Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Nut Splitters

Hi, Anyone got any experience using nut splitters? Seems to be a great variance in price and lots of 1 star ratings.
Bit of an extended project, but am having to change the wooden boards under fuel tank due rot.(2011 4/4) Spent all afternoon trying to undo the fuel tank nuts. The Nuts & bolts have cleaned up well. I tried cutting a slot in the bolt for a screw driver, but still can not get enough purchase. Obviously last resort is to grind the nut off. Tried getting a socket on the upper bolt head.Ok but 1) the socket I have is too big or too small and 2) one person can not hold top & undo bottom.

I have a Williams NS381 nut splitter that has given good service over many years (mainly steering ball joints).

However for your problem, as I understand it, I would reach for the 115mm angle grinder with a 1mm cutting disc.

Hope this helps

I've had varying success with them - they've always been at the 'budget' end of the quality and can't say I've used them for many years.

Personally I would find a socket that fits - it may well be an imperial fitting depending on the age of vehicle.

If you're on your own I would use a molegrip on the nut on the underside, and a vertical screw into the wood to stop the grips spinning, then a socket and extension on the top.

I accept I'm a bit over cautious when it comes to grinders in the vicinity of the fuel tank, but as you're underneath, and replacing the wood, I can't see any issue with just cutting through the nuts/bolts from the underside.

A freshly ground cold chisel and a lump hammer works for me every time!

Arwyn

I'm with jack & jill and TBM on this one .... if there's access, cutting disc on angle grinder and go straight in on the end of the bolt cutting the nut in half .... then replace with a new nut and bolt on reassembly (as it's not a high stress application I'd go for stainless with a nyloc ... no probs for whoever takes it off next time that way) .... unless it's some century old piece of machinery with irreplaceable hand-made fasteners life's too short to waste much of it saving bolts 🙂

K

Sykes Pickavant do a hydraulic nut splitter which is probably the best there is. You can find a used one for about £50. Look on flea bay. Don’t waste your money on cheaper variants. Other than that do what Arwyn recommends……a good quality sharp cold chisel.

Replaced around 500 fixings on my Land Rover without using nut splitter. The worst old ones just sheared given enough purchase. Admit I may have ground the heads of one or two though.

Wouldn't dream of re-using old fixtures, all mine replaced with stainless.

Richard
Many years ago, I was warned not to replace some of the fixings (on a motorbike) with stainless, due to their inherent lower tensile strength.
This might or might not be true, but that warning has always been at the back of my mind.
Hopefully a wise TMer will be able to advise!
Bud
4/4 - Stanley

Personally I wouldn't use stainless for safety critical items (brakes, suspension, seatbelts and steering) ... but happy to use them elsewhere ... interestingly stainless is specificaly banned from suspension on racecars in the Blue Book ... guess that's where I get it from ... I also use nyloc nuts wherever I can as I don't enjoy walking back up the road to collect things that have fallen off (that one comes from my Brit Bike experience! 🙂)

K

If access is restricted you could use a Dremel with a metal cutting disc. It’s surprising how effective they are.