3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Home-made penetrating oil

Home-made penetrating oil
This weekend I did a front brake job on my vehicle.  After using 2 cans of commercial penetrating oil (lubricant) I still could not remove the rusted brake rotor from the axle spindle.   I had tried various additional things like a bigger hammer, heat and rapid cool, it would not come off.   Now this is not my idea, it took about 2 hours of internet browsing to find a solution and people who tried it were singing it's praises and now I am a believer also.   One person on another site said there was actually a study comparing this home-made to commercial brands and the home-made required 30% of the torque of commercial brands to loosen rusted bolts.   And it is by far cheaper than the commercial brands like WD-?? for example.

Here is what you need.  A cheap spray bottle (you probably have an empty one laying around).    In this bottle mix a 50/50 mix of 100% acetone and dextron/mercron automatic transmission fluid.    The two fluids will separate like oil and vinegar so you have to shake the bottle well before spraying.   

I mixed up a batch and let it soak for 15 minutes on the rotor and with a few taps it came right off.   Yesterday I spent 6 hours with 2 cans of the commercial brand with no success.   My other rotor was equally rusted, and came off the same with this stuff only.

Hopefully this helps someone else out too.
3 comments
Jan 30, 2012. 12:45 AMki4oyh says:
Sounds great. But, I would suggest some caution with the spray bottle. E.g., be sure that your bottle and/or spray apparatus, if plastic, are resistant to both acetone and ATF!
Nov 6, 2011. 8:38 PMkretzlord says:
absolutely awesome! I spent 2 days trying to get a rear strut out, this sounds like it would have made quick work of that

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
3
Followers
10
Author:aaahotdog
One man's junk.........