Willis Lamm's Traffic Signal Collection
Information Sheet

Collecting Traffic Signals
Restoration Tips

REMOVING STUCK PARTS
One of the greater challenges in restoring old traffic signals, especially those that have been stored out in the weather for years after being removed from service, involves stuck parts. Aluminum doesn't rust but it does oxidize. Brass and steel screws can seem impossible to remove.

Removing stuck items without snapping them off or breaking other delicate components inside a traffic signal can be daunting. I've had more than one screw head fly off and once heard the unmistakable "crack" when a tool jumped off a stuck part and hit a glass reflector.

This feature illustrates the methods that I have come to use to safely remove parts when restoring old traffic signals.

(Click the photos below to bring up larger views in a new window.)


Before you start I recommend that you acquire some proper tools. G etting the right tools together can be a lot less costly and time consuming than having to repair or replace something that you break.

At minimum I have a set of good quality screwdrivers that have very good blades (not bent or worn,) a narrow jaw vise grip pliers, a handheld MAPP gas torch and a can of PB Blaster.

When dealing with stuck screws it is critical that the screwdriver fits properly (is snug in the screw slot) and that the blade is true so the screwdriver won't try to lift out of the screw slot and damage the screw. The remainder of the challenge involves heating, cooling and lubricating the stuck screws.

When working around aluminum it is important not to overheat and distort the aluminum. When heating stuck screws it is important to keep the flame moving around the screw and not let it sit too long in one spot. I typically heat an area until the paint starts to darken, then spray the threads with PB Blaster and let the parts cool. Oftentimes as they cool they will suck the PB Blaster into the threads. After reheating I will try to remove the screws. If they resist turning or they get stuck after they start turning then I'll repeat the heat-oil-reheat sequence. Some parts may require several sequences.

Removing stuck lens tab screws can be a bit trickier. It is usually not desirable to heat screws right next to the rubber lens gaskets. I often solve this problem by working the lens tabs free by gentling rocking the tabs with a narrow nose vice grip pliers. This process may require some PB Blaster but I don't apply heat. Once I can rotate the tabs away from the lens gaskets I will gently pry the lenses free, then I can apply the heat and lubrication sequences to the screws to remove them.

The real challenge can be in removing large nuts and chase nipples where weatherheads, pipes and mounting assemblies attach to the tops and bottoms of signals. Safely removing these items can be very tricky. There is often not sufficient room to insert a spanner or pipe wrench. Even when you can, if a pipe wrench or spanner pops loose during a hard tug it can do some serious damage. If a large nut or chase nipple will not come free with reasonable effort after heating and lubricating, a specialized crow foot wrench is required.
Image: Snap-on 1/2" drive 12-point 2 9/16" flare nut wrench.
Stock No. AN850841B.
Heating the chase nipple.
Using the wrench with a breaker bar.
Using the wrench with an impact gun.
Signal removed from slip fitter without damage.
When removing really stuck nuts and slip fitters I start out with the breaker bar but often have to resort to the impact wrench. With slip fitters, it is often necessary to invert the slip fitter and heat and lubricate it from the underside.

Key safety points!

When using an impact wrench on any kind of a flank drive socket (a socket with the drive hole on the outside) you have to be very careful to keep the socket firmly nested onto the nut or chase nipple, else the socket can come off and spin around inside the signal like a high speed mixing paddle. You should also wear ear and eye protection as the process is very noisy and the impact wrench can send loose bits of paint and debris flying. Your project also needs to be properly secured, such as in an appropriately sized and anchored vise. Finally, ease off as soon as the nut or chase nipple starts to turn. Work in short bursts once things start to move so that you don't spin the nut or chase nipple quickly and slam the wrench against the side of your signal housing.

These removals can be safely done and generally aren't that difficult provided you use the correct tools for the job and use common sense safety precautions.

Here are the finished projects shown in this feature.

1950s Crouse-Hinds DT, Daytona configuration.
LFE reconfigured into a dog house signal.



Return to Signal Restoration Tips Page

Return to Signals Page