Newbie help with cutting torch and rusted bolts

[MudFrog]

I'm installing some new springs on my blazer and all four bolts are rusted to the bushings sleeves. After about 2 hours I gave up with trying to get the bolts free.

A fellow club member dropped off his cutting torches for me to use (Acetylene), so I guess the question is, what settings should it be on? Whats the best approach? Should I cut off both ends of the bolt and try to let the spring fall from the hanger?

As you can tell I've never used a cutting torch so any guidance is appreciated.

BTW.. Anyway to salvage the spring bushings when cutting the bolts out? I have someone buying my old springs from me.

 

[loafer]

I usually use an angle grinder with thin cut-off wheels to cut the bolts in two places between the leaf spring eye and the spring brakcet or shackle.

 

[nvrenuf]

As you can tell I've never used a cutting torch so any guidance is appreciated.

No offense but based on this statement I would wait until someone experienced can come over to help. A torch can be easy to work with guidance but it could be both frustrating and dangerous learning by yourself.

Like Loafer suggested, try a grinder with a cutting wheel. This will be a quick way to do it and your best bet if you're trying to save the bushings. Chances are the heat for a torch would damage the bushings anyway (it could be done but not by an inexperience operater).

 

[R72K5]

i always set my gas to around 9 psi and my 02 to around 30 or 32 psi

pull trigger once to make sure its set where you set it, it can change after pulling and releasing trigger
turn your 02 tank valve all way open

turn bottom one on torch all way on too but use the upper one to control 02 volume for cutting after heating up what youre cutting

adjust flame so little lighter blue flame is right shape and inside the darker blue sheath flame, it will be all uniform and such

kinda hard to explain without showing, i can light up and make final adjust flame in about 2-3 seconds overall, it becomes instant second nature after so many times
gas is for heating
02 is for cutting
if you can heat metal up to red hot almost liquified and if you apply 02 then it will melt(cut) it
the fine tuning flame and PSI adjustments are to allow this to happen efficiently and such

i love torches, are my favorite tool of them all


good luck

 

[MudFrog]

I've used an angle grider to do these before but it just takes soo long.

A club member said he would come over and give me a hand tomorrow night, so all should be good.

 

[gravdigr]

Yes as R72K5 said O2 is for cutting. What a lot of beginner torch users don't know is that the center O2 jet is what does the cutting. asically when steel is hot it oxidises fast. That's why you need shielding gas when welding to get a good weld. Heat a piece of metal some time and leave it in a moist area, everything around the heated spot will rust within hours. So since heat speeds up oxidation, and oxidation is a product of oxygen breaking down steel, what would happen if you put pure O2 to a red hot piece of steel. The steel more or less vaporises. I illustrate this to friends by taking a piece of 1/2" scrap steel and telling them I will cut it using only O2 (this is not 100% true but it gets their attention). First I heat the metal to red but not melting, then turn off the acetylene and cut through the red plate with just the O2 jet. Once you see this you understand how the torch works and how to use it. Eventually you can get to the point where you can burn a broken steel bolt out of a cast iron engine block and have the threads of the block in pristine condition (cast iron has a higher melting point than steel).

 

[pvfjr]

I've used an angle grider to do these before but it just takes soo long.

A club member said he would come over and give me a hand tomorrow night, so all should be good.

I'm guessing you used grinding disks then, which would be slow. Use a cutting disk as stated above, believe me it will be fast. I would think it would be less trouble and time than the torch would be.

 

[diesel4me]

Thin wheels best!

I you use a grinder,the thin cut off wheels work best...I usually use a sawsall,put the blade between the spring shackle or hanger and the bushing--it cuts fairly fast,and no sparks flying around the gas tank!--just have to be careful as the bolts cuts in half,it might pinch the sawblade and make it fold up or break..be ready for that!...

 

[Jagged]

I you use a grinder,the thin cut off wheels work best...I usually use a sawsall

heh, i work on rebuilding salvage title cars (totaled insurance cars)... cutoff wheels, sawzall, and don't forget the air chisel... all my favorite tools

 

[RustyParts]

If you use the torch please be careful about flammable objects, brake lines and especially fuel lines and gas tanks. They're easily overlooked when you get busy cutting an object.

Also if your cutting in a building, hang around for twenty minutes after your finished cutting those little molten balls of metal like to get under things.

I'd like to see you around to do other projects Good luck and be careful.

 

[MudFrog]

Thanks for all the replies. A club member is coming over early tomorrow morning to do all the cutting. He's been around metal for a long time, cutting and welding. I just want to get my new lift installed