Like the title says, I stripped my nuts. OK, back up a bit and listen to my story you dirty folks. Despite what I told people about my Forester staying stock, I got bit by the mod bug and ordered a TurboXS axleback exhaust. Well today the exhaust arrived and I tried to install it. When I tried to loosen the the two nuts holding the midpipe and the axle back, they were really rusted and they stripped on me. What I need now is someone to cut off them nuts and replace 'em with new stainless steel ones so I can install my exhaust. One place quoted me $60 to cut 'em off. Another guy said he'd do it for $35. Could anyone recommend where I can go to get this job done? Or maybe tell me what I need to buy to get the job done? A dremmel tool perhaps? I've never done it before and don't want to damage anything else.
dremmel and a cut off wheel, or die grinder and a cut off wheel. Grip tite sockets http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00934506000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 There is also a tool called a nut splitter but I dont know if you can fit one on the flange. Have you tried a penetrating oil like PB blaster and keep spraying it on there and let it soak for a few hours/over night and then use a vise grips and grab onto the nut?
exhaust hardware rarely comes off in-tact. The heat REALLY speeds up the rust. just about any cutting tool will do it. Sawzall is my weapon of choice for midpipe bolts.
If you cant get a cutoff wheel or similar cutting tool I would get a bolt/nut extractor and just shear the heads off.
It was already a really tight space to begin with. I should have thought to spray Liquid Wrench on it first and should have seen that I didn't have enough space to fully seat the socket but being a noob, I went right at it with a small impact wrench. I realized it was a bad idea the moment I felt the rounded edges. Thanks for all of the ideas. I'll take a second look at it tonight and try to figure a solution. Chances are I will unlikely be able to do this at home unless I take off the whole catback. But that could mean a whole new can of worms too. Nuke, does Nate still have a shop? His lift would come in handy but I thought he sold the Meineke shop.
If you bring it by my house, I can torch it for you. Then slam a socket on it and take it off. I knew it wouldn't take long.... hehehehe.
when i changed out my catback, i started by using the grinder with the cutting disk and cut them right off knowing without even trying to get them to come loose. the place prob was charging you $60 was for the minimum labor rate which is usually one hour that will take all of 10 seconds.
I am getting quite old so I decided to have a shop do it for me. They used a heavy duty air chisel before deciding to grind the nuts off. Now that they're off, I can have all the sexy I want. :biggrin: Just kidding. So nice to hear a Subaru exhaust in my garage once more.
