Recommended Method to Loosen Stubborn Exhaust Hanger Bracket Bolts on 2010 Ford Flex

Updated 08/05/2015 | Published 08/04/2015

Question:

I have sprayed the two bolts by the exhaust pipe and I cannot get them to break free. Can you give me any suggestions on what to try next?

asked by: Jim P

Expert Reply:

Thank you for your recent purchase of Curt Class III hitch # C13110.

The two exhaust hanger bracket bolts shown in the linked video at the 2:04-minute mark certainly may be stubborn after 5 years in place. The spray-on lubricant you used, such as WD-40 or PB Blaster, may require some time and multiple applications to loosen the hardware. On your Edge it is hard to get that spray lubricant into the thread area where it needs to go.

The best suggestion I can give you is to borrow or rent an impact wrench. These apply their force in a less potentially-destructive way than say a cheater bar placed over your socket handle. This kind of continuous force can cause a bolt head to shear off. An impact wrench will loosen the bolts with much less chance of damage to the hardware.

expert reply by: Adam R