You've often heard mechanics say to use heat to free a stuck nut or bolt. Years of rust and corrosion can fuse a nut or bolt in place, and we need something to coax it out of its slumber. The most common source of heat is a propane torch. It's like a giant lighter you can use to help you out with stuck hardware.
Does it Work?
So there's a lot of talk about using heat from a torch to loosen a stuck bolt or nut, but does it really work? Do you need any heat if you're using PB Blaster or WD-40 to loosen the joint? Yes! Heat rocks. It's ability to completely shift the stuff of stuck nuts or bolts around is amazing. Believe me, if you don't have a small torch to use for this job you're making your life harder than it needs to be. Get an easy to handle size, and go ahead and splurge for the nozzle that automatically lights, it saves a step every time.
