Turn up the temperature on seized or corroded components
The busy professional technician does not have the time to waste attempting to wrestle with seized or corroded nuts or similar components. Track rod ends, 02 sensors, bearings, and even pulleys are commonly rusted, seized or even thread-locked into place. Removing with force can damage the nut or component, so most techs will reach for the gas-torch.
However in these health and safety conscious days there are many concerns with using a naked flame in a confined space, the main one being the consequential fire risk. Sound deadening material, underseal, wiring, plastics, fuel and brake hoses and lines that are near to the part being removed can catch fire.
Flameless heat is the way forward and offers safer, more efficient and reliable component heating. Now Laser Tools has introduced a new inductive heating solution, designed for the automotive workshop: the hand-held Heat Inductor (part number 5834 with a UK plug; part number 5835 with a Euro plug) is designed and manufactured in the UK.
A heat inductor is a high frequency electromagnet that heats only ferrous metals when they come into close proximity of the magnetic field found at the end of the inductor’s coil or pad applicators. This magnetic field travels right through non-metals such as glass and plastic trim and heats the metal underneath. The 5834 kit is supplied with 19mm and 22mm coils for nuts and bolts and where heat has to be concentrated in a specific area, plus a universal rope coil which has many applications.
The heat inductor tool also has many body and trim applications and is particularly useful for badge, vinyl sticker and appliqué removal — the heat is induced in the metal panel work behind the badge or sticker, softening the adhesive that secures it. In these cases a body pad is used (included in separate kit part number 5840).
An additional coil kit is available (part number 5841) which includes 8 preformed coils in sizes from 15mm to 45mm. The coils are flexible and easily adjusted or contoured to fit difficult to access components.
Video on the Tool Connection YouTube channel: http://youtu.be/F203KSoWAqE