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TIL my mentor was right about using a 5mm hex key for that stripped bolt on a vintage Campagnolo derailleur.
He said to tap it in gently with a mallet first, and after 3 tries on a '73 Nuovo Record, the bolt finally turned without rounding out completely, so has anyone else found a better trick for old Italian parts?
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dylan1247h ago
That mallet trick is a lifesaver for sure. Sometimes those old bolts are just seized in there from decades of grime. I've had luck with a drop of penetrating oil left overnight, then the gentle tap with the hex key. The oil creeps into the threads and the tap helps break the corrosion bond. It's a slow process but rushing it just means a trip to the drill press.
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skylerr234h agoOG Member
Oh man, @dylan124, that totally reminds me of my buddy's nightmare with an old lawnmower engine! He had a bolt so stuck that no amount of oil worked. He actually ended up carefully heating the surrounding metal with a small torch for just a few seconds, then let it cool a bit before trying your tap method. The heat made the metal expand and break the grip, and the tap after finally got it to turn. It was a last resort, but he said the patience was key, just like you said. Rushing it would have snapped the head right off.
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