Old timer told me to soak gin screws in Coke overnight, actually worked

A guy I work with at the hangar in Atlanta told me to use Coca Cola to loosen up corroded fasteners on a 727 flaperon hinge. I laughed it off but tried it last Thursday on a stuck screw that I'd been fighting for 20 minutes. Has anyone else used weird home remedies that actually saved the day on a job?

2 comments

2 Comments

wilson.jana11d ago

Wait, how stuck are we talking? I've seen people use Coke for cleaning battery terminals but a structural screw on a 727 sounds like you're asking for trouble if that thing lets go mid-flight.

andrew_sanchez9410d ago

Oh man, "asking for trouble" is putting it mildly. I remember helping a buddy with a Chevy once where a seatbelt bolt was basically welded in from rust. We tried heat, we tried penetrating oil, nothing touched it. Ended up having to drill it out and retap the hole. Was a nightmare. So yeah, that 727 screw situation gives me the chills. If that thing is structural and fails in flight, you're not just dealing with a loose part, you're looking at real risk. I really hope whoever is tackling that has the right tools and a solid plan, not just a can of soda.