hi, the philips head screws on my front brake cylinder are stripped, i have new screws and want to bleed the brakes, and am unable to remove the screws, i have tried many hardware shops and i am unable to get a screw extractor, any suggestions on how to remove them? Please help as all suggestons are much appreciated!
Stripped screw heads??
- Thread starter blanc
- Start date
- Oct 28, 2001
- 4,704
- 0
If the head is totally stripped, and you don't have an extractor bit, try this:
1) File opposite sides of the head flat
2) Take a pair of pliers, get a good grip on the flat sides, and twist (lefty-lucy!)
3) Replace all Philip's head screws with Allen head screws. Philip's head screws should be outlawed!
Good luck!
1) File opposite sides of the head flat
2) Take a pair of pliers, get a good grip on the flat sides, and twist (lefty-lucy!)
3) Replace all Philip's head screws with Allen head screws. Philip's head screws should be outlawed!
Good luck!
David Trustrum
~SPONSOR~
- Jan 25, 2001
- 1,396
- 0
Yes but they are countersunk. Here’s the drill if you are lucky & the thread isn’t too stuck. You could either carefully make a cut with a hacksaw blade to make a flat blade slot & use a impact driver to get it out, downside is makes a cut line in the cover. Have to use judgement here.
I have had some joy with a sharp small wood chisel. Make a cut down from the centre to the outside, then angle it in the direction you want to undo it & make an impression. Then use a sacrificial screwdriver & keep tapping it around.
Good luck. If all else fails then drill the head out so the cover comes off then carefully grip onto the remaining screw with some good quality vice grips.
Failing that, give it to someone with a mill & they can grip the whole cylinder to drill the old bolts right down with a mill bit (try to drill it by hand & it will wander from the steel into the ally). Then run a tap through to re thread it.
I have had some joy with a sharp small wood chisel. Make a cut down from the centre to the outside, then angle it in the direction you want to undo it & make an impression. Then use a sacrificial screwdriver & keep tapping it around.
Good luck. If all else fails then drill the head out so the cover comes off then carefully grip onto the remaining screw with some good quality vice grips.
Failing that, give it to someone with a mill & they can grip the whole cylinder to drill the old bolts right down with a mill bit (try to drill it by hand & it will wander from the steel into the ally). Then run a tap through to re thread it.
Last edited:
Craftsman makes a set of extractors just for that problem. It is basicly the tip of a left hand drill bit. It digs into what ever is left of the slot and backs the screw right out. A set of 3 is around $20
Ol'89r
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Jan 27, 2000
- 6,961
- 45
blanc.
Another little trick if all else fails is to take it to a welder that does tig welding.
Have the welder weld a small bead on the end of the screw and then drop a nut over the bead and weld it to the bead. Let it cool down a little bit and then take a wrench on the nut and unscrew it. Don't let it cool all of the way.
The heat from welding on the end of the broken screw will transfer into the casting and loosen it and the nut will give you something to grip.
I have removed many broken screws and studs using this method.
Good luck. :thumb:
Ol'89r
Another little trick if all else fails is to take it to a welder that does tig welding.
Have the welder weld a small bead on the end of the screw and then drop a nut over the bead and weld it to the bead. Let it cool down a little bit and then take a wrench on the nut and unscrew it. Don't let it cool all of the way.
The heat from welding on the end of the broken screw will transfer into the casting and loosen it and the nut will give you something to grip.
I have removed many broken screws and studs using this method.
Good luck. :thumb:
Ol'89r
dklink2000
Damn Yankees
- Feb 18, 2002
- 765
- 0
so how did it go?
- Thread starter
- #9
Just got it finished, i ended up drilling a small hole straight throught the screw top, countershrunked the screw with a small countershrunk drill bit, heated a screwdriver flat head, hit it gently with a mallet, and screwed the babys out, easy, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE ALL THE HELP EVERYONE !!
