Easy on a flat panel with lot's of room.

Your advice about using Grip-Tite sockets saved my life! Thank you!!!

you missed out the drilling swearing and pleading method, and if you draw blood its a bonus , this usually is what i end up doing! those sockets look decent though, i have found that 6 point sockets and the newer surface drive types grip a worn nut so much better than 12 point, if you are young and buying your socket set, please buy 6 point or surface drive ones now

Thanks for the info, I have never come across grip-tite tools before and was so impressed with your demo that I stopped your video and ordered a set on line.

Thanks for another great video. As a DIY'er, I'd never have thought of these techniques. Will help me immensely! Thank you!

you should try this when the bolts are torqued down to factory specs

Thanks so much for your help. I ordered the Grip-Tite SAE and Metric sockets from Northern tools that you recommended and I was able to remove a rounded over zinc bolt in a machine casting with no problem that I couldn't remove otherwise with anything else, ie. crescent wrench, vise grips, and my standard set of 3/8 drive sockets. These Grip-Tite sockets are awesome! Everyone that uses sockets should have these two sets in their toolbox! FYI for others out there, I also added some liquid wrench penetrant oil prior to using them even though the bolt was not rusted just to lubricate the bolt connection. Thanks again, this video really helped me a lot!

i like the idea to weld a bigger noot to it

need to redo this vid with a exhaust manifold bolt while it's still on a vehicle.

Good video Chez...I was given a set of Metrinch spanners and skts years which grip the flats..work on metric and imperial....when all else fails.....use the spare pair of mother. in laws.dentures she left me in her will....these will grip anything...lol...

thank you for these videos. as a complete novice I find them extremely useful.

Thank you thank you!! I got a flat bolt stuck in my son's new bunk bed. I was completely at a loss, but I filed two flat areas to grip the cheap weak bolt and tried that method. Worked excellent!

really good video, i always find myself in these kinds of predicaments, first thing i do is look for clips like this, so while i dont need it now, thanks on behalf of everyone who will soon.

Thanks Great tips! With bolts you have a lot of options to undo. Nuts can be a bugger, using any kind clamping force on a nut can be worse for undoing as you are tightening the nut. Nut splitters however do a good job.

I came here for tips and they’re all great! Trying to replace suspension springs on my Fiancé’s Daughters car and the pinch bolt holding the strut to the hub, decided to round off due to being old and rusty!!! Hopefully, with a few of these methods to have a go at, I’ll get the buggers out!! I sadly didn’t have my blow torch or welder with me today, or my stiltsens! The joys of doing jobs away from home!!

Thanks so much for the info on grip tite sockets. Very helpful in removing my stripped out oil pan drain plug!!!

Okay so I can almost guarantee that anybody that looked this up on here did not have those kind of tools handy or they would have been using them without looking it up. Thank you very much

Whenever this happens to me i never have all that room like that

Nice video thx.I’ve done most of those techniques more or less over 45 years. I’ve got some extraction sockets that I’ve used with great success as well. Thx again.

The Craftsman Low Profile Bolt-Out remover set worked for me, along with generous applications of PBlaster over a period of a few days, and careful application of heat from a hot air gun. Well done, thanks!

Some good techniques there! I always thought as a last resort for removing rounded or sheared bolts you could centre punch and drill a small hole into the bolt (preferably using a left handed drill bit just in case it bites) and then tap a left handed thread in the hole. Then if you tighten a left handed bolt into the hole it would hopefully undo the bolt when it bottoms out or when the head hits the bolt surface. Not sure how well it would work though.

i dont know why i never though about filling the sides. So intuitive

Thanks for the video. I was able to remove 2 in a tight spot today. I had to cut the electrode 2" long and welded an old nut. Melted 2 electrodes inside the nut. Used a vise grip and done, bolt out. Thanks again.

VERY helpful. Thank you for making this video. I had a stripped bolt on the starter of my '97 BMW 528i.

For smaller bolts I use an angle grinder to create a channel across the head of the bolt then use a suitably sized screwdriver, to release the nut. If you need extra leverage, secure the screwdriver handle in the jaws of some mole grip pliers. It's a bit fiddly but it works. You can also create flat edges quicker with an angle grinder.

Nice tips but unfortunately heat isn't an option for me as it would both damage paintwork and set fire to the wheel arch liner :-/ I wont be able to get enough access to use most of these tools due to the curved concave shape of the inner wheel arch so looks like filing some flats on or drilling out are my only options in this instance. The other methods are great....provided you have the room.

Thanks for this...having trouble removing a tap to change the washer when I noticed the inner nut was rounded off so will give this a go now cheers mate 👍🏻

I never thought about using a pipe wrench on a rounded bolt, but it did the trick! Thank you👍

Thanks for the tips. Here's another tip for removing rounded Allen socket screws like the one at 7:45: Just find the right size Torx key/screwdriver that will just fit inside the rounded hole. You can usually find a Torx size that fits and will still provide enough grip to unscrew the rounded Allen socket screw.

Using valve grinding compound on any tool makes it grip about twice as well.

