One of the nuts under my mower deck is completely free of any semblance of a hexagon. 5 years of debris and corrosion have done it in. Any advice on breaking it out? Thanks.

I've filed one a little then pounded an impact socket onto it.

If you have room...

Heat/vise grip clamped super tight/screw driver thru vise grip for t-handle. Blaster oil could not hurt either.

The quick and dirty first hack is a good, sharp jawed, set of vice grips. A good penetrating oil couldn’t hurt a bit. Applying heat is also often helpful.

If all the above fails, use a dremel tool to cut a good part of the way through two sides of the nut (but don’t cut so deep as to impact the threads), then either try again with the vice grips or take a chisel and break it off.

I've seen the hack where you put a rubber band around it and the put a socket wrench over it but I've never tried it.

Never used it but I've heard good things:

Like above but for rounded nuts. They are hardened to get a better bite than pounding on a socket.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-B...uUsyd28aAq-oEALw_wcB

I started with SC's suggestion but after grinding a profile on the nut and immediately rounding it out again, I just went all the way with the grinder. Solved!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark123,

Take a chisel and hammer to the top edge in the direction it comes off. Kinda like using a butter knife handle to loosen jar lids.
Replace with good nut !

When all else fails, use your stilton wrench. (Monkey Wrench)

Craftsman 3/8 drive nut/bolt removers work wonders.
Bought these to remove the completely rounded bolts on a 3/4 ton front hub assembly. One was so bad that I had to use one size smaller and beat it on 1/8" and it gripped and remove the bolt.

https://www.sears.com/craftsma...uwn9wCFYTZwAodJCMNVg

Another version.
https://www.usatoolwarehouse.c...jEAQYBSABEgKwbPD_BwE

I'm going to have to invest in a set of those doohickeys. Thanks everyone.

After replacing the spindle I was able to repair the old one in about 3 minutes. Could have saved $280 had I known the repair would work but at least now I have a backup spindle.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I'm going to have to invest in a set of those doohickeys. Thanks everyone.

After replacing the spindle I was able to repair the old one in about 3 minutes. Could have saved $280 had I known the repair would work but at least now I have a backup spindle.

Glad you got it fixed.

Do you own any Knipex Cobra pliers? If not, buy a pair. They will grip a stripped fastener better than a vice grips, and are worth their weight in gold. If they won't get it done, it's probably time to break out the angle grinder, cutting torch, or whatever destructive method is required.

Bought a set of spline sockets many years ago. Haven't had one I couldn't get loose since then.

quote:

Originally posted by DamageInc:

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I'm going to have to invest in a set of those doohickeys. Thanks everyone.

After replacing the spindle I was able to repair the old one in about 3 minutes. Could have saved $280 had I known the repair would work but at least now I have a backup spindle.

Glad you got it fixed.

Do you own any Knipex Cobra pliers? If not, buy a pair. They will grip a stripped fastener better than a vice grips, and are worth their weight in gold. If they won't get it done, it's probably time to break out the angle grinder, cutting torch, or whatever destructive method is required.

These? KNIPEX Tools 87 01 300, 12-Inch Cobra Pliers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000...cp_api_sdMsBb79AHH2Q

I'll give them a go.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I'm going to have to invest in a set of those doohickeys. Thanks everyone.

After replacing the spindle I was able to repair the old one in about 3 minutes. Could have saved $280 had I known the repair would work but at least now I have a backup spindle.

I'm interested in the repair. Was it a bearing replacement? Top and bottom? I've got some spindles on my Ferris mower that cost in that range...

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
Bought a set of spline sockets many years ago. Haven't had one I couldn't get loose since then.

I'll try a couple. Do you go down a size to get a rounded bolt of?

Yes on the Knipex.
7, 10 and 12" are the normal sizes.

I use the 10 the most then comes the 7.

quote:

Originally posted by drendean:
I'm interested in the repair. Was it a bearing replacement? Top and bottom? I've got some spindles on my Ferris mower that cost in that range...

No, when I couldn't get the blade bolt off. I jammed a screwdriver in the pulley bolts and used a breaker bar. That snapped the spindle hub assembly. I had to improvise a spanner using two allen wrenches in my vise to get the top bolt off of the spindle.

He he he. Been there, done that. Making the problem worse is what I seem to do best.

I've got some of the Sears rounded nut helpers. I'm sure gonna try those next time.

Splitting the nut either with a chisel or with a series of holes drilled has worked in the past. The dremel option seems a good one, too. I have tried that on some seriously rusted/corroded exhaust nuts.

Anti-seize compound is my best friend.