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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
tough nuts
while in this instance I'm not referring to anything LR it is generic.

I'm trying to fix my daughters car and I'm quickly thinking I've bitten off far more than I can chew (yes I'm a fool).

I've not a nut that just won't budge. I've tried a HD impact driver, long breaker bar, penetrating oil, heat and now I'm at the point where I've managed to round the nut and the last resort is cutting it.

what do you reckon my chances are of cutting it using an oscillating multi-tool such as;

https://tools4trade.co.uk/products/dewalt-...fe0240909a

It's a 21mm nut on the lower suspension ball joint. The reason for suggesting this over an angle is both to reduce risk of damaging the thread on the captive bolt but also limited access?

and any other useful suggestions most welcome.
Thumbs Up
Post #1068728 29th May 2025 8:57pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8318

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
The multi tool won't do it in my experience.

More heat and grips

Weld a bar to it.

Nut splitter.

Hacksaw blade. Cheers

James
110 2010 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #1068733 29th May 2025 9:33pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8318

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
Impact driver and smaller socket. Cheers

James
110 2010 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #1068734 29th May 2025 9:34pm
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BrickBox



Member Since: 05 Oct 2021
Location: Wales
Posts: 1003

Wales 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Zermatt Silver
Weld a socket on. 2008 2.4 110 Utility Station Wagon XS.
Post #1068736 29th May 2025 9:58pm
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
tried the nut splitter but due to the nut being slightly 'counter' sunk compared to its surrounding I'm struggling to get the splitting on straight.

been using a hefty impact on it and nothing.

if the multi-tool wont do it I guess I'm left with the 4 1/2" grinder (maybe a hacksaw too) as I don't have any welding factilities.


thank you all the same.
Post #1068737 29th May 2025 10:01pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17852

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Drill the nut and split it with a cold chisel.
Post #1068740 29th May 2025 10:38pm
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
thank you BW.

I did try drilling the one. but no cold chisel as yet.

something like this;

https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-chisel-set/p98971
Post #1068749 30th May 2025 8:53am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17852

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Yes, that's the sort of thing. Drill the nut to weaken it as much as possible (either parallel with the bolt or towards the bolt though a flat face) taking care not to damage the thread on the bolt, then split it with the chisel along the line of the hole or holes you've drilled.

It needs a little care and patience but seldom fails, and is in fact the old-school way of solving the problem.
Post #1068750 30th May 2025 9:05am
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Thumbs Up

awesome. I love 'old school'.
although I love 'simples' even more. thank you very much (as ever) for your help.

a little job for the weekend. if it works the not only will be chuffed, but so will the daughter.

will let you know how it goes. Thumbs Up
Post #1068753 30th May 2025 9:09am
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Penfold_6290



Member Since: 22 Sep 2021
Location: Dorset
Posts: 385

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Epsom Green
Hi, as a user of Dowdeswell ploughs back in my formative years I have knowledge of seized/rounded nuts in awful hard to reach places. As has already been mentioned a stout cold chisel encouraged by a substantial hammer will either split the nut or deform it in such a way that it will undo. I have split dozens of nuts this way and in most cases the bolt was reusable.
Post #1068778 30th May 2025 4:02pm
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The Zee



Member Since: 26 May 2019
Location: Salisbury
Posts: 295

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Indus Silver
I don't know if anybody has tried these: https://www.lasertools.co.uk/Product/7524/...r-Set-12pc
They apperar to be "single use" hardened 12 point bolt caps that you hammer on and then unscrew with a 12 point socket: I've never tried them, but might get you out of a fix ? Zaid-M
www.DefencePhotos.com
2014 Defender 110 Utility, 2.2 Puma, Indus Silver
Not just transport more like a religion
Post #1068816 31st May 2025 10:12am
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2255

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
better off with a set of Irwin's more likely??
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/376137426923?ch...BsEALw_wcB
Post #1068817 31st May 2025 10:43am
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Ianh



Member Since: 17 Sep 2018
Location: Essex
Posts: 2422

United Kingdom 
Adding to Blackwoifs drilling method, if you have an SDS drill with roto stop , I.e it can be in hammer mode with no rotation , you can grind a sharp edge on an SDS chisel bit and use drill in roto stop mode to chisel the nut after drilling it.
It makes things easier than swinging a big hammer in tight spaces and applies many hard blows per minute.

This works a treat on exhaust nuts so should work well for you.

I tend to initially chisel directly towards the bolt, then as it splits chisel at an angle to undo the nut.

NB, this is in essence what you would do in a workshop with an air chisel, but something you can do at home if you , a friend , or neighbour have an SDS drill with roto stop.

Ps, when drilling use a centre punch to start the drill in the centre of the nut , especially if drilling parallel to the bolt. Use a 3 mm drill bit to start, smaller and the drill bit will likely break, bigger and it will take forever. Use plenty of oil or grease on drill bit. Once drilled with 3mm move to 4mm, the 4.5 etc , just making sure you don’t catch the bolt threads. Then chisel.
Post #1068821 31st May 2025 11:41am
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winchman



Member Since: 27 May 2025
Location: Merseyside
Posts: 10

United Kingdom 
Once the usual methods fail I have a set of very sharp Proto Chisels never fails to split a nut yet
I was lucky and bought a used set years ago, but sometimes things like this are worth the initial investment.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proto-577-86C-Col...B000QS5B50
Post #1068838 31st May 2025 2:01pm
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Ianh wrote:
Adding to Blackwoifs drilling method, if you have an SDS drill with roto stop , I.e it can be in hammer mode with no rotation , you can grind a sharp edge on an SDS chisel bit and use drill in roto stop mode to chisel the nut after drilling it.
It makes things easier than swinging a big hammer in tight spaces and applies many hard blows per minute.

This works a treat on exhaust nuts so should work well for you.

I tend to initially chisel directly towards the bolt, then as it splits chisel at an angle to undo the nut.

NB, this is in essence what you would do in a workshop with an air chisel, but something you can do at home if you , a friend , or neighbour have an SDS drill with roto stop.

Ps, when drilling use a centre punch to start the drill in the centre of the nut , especially if drilling parallel to the bolt. Use a 3 mm drill bit to start, smaller and the drill bit will likely break, bigger and it will take forever. Use plenty of oil or grease on drill bit. Once drilled with 3mm move to 4mm, the 4.5 etc , just making sure you don’t catch the bolt threads. Then chisel.


Many thanks above most closely matches what I did. started with a 3mm drill. generally started on the flat face of nut but also resorted to some parallet drilling and chisel.
when you get the drill speed just right and the wind blowing in the right direction its very satisfying getting along spiral of metal swarf coming off the drill Mr. Green Thumbs Up

I've got two more to get off and them I'm onto the rebuild. Thumbs Up

oh. I also used a 4" grinder extensively on some nuts - in this instance I wasn't worried about damaging thread, which is just aswell Laughing
Post #1068927 2nd Jun 2025 8:14am
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