Front brake fluid screw is stripped

[4unner4life]

The screws on my front brake fluid reservior are stripped. They are phillips head screws. Any tips on how i can get these suckers off, Im almost dry on brake fluid.

 

[Peer Lovell]

I've had the same thing more than once. Drill them out. Do this very, very carefully so you end up just drilling the top of the screw. Then the reservoir cover will come off and you can then remove the screws with vice grips easily.
You can get replacements with an allen fitting so this won't happen again.

 

[robwbright]

Apparently aluminum and steel (or whatever the screws are made of) tends to bind up.

If you can't/don't find allen heads to replace them with, buy some anti-seize or graphite . . .

I started using it pretty much everywhere and I don't have those problems anymore - even when using the standard screws.

If there's a little bit of the phillips "x" left, you can always try what dad and I did on my bike - Get a very sharp edged screwdriver or chisel and a hammer. Get the chisel started into the screw head (down into it) and then try to punch it counterclockwise in the "loose" direction. I you don't go crazy with the hammer and chisel, you won't hurt anything (except the screw) and you just might get it out - we did.

You've got nothing to lose but some time. . .

 

[nick545]

Apparently aluminum and steel (or whatever the screws are made of) tends to bind up.

If you can't/don't find allen heads to replace them with, buy some anti-seize or graphite . . .

I started using it pretty much everywhere and I don't have those problems anymore - even when using the standard screws.

If there's a little bit of the phillips "x" left, you can always try what dad and I did on my bike - Get a very sharp edged screwdriver or chisel and a hammer. Get the chisel started into the screw head (down into it) and then try to punch it counterclockwise in the "loose" direction. I you don't go crazy with the hammer and chisel, you won't hurt anything (except the screw) and you just might get it out - we did.

You've got nothing to lose but some time. . .

This is not going to help..sorry.....but my dad showed me the same thing. :)

 

[TimberPig]

A hand impact driver works well for removing tight screws like that, but if the heads are already stripped out, it may be too late. You may have to drill off the heads, and then remove the threaded stub with a pair of vise grips.