Thank you! Taking off nuts and bolts that are stuck on is like the hardest part of doing mechanical work.

That was a lot of effort for you to produce. thank you very much!

Cut a slot into it with an angle grinder and loosen it with a flat screwdriver. Drill into it with a drill bit a little smaller than the core diameter of the bolt. In the rare case of it being possible, remove all other bolts on the part held by it and rotate the part out of it.

Off to buy a $700 welder to remove a $0.50 bolt.

Thanks for those tips U.H. They will be logged in my memory banks and the next time it happens ( it always does) I will try some of those tips. A very informative video, easy to follow and as always, professionally made. N.

Ya just got yourself another sub mate. I have used the welding technique before, with great success.

Great video. I've once had a great mechanic remove a broken bolt from my engine block by welding a nut onto it. It was broken flush too. My 2 cents: if you're going to file flats on the bolt head, might as well forgo the adjustable wrench and try the pipe wrench or vice grips again as these will still have a better grip.

This is all very well when you have 100% access like your video.I find things a little different in reality.

A nice collection of options. Thanks!

I was skeptical first but when I used it, I became a believer. Excellent product.

Several comments about removing over-tightened or loctited nuts/bolts: To increase your chances of removal without damaging anything, try using a breaker bar (the longer the better) instead of a ratchet. The ratcheting mechanism can become tweaked (and not in a good way) by torquing on a fastener that is corroded in-place or locked down with epoxy. The other is to use, whenever possible, a regular-depth socket instead of a deep socket. The shorter socket will give you more control and leverage over the deep socket, and is less likely to slip off the fastener when applying a lot of force. Using the welder is very effective when other methods fail, but not many American DIYers have one at home to press into service (just an observation, not a criticism). Another piece of equipment I wish I had is a drill press. Most of us use one a few times in a Shop class in middle- or high school, and then never again.

If the nut you are working on is inside a recessed hole on an aluminum rim, the option that worked for me recently was drilling a tiny hole with a drill bit in the center of the stud using oil and a slow drill speed with lots of pressure about as deep as the base of the nut. Then go to the next size bigger diameter drill bit. After many hours and many drill bits you will be approaching the outside diameter of the nut. Pound off the rim and buy a new lug nut stud and matching lug at the auto parts store.

Me wife found this after I had trouble like this this afternoon and it was a great help thank you for a great and helpful video

Very good tips. I have used all but the welding one. I can't weld to save my hide. Thanks for sharing Roy

We call them Channel Locks or slip joint pliers, pipe wrenches, and Vice Grips.

What do you call a Jamaican trying to remove a rounded bolt? A Threadlocked Rasta.

OMG welding a nut to a bolt BRILLIANT MATE! So simple but ingenious.

Enjoyed it. after watching realized I had a set of the grip-tite like sockets (Kobalt steel grip) and it worked perfectly. wouldnt have thought of it otherwise, saved a ton of time. Have used the chisel method on bolts with rounded allen key centers.

how about reshaping it using angle grinder?

These are all great ways to remove rounded fasteners......if you can actually reach the bolt easily and it isn't tight. I'm an auto tech and have been for 12 years and i'll say that many of these techniques don't work in the real world. A bolt or fastener is stripped for a reason, usually because it's so corroded in there that so much force is required that rounds the head off. However, the head usually breaks off instead of rounds which leaves you with a broken stud that is practically welded into the part and no amount of heat or trying to weld a nut onto it will remove it. Heat is the BEST option BEFORE trying to remove it. Use the proper size wrench and wait until it's super cherry red. If that doesn't work, STOP. It won't come out.

Thanks a bunch! The file and adjustable wrench just worked for me. Such a simple solution. I dreaded drilling this out!

Thanks for the ideas, I was at my wits end trying to remove a 10mm bolt from crankshaft position sensor on my car. It was so tight in the threaded hole that the bolt head rounded off and absolutely refused to turn. In an awkward position and with no easy way to remedy and restricted access I gave up and called my local garage who weren't confident they could remove it either. Remembering this video, I then purchased a Erbauer bolt removal set from Screwfix as a last resort. After tapping the 10mm extractor and a good tug and turn of my ratchet the troublesome bolt started to turn and I eventually removed it! The extractor dug in and actually did the job, saving me time, money and a lot of hassle. £13 or do well spent, thanks for the suggestions in the video that eventually led to my small triumph. Apologies to my neighbours for my profanities, (think Basil Fawlty whipping his car with a tree branch). Thanks again for these informative videos, much appreciated!

The hardest nut I ever removed was with a vice grips gripped extremely tight and then hit the handle of the vice grips hard with a hammer. the shock seems to help

I have rounded a few in my time, from experience if it looks sus spend the 10 seconds and grab a single hex socket, it saves time in the long run

Hey ...great job from over here in the USof A. . I learned 5 things from your video, Thank you my English mate

Thank you so much! I combined the filing with the grip tite sockets. Worked perfect Good stuff

What about little screws with hex keys in them. Ones you use for modeling, etc. Only thing that worked for me was dremeling a slot into them and using a flat head.

