it was the 2 bolts connected to the cat and the downpipe. They were in such bad shape that the rust has deformed them to the point that the only thing I had to grab on to them was my vice grips.

I ended up buying a torch at Advanced Auto for $15 and burned them for a while and then took a hammer to it until I pretty much destroyed it. I still had to unthread it in the end but I wasn't unthreading the nut, it was the bolt that moved.

After 4 hours, 2 hammers (1 broke), 2 torches (1 broke), and a lot of pain I finally got the 2 bolts off :D

Unfortunately during the process I put a hole in the cat back exhaust, so I am getting it patched up now. Other then that the new header is sweet :biggthump

A sawzall, or cutoff wheel would have worked.

C

True, but I couldn't find anyone that had one.

A Dremel with the fiber cut-off wheels works WONDERS in situations like this. You can be pretty precise due to the small size of the wheel, and surgically cut the bolt/nut in half. Then, just heat up and remove what is left over.

What is the best way to break a rusted bolt off? Torch? Saw?

PB Blaster. I've used other penetrating liquids for years, since I started with the PB I have pulled some incredible rusted nuts and bolts - just soak it, let it sit, do it again, tap it with a small hammer if you can (or should!).

The stuff is awesome. Stinks like h*ll, but man does it work great.

If you're just trying to break it, just hit it with the Earthquake:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=2623
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92353

Break that head off in no time... :D