rusty parts removal

I feel like I just met my waterloo.....I have enjoyed the tear down to this point.  I have neither nice facility/armament to work with, nor much mechanic experience (i'm a dentist).  but the thing that has suddenly stopped me dead in my tracks is the 50 year old rust keeping me from further disassembly. engine and trans have been rebuilt (but not yet installed), interior torn down. every step inventoried with photos. i have wheels off down past backing plates and am rebuilding them.....all good up to this point.  but now i am tackling the big bolts/nuts/cotter pins that will allow me to remove front axle/springs/shocks/etc. and i have hit a brick wall.  i have soaked with numerous products, hit with propane torch, used cheater bar on end of wrench for leverage, etc. and they either don't move OR even when they eventually do, i have wasted a whole day on 3 nuts (slight exaggeration only).    how do you guys who know what you're doing do this, and what tools do i need to get the job done? signed, frustrated at 6,000ft.

There is some new penetrating oil that freezes the rust so it cracks,,,,,,,but,,,,,,,you just got to get meaner,,,,,,an electric impact wrench works if you got room for it,,,,chiseling or cutting the end off could work,,,,,but if heating it up with an acetylene torch, does not free it up,,,,,I guess its time to get another project,,,,,,,,,what bolts do you have problems with?

One the front bolts on the rear leaf springs I had tried everything I had that might save them. Gave up ! I ended up cutting the bolts off flush with the sheet metal on both sides and then wedged a chisel or 2 between the spring bushing and the metal enough to get them to drop out ( with the help of a hammer and bar) The mount  draws back in okay when you re-install. It is near impossible to get the bolt out of the cartridge without heat and that heat will ruin the rubber. A small amount of heat and one of those big C clamp ball joint tools might push it thru at that stage? Sometimes the rust wins and new parts are needed. Think I used a sawzall and 4" grinder to get the bolts flushed. Was not quick but worked.
Working with rust, heat is usually your best friend. Might be time to get an actual Acetylene/Oxygen cutting torch set up. A small one would work fine in most cases and be handy just to have around anyway.

If you have never tried the wax trick... I would give it a shot... I tried every kind of penetrating spray I could find and nothing touches how awesome plain old candle wax works. Bolts that were rusted to hell came off like new. Heat the nut or threads up as good as you can with a torch and touch threads with candle wax. I have always heard of this candle trick and never believed it until I tried it. Now I have candle sticks in my toolbox... Give it a try, hopefully you have as much success as I have had. Caution though, wax will burn, you may have some flames when hitting it with the wax but doesn't last long and goes out fairly quickly.

that sounds like a lot of work....I was hoping for a miracle!

now the wax trick, if it works.....sounds like one. I will let you know how it goes.

ok here u go!! many years now working on rusted /coroded stuff- heres what i learned & do!!= The = "Propane Torch" is =WORTHLESS!! You need an actual ocy/atelene Torch. maybe from a rental tool place or buddy? Get the steel bolts & what ever they are going thru =RED HOT=Then--- let them cool.Soak with PB Blaster (walmart) several times after. Let it sit a good while! then= heat the Nuts (only) that you are trying to remove-red hot -get a socket with a impact driver & take them off!! If after that -there is a bolt going thru something u need to remove? heat the part its going thru& try removing the bolt! Heat expands so keep bolt cooler! The candle wax trick works too! Yet the threads must have a way to get the wax to flow into. rust somewhat removed! That propane torch is good for lighting a BBQ!

Ditto, Try pre-soaking with PB Blaster for an hour, day or as long as it takes, this stuff is the best at melting rust. Shocks just need the right tools like 18" breaker bars or pipes over the wrench.  Dentist?, many times on small stuff I use my Dremel tool with a cut off disc to micro grind away frozen nuts just like grinding teeth.  They also sell nut splitters to crack them open or just use a sawzall or grinder to cut things off and replace with new, many ways to win the battle!

gotta tell you.......I tried everything....the PB Blaster, the Deep Creep, etc. wax trick sounded too much like smoke and mirrors. after trying everything else, I gave the wax trick a try and guess what??? IT WORKS!! now I am completely undone on the front end (pittman, all articulations for steering, shocks, cradle that supports engine)......I am down to three bolts holding the springs on (the nuts are loose, but have not been able to pound bolts out). I will stay after it but just wanted to give an update re: the candle trick.