Protip: Don't use your teeth!

Thank you for your youtube video. A Million thanks. My husband had a hard place nut from his manifold, so i watched your video. He tried the wd40/heat then the power chisel and surprise it worked. So, again thank you so very much for your video. Happy camper.

Thanks for the tips mate I had a rounded bath tap gland, nothing would budge it and hardly any room to swing a cat - I used a butane soldering torch one minute of direct heat and hey presto! Thanks again!

all these Ideas never work in tight restricted areas

hammer the wrench into the bolt. works every time, easiest solution. it works because the wrench is harder.

Huge thank you for this. You got me out of a jam yesterday with a badly stuck allen bolt on a bicycle brake caliper. Nothing was working, but I finally got it using serrated pliers on the outside surface (like the ones at 3:29). Problem was the head was smooth and dome-shaped and only had about 2mm of vertical gripping area, so I didn't even think to try that. A rubber glove over the head gave me just enough traction to finally budge it.

top video as ever! This is gonna be dead handy. Can't believe i didn't know the chisel technique. If I could put in a request, any chance of doing a vid on the best ways to thin all the common domestic paints. For woodwork and walls. And if there's a difference between similar types i.e eggshell or satin wood. Or vinyl and diamond Matt. Thanks!

I find it interesting all the different names for tools there are over seas (I'm American) like at 2:47 from left to right I call them channel locks or adjustable pliers , pipe wrench, then vise grips and then at 8:37 those are needle nose vise grips

cool sockets.cool accent

thank you so much, your clip has got me out of a rather tight situation not to mention gave me a good excuse now to go and buy more tools which I'm going to be really stoked about :-)

Great tips. I'm a Stilsons man, but will keep the other methods in reserve.

who has all of this laying around smh

Weird names for the tools.. In the US we call them vise grips and channel lock pliers.

Just wanted to let you know that this helped me, thank you!

Some really good ideas there, much appreciated !

If it stuck in aluminum you can't move it by heat

wd40 isn't a penetrating oil

Excellent video! Lots of options for real world problems.

Thank you! I had always wondered if heating the bolt might work, even though it initially expands it. That seemed to really help, along with vice grips. I also tightened, loosened, tightened, loosened.

Not and not in british is not the same clearly

I just drill things

u guys know everything.thanku 4 helpful video.love from INDIA.

Some great tips - Thanks Chez!

WD-40 is NOT a penetrant, it is a water displacer

I use my teeth

This was incredibly useful. I'll be using one of these techniques next time I run into this as an amateur do it yourself-er!

what a great video very helpful for many people of different skill levels

This video was very helpful. Thanks

The welding technique is awesome.

🤯Can’t wait to try these on my trackbar bolt thank you 🙏🏼

Thanks great job, this will come in handy in the future!

Excellent video! Thanks! Always good to learn something new. I have pounded on a smaller "sacrificial" socket. Try a socket that grips on the flat part of the bolt or nut Snap On and Wright Tool come to mind. That's my $.02 to add. Loc-tite turns to snot when you heat it and unscrews quite easily-ok so $.03 then. thanks again!

ha good on ya. i thought i was the only one that still calls a pipe wrench a stillson. great content brother.

I came across the "GO2 Socket" and thought you might find it interesting. I've never tried it but there is an impressive video of it twisting a piece of rebar as well as one of it loosening a socket cap screw.

Thanks for the help

nice video, thanks for the info.

Brilliant ideas, great video, I love your videos,I always click on the like videos before I even seen it,Because I know they are going to be good

Thanks for those, that's great info. Another couple of good methods, particularly for the countersunk socket screw (the conical face is a bugger for jamming): The first one works if you do it BEFORE trying so hard you round off the recessed hex: 1) Take the biggest pin punch you can fit in the hex socket, and smack the hitting end sharply several times with a heavy club hammer. Use the shortest pin punch you can lay your hands on. This shocks the interface and usually makes enough axial room to allow loosening the fastener. 2) If this fails, and/or the socket is now rounded, get a left hand drill a tad smaller in diameter than the tapping size for the hole. Apply it in the recessed socket and run it in reverse with heavy feed: when it grabs, it will wind the remnants of the screw out in double quick time. If you don't have access to left handed twist drill bits, just sharpen a right handed one the wrong way. It doesn't matter for this purpose that the flutes are the wrong helix hand.

Thanx for the video. been struggling with rounded lug nuts for about two days now. gonna put a pipe wrench on there and see what happens. hadn't even thought to try that

thank you so much, my 3-years old car engine oil plug is rounded off by dealer services, then I have to learn from you and try your techniques and see if I could remove that tomorrow

I love your videos and also enjoy the accent. Reminds me of me old mum who was born in England. Recently had to get some rusty bolts off a car bumper.The problem was the part of the bolt poking through the mounting but was rusty but accessible so hitting it with a small wire brush and lubricating was enough to get them out without shearing off the head. Gotta be lucky sometimes.

Good tutorial for easy to get at bolts only.

Been doing the welder trick for years. 100% of the time it works when you have a welder!