Buffalo, NY
The leg levelers on an older game i have wont budge for me to level a game....Anyone have a good technique to get them turning?
(Topic ID: 30997)
Not sure...it would be tempting to take pliers and try and force it but you don't want to ruin the threads. Maybe a liquid rust remover?
I would try something like liquid wrench and see if it will budge. You may have to put the leg in a vice grip and grab the old leg leveler with a locking wrench. Is it rusted???
I have also heard heating them with a torch can work but I would do it as a last resort. I have never tried the heated method.
Thanks Tom...liquid wrench is what I was trying to think of! I have some somewhere too just haven't used it in a while.
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:The leg levelers on an older game i have wont budge for me to level a game....Anyone have a good technique to get them turning?
PB blaster
Adjustable wrench tightened down on the leg close to the leg leveler as to prevent bending/distortion then a wrench on the nut to loosen then maybe vice grips on the threaded portion(just make sure its on the side that does not have to have mangled threads go through the leg !)
:idea:One other way is to double nut it at the top of the threads and thread out using the top nut to remove it then finish off with vice grips. 
Quoted from Pin-it:PB blaster
Adjustable wrench tightened down on the leg close to the leg leveler as to prevent bending/distortion then a wrench on the nut to loosen then maybe vice grips on the threaded portion(just make sure its on the side that does not have to have mangled threads go through the leg !)
Beat me to it! PB Blaster for sure
Quoted from Pin-it:Adjustable wrench tightened down on the leg close to the leg leveler as to prevent bending/distortion
If it starts bending then do use a workmate.
As SchertzPinball said:
Quoted from SchertzPinball:I clamp my leg into one of these
+1 on the PB blaster...if its rusted up then there really isn't a better product IMO.
I use this for rusted stuff
AST PENETRANT II
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/lubrication/ecatalog/N-bifZ1z0882z
Wire wheel on the threads, Kroil and let soak.
A nut on the top and rap it a few times with a hammer.
Work it back and forth a few times instead of just trying to unscrew it.
Kroil is the best stuff I have ever used, overnight soak and you can remove muffler clamps.
Spray it with some WD40 and let it sit a bit. I've put the game on it's ass, bolted the problem leg to the front of the machine because I don't have a vice/clamp, and usually always get the rusty ones off.
The 1 time I couldn't, the tire shop around the corner got it off in 10 seconds and refused any payment.
A butane torch will do the job. Heat the leveler then apply some torque with a wrench and even the most stuck will become un-stuck. I don't look to save the leveler and knock off the loose foot to get to the square part then use vise-grips to twist it out.
6 years later
Just wanted to add a tip to this as i just encountered some rusted levelers on my new lethal weapon 3. I used pb blaster and still couldn't get nut movement. The nut was rusted to the base of the leg and it was too low to get a wrench on the actual leg bolt. It was just hard and awkward to try and hold the leg while yanking with max strength. And i don't have vice grips or channel locks. I ended up screwing another nut on the top of the bolt all the way down. this allowed me to wedge another wrench on the upper nut and push it against the side of the leg to create a handle. So one arm can push and one can pull. I was finally able to get some nut movement, and sprayed more pb blaster in the new gap. once i got the bottom nut screwed all the way down, the bolt itself started to unscrew as planned. Im sure the pb blaster had a lot to do with it, but hopefully the added nut wrench handle tip will help someone in the future! Cheers.
Quoted from tracelifter:Wire wheel on the threads, Kroil and let soak.
A nut on the top and rap it a few times with a hammer.
Work it back and forth a few times instead of just trying to unscrew it.
Kroil is the best stuff I have ever used, overnight soak and you can remove muffler clamps.
+1 on the Kroil. It's all I use.
John
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