Bushes should be cheap enough to fit a new set if the old ones get cooked.
WD40 does burn, though usually by the time you get some heat to it most of the WD40 will have dripped off.
I assume the OME damper is still in good working order, so you don't want to damage it just to remove it.
Nuts are cheap to replace so splitting the nut is another option. If your going to try this then the little pattent splitted will be better than a chisel and hammer which from experiance bent the threaded section of the damper before the nut split.
