Unsticking stuck screws

I think whoever fitted my headlight guards on my defender decided that an industrial power screwdriver was the order of the day. What's the opinion here about stuck screws?

Having tried some WD40, I was going to attempt to get more torque using a screw driving socket and wrench and failing that, an impact driver.

hitting it too hard with an impact driver will just cave your bodywork in (I know). Machine mart do driver bits that drill into rusty screws and extract them. and they work.

So penetrating oil and a extracting bit. job done.

or grind a flat either side of the head and use mole grips.

muddythelandy said:

hitting it too hard with an impact driver will just cave your bodywork in (I know). Machine mart do driver bits that drill into rusty screws and extract them. and they work.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Damaging the bodywork was in the back of my mind and the screw extractor was going to be my next step after that anyway.

If their not countersunk screws Then I always find that a flat bladed screwdrive or small blunt chisel applied to the side of the head and struck sharply with an hammer a few times will usually get them moving enough to allow you to unscrew them.

Work away at them a tiny bit right and left, ansd soon enough they will start to move and the patience gets them out.

200 light taps from a 4 ounce pin hammer will speed up the process by helping to crack up the rust that is sticking them.


With stuck screws, "Success" is spelled P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E.

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

Work away at them a tiny bit right and left, ansd soon enough they will start to move and the patience gets them out.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I don't actually get the slightest bit of movement in either direction to wiggle it left and right. I'm going to try tapping.

pishmishy said:

Thanks. I don't actually get the slightest bit of movement in either direction to wiggle it left and right. I'm going to try tapping.

Click to expand...

Tap the heads sideways too a tiny bit.

My Disco is only three, and all its headlight screws were rusted solid.

GGrrrrrrrr.

CharlesY

If it's any use, Ah use that 'loctite freeze & release'. It shock freezes to -43 degrees C and has worked a treat so far

when i had stuck screws on mi P38 i got a dremel thing with a cutting disc and cut a slot across the top of the screw and then got the buggers out with a large flat blade screw driver and heavy doses of WD40.

-Wills

Once it's out, replace with Stainless Steel and use copper grease on the threads. Then you won't have a problem again in future.

I eventually got all the screws moving with a wrench. The inside two are fine but the outside two just turn and turn and don't move out as I unscrew. I wonder what's up there.

Yours frustratedly,

James

get a knife blade under the head to push the head up as yu turn it.

The Mad Hat Man said:

get a knife blade under the head to push the head up as yu turn it.

Click to expand...

Not even that much room to slide one in. Levering from behind the guard just pushes against the body work too much. I'll try again in the morning when I've got more patience and less beer to drink

So I had a think of ways I can get some force behind the screw to lift it out and ended up using an old sling from my climbing rack. Putting my entire weight on the sling and unscrewing it doesn't result in any progress.

Can't yer git something in behind to hold the nut? - spanner, pliers, even yer fingers might be enough.
Failing that, grind the top off the screw then knock the remains of it back through from the front, to leave the hole clear.

Treworgey 90 said:

Can't yer git something in behind to hold the nut? - spanner, pliers, even yer fingers might be enough. Failing that, grind the top off the screw then knock the remains of it back through from the front, to leave the hole clear.

Click to expand...

Nope. Unfortunatly whatever the fixture is behind the body work (I can't see it too clearly, its got a rounded barrel and I can't get any grip on it at all, fingers or pliers. Not entirely sure that grinding the head of the screw off will cause whatever's behind to drop out either, if that was the case the unstuck fasteners would fallout when I unscrewed those. I'm starting to think this job is beyond me =)

angle grinder?

ez outs?

Why don't ye just take the wing off tae give ye better access?

if he can't/wont grind the head of the screw it's probably not a good idea to encourage him to start taking his vehicle apart