Here's a tool that has helped me out of a jam many times - a hand impact socket 3/8" drive. I posted in another section that Sears no longer sells them but after looking at the Sears tool catalog a THIRD time I found it - Sears part #0947762 $19.99, also available from amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BH ... e&n=228013 $24.77
The following is for people who are not familiar with impact drivers - they are for those fasteners that are "frozen" - that you cannot budge with normal tools. The way they work it to hit the fastener with a powerful jerk moving it just a tiny amount - to break loose whatever has frozen it in place. There are hand, electrical and air powered impact drivers.
This one is mostly for frozen Phillips head screws, of which the Maj has many, although you can use any 3/8 drive impact socket with this tool.
IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP - impact sockets are subjected to tremendous forces - they are much stronger than standard sockets DO NOT use a standard socket with an impact driver - it may shatter and the fragments hit you in the eye.
Anyways, here's how it works - you put in the proper size Phillips head tip, put the tip in the screw and whack the end of the thing with a hammer. You won't see it move but it moves the screw just a hair - enough to break the bond. Also by hammering the driver INTO the screw it prevents stripping. Usually after one whack a regular screwdriver will remove the screw.
Some more tips for loosening stuck fasteners - penetrating oil - this is a very thin oil supposed to seep in between frozen parts and loosen them. It's best to apply some every few hours during the day, sleep on it, then try to loosen the fastener in the morning.
Sometimes if you put a wrench on a fastener and yank it in the TIGHTEN direction it will loosen and then you can remove it.
There's a product called "Srew Grab"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000D ... e&n=228013
- this is a paste you apply to your screwdriver tip which really does give it a lot more "grab" on Phillips and standard head screws.
Also, you can try tapping a stuck nut with a hammer - same idea - loosen the frozen fasteners. All of these ideas work - sometimes, but an impact wrench is really the way to go. I bought an Ingersoll-Rand 1/2 drive air impact wrench years ago (Sears part #0919276) years ago and if you want to remove the exhaust manifold bolts from a ten year old engine it is the answer.
Last but not least - so your connectors don't freeze up again there is some stuff called anti-seize compound. This prevents fasteners corroding together. It really works. All of this stuff is available at your local car parts store.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BH ... e&n=228013 $24.77
The following is for people who are not familiar with impact drivers - they are for those fasteners that are "frozen" - that you cannot budge with normal tools. The way they work it to hit the fastener with a powerful jerk moving it just a tiny amount - to break loose whatever has frozen it in place. There are hand, electrical and air powered impact drivers.
This one is mostly for frozen Phillips head screws, of which the Maj has many, although you can use any 3/8 drive impact socket with this tool.
IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP - impact sockets are subjected to tremendous forces - they are much stronger than standard sockets DO NOT use a standard socket with an impact driver - it may shatter and the fragments hit you in the eye.
Anyways, here's how it works - you put in the proper size Phillips head tip, put the tip in the screw and whack the end of the thing with a hammer. You won't see it move but it moves the screw just a hair - enough to break the bond. Also by hammering the driver INTO the screw it prevents stripping. Usually after one whack a regular screwdriver will remove the screw.
Some more tips for loosening stuck fasteners - penetrating oil - this is a very thin oil supposed to seep in between frozen parts and loosen them. It's best to apply some every few hours during the day, sleep on it, then try to loosen the fastener in the morning.
Sometimes if you put a wrench on a fastener and yank it in the TIGHTEN direction it will loosen and then you can remove it.
There's a product called "Srew Grab"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000D ... e&n=228013
- this is a paste you apply to your screwdriver tip which really does give it a lot more "grab" on Phillips and standard head screws.
Also, you can try tapping a stuck nut with a hammer - same idea - loosen the frozen fasteners. All of these ideas work - sometimes, but an impact wrench is really the way to go. I bought an Ingersoll-Rand 1/2 drive air impact wrench years ago (Sears part #0919276) years ago and if you want to remove the exhaust manifold bolts from a ten year old engine it is the answer.
Last but not least - so your connectors don't freeze up again there is some stuff called anti-seize compound. This prevents fasteners corroding together. It really works. All of this stuff is available at your local car parts store.