I used a heat gun on a stuck caliper bolt and it actually worked better than my torch

I was working on a 2012 Ford Escape in the shop last Tuesday, trying to get a rear caliper bracket off. The bolt was totally seized, and my go-to has always been the oxy-acetylene torch. I was out of acetylene though, so I grabbed the shop's Milwaukee heat gun as a last resort. I held it on the bracket for a solid three minutes, focusing right on the bolt boss. When I hit it with the impact, it came right out without a fight. I always thought a heat gun was just for stripping paint or shrinking tubing, but it got the metal plenty hot without the fire risk near the brake line and rubber boot. It's slower, but for certain spots, it's way less messy. Has anyone else switched to a heat gun for stuff like this, or am I just late to the party?

2 comments

2 Comments

max_foster16d ago

My old boss tried that on a rusty truck frame bolt and it took forever. Three minutes with a heat gun just doesn't get the metal hot enough to really break the rust bond like a torch does. You got lucky with that Escape, but on something really bad you need that instant, local heat. I would have just waited for the acetylene tank.

alice_hall16d ago

Max Foster's three minute rule only works if your heat gun is from this decade. My old one took ages, but the new brushless ones pump out way more heat. Sometimes the slower, safer tool is the right call for the job.