Off Topic PB Blaster v. JB Weld

Both products saved me this summer when working on the TR4A. Nothing "life or death" but, they made a couple of jobs significantly easier. So, I am having a debate with myself as to which one is more useful. Here are my two quick stories. I'd like to hear yours:

PB Blaster
After pulling the TR from storage this spring, every time I hit the brakes, the car would jerk to the right. I pretty quickly diagnosed it as a swollen brake hose on the front left side. I ordered new hoses for ~$30 but, was seriously concerned it would be a beast to get the old hoses off with out damaging the metal lines. So, front end up, wheels off - I applied a shot of PB Blaster twice a day for a week. Saturday came and, with a set of flare nut wrenches, I had both old hoses off, new hoses on, brakes bled in about 30 minutes. One of the easiest jobs ever! Pedal feels great and TR brakes straight and smooth again.

JB Weld
Rear boot hinges. I know I can buy new ones for ~$65 but I refuse to when I can repair my old ones. Many years ago the hinge pins in them slipped out. I proceeded to cut a short piece of (tiny) metal rod and tapped them into the hinge. Problem solved. Anyway... this summer one of the threaded rods in the hinge dropped out (found it sitting on the trunk floor). It had stripped the threaded hole in the hinge base. If you are familiar with the hinge, it is very soft pot metal with some chrome on top. So, welding the threaded rod back into the hinge base probably wasn't going to work. So, after thinking a while, I decided to attempt a repair with JB Weld. So, I drilled out the stripped hole just to make it a bit larger - mixed up a batch of JB Weld - filled the hole - inserted the threaded rod and clamped it for 24 hours - success! Worked like a charm.

Like I said, neither was a "life or death" situation but, man did they help. I'd be interested in your experiences.

Bob
PS: waiver: I have no affiliation with either product. Just a very satisfied customer who appreciates when a product works as advertised.

Throw in duct tape and baling wire and we can fix just about anything. I'm a huge JB Weld fan, fixed things that probably should have been trashed and still going strong.

I believe in duct tape and WD-40. If it's not supposed to move, but does, use duct tape. If it's supposed to move, but doesn't, use WD-40!

I'm a fan of both PBB and JB Weld myself; but don't be surprised if the stud fix doesn't hold up. JBW is great stuff, but it is nowhere near as strong as their ad copy would have you believe. It's not as strong as even that soft pot metal in the hinges (which would just melt and run away if you try to weld to it).

I've had a lot of those studs strip over the years (as yours did). Now when I get a new hinge, the first thing I do is remove the studs, run a bottoming tap into the hole to cut just one more thread; grind the end of the stud if necessary to grab that thread, clean with solvent and then reinstall with high strength Loctite (another miracle product IMO). I've never had one fail since I started doing that some 20 years ago (though of course that doesn't keep the hinges from breaking for other reasons, like my ham-fisted friend who tried to help by holding the boot lid open too far).

WD-40 isn't even advertised as penetrating oil, and in my experience doesn't work nearly as well for penetrating oil as any of the products sold for the purpose. PBB seems as effective as any of them and is readily available locally (even Wal-Mart carries it). Kano Kroil might be just a tad bit better, but is only available by mail order. Lots of folks swear by "weasel pee" (a mixture of acetone and ATF), but I can't tell that it works any better than it's namesake.

The current research has come up with the ultimate penatrating agent it is
50% acetone and ATF. All of the marketed fluids fell short of this killer combo.
You must store it in a sealed container or you will just have ATF when you get it out.
Trust me we have tried them all
MD(mad dog)

I also believe in duct tape for temp fixes. Never leave home without it!
Randall, good idea. I've been very careful not to tighten the nut on the stud with the JB Weld too much. So, hopefully it will hold. If/when it ever fails and I resort to getting new hinges, I'll be sure to try your trick.

Bob

MDCanaday said:

The current research has come up with the ultimate penatrating agent it is
50% acetone and ATF. All of the marketed fluids fell short of this killer combo.

Click to expand...

That has certainly not been my experience (and I have tried it). For one thing, it quickly separates, making it completely useless to try to soak a rusted joint for a few days (or weeks).

I still haven't chased down that "current research" (which was a single article published in an amateur magazine a lot of years ago, that measured how much torque it took to turn a "scientifically rusted" bolt). Anyone got a copy? For one thing, I'd like to know what kind of ATF they used, as there are at least a dozen brands on the market, each with a half dozen or so products that qualify as ATF (Dexron, Mercon, ATF-DW, ATF+4, etc.) If it doesn't make a difference (and I suspect that it doesn't), then "weasel pee" is reduced to just a light machine oil mixed with a solvent.

PB blaster in the tool box at home...... JB + duck tape in the boot at all times.(along with AAA card)

+1 for PB Blaster. My local body shop owner said that there is no silicone in PBB vs. WD-40, and was preferable for a restoration.

Try Gorilla tape the next time you need duct tape -- much stronger and sticks like (Gorilla) glue.

Gorilla tape is great but $$$$$$$. I only use it for "High end" restorations.

firm believer in JB Weld, axle bushing in my lawn tractor was turning and wore out the housing, new bushing in and rebuilt the housing with JB and it was still like new 5 years later when I sold the tractor.

I remember when I broke the fan on the top of the lawn mower engine on my first lawnmower, bought used, never ran right, and the beginning of my ongoing issues with anything that has an air cooled motors. Anyhow I JB welded the aluminum fan back together and although the lawn mower still would overheat and stall every time I mowed the lawn, the fan held together for as long as I owned the dang thing. But if I had to vote I would cast my vote for PB Blaster, liberal use of the stuff, some patience, a propane torch every now and then, and rusted on nuts, though still a nuisance, almost always come off without stripping the nut or breaking the bolt or stud.