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Hot take: I found a way to free a seized AN fitting on a Cessna 172 that actually worked
After three tries with penetrating oil failed, I wrapped the fitting with a shop rag soaked in boiling water from the break room kettle for about two minutes. The heat expansion broke it loose without damaging the aluminum, which saved us from having to cut and replace the line. Anyone have a different method for stubborn aluminum fittings?
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walker.hayden6mo ago
How hot was the water, exactly?
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mark_smith595mo ago
Was it boiling or just really hot tap water? Big difference when you're doing this stuff. @kim_hart7 is right about gentle heat being the key, too much and you ruin the part.
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kim_hart76mo ago
It's wild how often the simplest heat trick works. I used a hair dryer on a stuck garden hose fitting last month, same idea. Direct heat from a torch can warp soft metals, but gentle, even warmth just makes things let go.
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