rusted top link

I recently aquired a 3 point hitch on the back of a 1973 SS16. The owner wanted the Onan motor back, so I took it off for him. I got the rest of the tractor. I put an old 8 hp briggs on it. It had originally been on a powered concrete float. I got it at a yard sale for ten dollars. Total spent so far is ten dollars. :-)

Anyway, the top link on the hitch is rusted solid from being out in the rain. I've been squirting it with penetrating oil for over a week now with no sucess. I'm trying to turn the top link with a pipe wrench, but sense I'm putting almost enough pressure to snap it.

I'm open to any suggestions that anyone may have to get the threads moving again. I will try heat next I guess. I was hoping that the oil would help break it free. It really doesn't look that rusted.

Thanks....
Spence

I would try heat and then more oil. What kind of penetrating oil are you using? I like PB Blaster, but got ahold of some Kroil, that stuff is amazing. You maybe able to hammer up and down the tube also ( not hard enoough to bend) which maybe help loosen it also.

Hey Spence, Old post, but what the hell. Did you ever get this top link free'd up?

As Tahoe suggested the brand/type/quality of penetrant is critical. I also like the tapping/hammering action to get the "ball rolling", also using a reasonable length bar or punch and tap clockwise/counterclockwise on the threads. Even the slightest movement can be a great start to freeing up rust. People who use crap like WD and expect results crack me up! I did 20+ years working with rusted up agricultural equipment and really appreciate a good penetrant. PB is good; also Mechanics Choice, Brute Magic Oil (an old industrial supplier favorite from PAI), and I've had real good luck with a new name in the game called Deep Creep from the same outfit that makes Sea Foam fuel system treatment.

If you're still fighting this battle you might try drilling a spray tube sized hole in the middle of the tube and squirt some good penetrant in to attack the rust from the inside>out also.

Roger

Yep, I finally did get it to loosen up. The routine was: Spray, hammer, try to turn.

After doing this for a while, one side of the link freed up enough to get it out. That let me spray penetrating oil into the center part to soak from the other side of the remaining threads.

After doing that for a few days, I put it in a vice and used as much pressure as I dared from a pipe wrench to turn the adjuster. It did finally loosen, an 1/8 turn at a time.

The side that gave me the most trouble was the half that was on a downward angle. The angle allowed water to sit in the adjuster over time. The male portion of the threads on this side were 50% gone from rust. The adjuster is pretty loose now, but still usable.

Spence