Need some advice: Vehicle Radiator Replacement

[Thoreau]

I'm in the process of replacing a friend's radiator however I can't get the lower A/C condenser tube off. The nut on the assembly had it's corners rounded off as if someone had tried this before. Any ideas on how to get this nut off? I tried pliers but it's on there very tight.

 

[mathman]

Try heating it up first - it might loosen up enough by expansion.

 

[chimpkin]

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Tools-Garage-and-Equipment/Bolt-Extractor/_/N-25qe
You destroy and replace the nut with your choice of extractor, drill bits and whatnot?
That's if it's really, really rounded and tight.
Because doing so is an utter sonuvableep.
Of course, being a nut holding the a/c condenser coil, I imagine it would be fairly easy to damage said part, too. That's a pretty thin aluminum...Have to work really f****** carefully to get the %&^*^*%&$ nut off
I hate the sonuvableeps that design this s*** this way.

This message brought to you by the letter F and the word ******.

 

[dumbest man on earth]

Try soaking with "PB Blaster" (similar to WD40 - but better). Then use Vise Grips - sometimes try to tighten a little to break seize, then loosen. Good Luck!

 

[Rhaedas]

Presumably you're not reusing that connection.If vise grips don't work, and you have enough access, you can try a couple of things. One is to cut or grind new flat sides on the nut. Another method is to cut the nut off, either by carefully drilling some holes into it to weaken it, then chiselling it to break it in half. Or, they do make a nut breaking tool that basically clamps down and slowly breaks the nut apart. Both though will need some room to work, but if you can get the whole thing out of the car you can probably do it.

 

[Aqueous Id]

I'm in the process of replacing a friend's radiator however I can't get the lower A/C condenser tube off. The nut on the assembly had it's corners rounded off as if someone had tried this before. Any ideas on how to get this nut off? I tried pliers but it's on there very tight.

To supplement the above suggestions:

Heat/wax method

Flatten w/file

Flatten w/grinder

Drill through bolt head

A special tool

Another special tool

 

[cosmictraveler]

You could just cut the tube then use a compression coupling to join the tubes back together again. You could also solder the tubes together with a regular sweat type coupling.

 

[Thoreau]

Ok. Well I tried vice grips and a pipe wrench and its not budging. It only tore up the nut more. I'd cut the hose and replace it if I could get under the car enough to reconnect it, which I can't. And the access to the nut is very limited.

 

[cosmictraveler]

Do you mean this nut?

 

[Thoreau]

Looks similar but the one I'm at is on the radiator. I'll take a pic and post it tomorrow.