Extracting a worn screw

[Variablevalve]

Hey,

So I'm trying to replace the sprockets and chains on my '78 GS550 project bike and I'm developing a huge headache with these screws.



I was able to take out all the red screws with a lot of elbow grease but the yellow ones seem to be giving me a TON of trouble. The screw heads are badly worn and I just tried using a screw extractor on one, only to have the tip break of in the drilled out head

Need some help, tips, ideas? How can I get these screws out?!?!

[butcher bergs]

Do you have an impact screwdriver? If not, tap and turn with a #3 bit and if that doesn't work, tap and turn with a flat head.....guessing a #2 flat head by the pic

[joeswamp]

Definitely want to get some impact in there to break the corrosion. Another thing that helps is to put some valve grinding paste on the end of the screwdriver -- helps it bite the fastener better.

One thing that lots of folks don't know is that Japanese phillips screws are made to a slightly different standard than US phillips screws, and tend to strip more readily with US screwdrivers. If you get the proper Japanese JIS screwdriver you usually have better luck getting the screws out.

[scubasteveRR]

What about one of those things you hammer the end and it slowly turns them the break them loose.

EDIT: found one, i think it's the same thing Bergs was refering to though (Impact Driver) --> http://usatoolsinc.com/12impactdriverotc4607.aspx

Or maybe try tighten a little first then loosen, that can sometimes work.

i'd replace them with some allen bolts though when you put it back together

[JettaJayGLS]

Never underestimate the usefulness of PB blaster.

[scubasteveRR]

Never underestimate the usefulness of PB blaster.

OHH YEAH, that stuff it the BEST. definitely use a little of that and let it sit for a bit before trying anything else

[G21forme]

ez-outs ftmw!

[Variablevalve]

I went down and tried hammering the nails a bit, no luck. Especially the one that has the extractor bit in it, I can't even get a screwdriver in there because the bit is stuck in there.

I'll definitely try tightening and then loosening, I forgot about this little trick.

Is PB Blaster that great? Been soaking these in WD-40 with no luck...

[joeswamp]

WD40 is kind of a crappy penetrant IMHO, PB Blaster is better. Spray the screws, then tap, wait a long time, repeat. The best stuff I've used is Kroil but it's hard to find.

[Danz19899]

Pb blaster or In force work much better then WD40.

Worst case scenario I wouldn't think there would be any thread in the cover so you could drill the heads off the screw pull the cover off and vice grip with studs out.

For future reference an Impact driver is an amazing tool for stuck bolts and screws.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

[joeswamp]

If you work slowly and methodically with a small sharp cold chisel, you can cut slots in those screws and then work them out with a flat blade in an impact driver. Don't want to hammer too hard on that soft engine case though, be patient and use lots of pb blaster. Edit: now that I've read the post above mine I like his idea better, drill the heads off the screws, pull the cover, then use vise grips to screw them out.

You'll probably need a dremel tool with a carbide burr to grind away that busted ez out.

[brady]

you could also use the Dremel and a cutting disc to put some nice flat slots in the heads

[SSearchVT]

When you do get them out take them to the store with you and buy new ones. Think about swapping over to hex drive (allen head) and definitely use never seize when putting them back in.

[nt650hawk]

Heat it with a hair dryer/heat gun.

[gregp]

I may be wrong, but it looks like the screws that you have marked in Yellow are not part of the case you need to remove....?

[catamount]

It's already been mentioned 5 times, but go down to the local auto parts store and pick up an "impact driver" for $15.

This thing saved my ass when I was restoring an old Japanese engine with busted up heads. You smack the end of it with a hammer and when you do so it drives into the head while turning. It's an amazing tool for the price and you'll wonder how you lived without it.

[obsolete]

I'd cut the heads off and then PB blast the studs and then extract. +12 for the impact driver as well.

[SRTie4k]

It's already been mentioned 5 times, but go down to the local auto parts store and pick up an "impact driver" for $15.

This thing saved my ass when I was restoring an old Japanese engine with busted up heads. You smack the end of it with a hammer and when you do so it drives into the head while turning. It's an amazing tool for the price and you'll wonder how you lived without it.

Ah, I was wondering how the local motorcycle shop extracted the allen bolts to remove my rear rotor. Looks like I'll have to pick one of those up.

[Variablevalve]

Okay!

Game plan:

1. Find some PB Blaster
2. Buy an impact driver
3. If all else fails, buy a dremel and start cutting some stuff up...

Thanks everyone. Hopefully this will solve everything!

[ZX11D]

Blaster and impact driver are real good choices. If you break something I swear by the grabbit system of bits. They saved my ass more than once and work well .

[rpiian]

Do you have an impact screwdriver? If not, tap and turn with a #3 bit and if that doesn't work, tap and turn with a flat head.....guessing a #2 flat head by the pic

+1 on the Impact driver.

If I could only have 5 tools in my toolbox, one would be an impact driver, the second, a big ass hammer. You'll be glad you got one.

EDIT: On top of painfully useless information that you already know by now, if you need to drill some bolts, don't worry about drilling or nicking the threads in your engine case. Helicoils (thread repair kits) can in be put in place which have stronger threads than stock. Of course, don't drill unless it's absolutely necessary.

[fjrrider RI]

I didn't have any luck using the screw remover bits either they break easily at least the cheaper ones. Using good penetrant is still the first line of attack. Impact driver sounds like the trick! Guess I need one. Good advise all of it - thank you. This forum is good! I read a lot more than respond.

[Variablevalve]

Thanks everyone! Last night, after much effort, I was able to extract the screws.

For 1, there was enough of the head left to use the impact driver which worked amazingly!

For the other two, after hammering at them for a while with a cold chisel, I actually decided to try and use the chisel to turn the screws. I hit the screws along the side of the head, at an angle and after about 30-40 hits they actually broke free! So if anyone else runs into this problem and finds this thread:

Try using a cold chisel at an angle to try and rotate the screw head.

Thanks everyone.

[SSearchVT]

I have been having great luck using a Makita cordless impact gun (with impact ready bits). I can push as hard as I want to keep the tip in the screw head (and lined up) and at the same time regulate the torque and impact with the trigger.

[zimquidl]

Impact drivers are awesome. Often I won't even reach for the screwdriver, instead going to the impact driver first. And extractor bits are just plain evil.

When you do get them out take them to the store with you and buy new ones. Think about swapping over to hex drive (allen head) and definitely use never seize when putting them back in.

Something to keep in mind though: Phillips screws are designed to cam out if too much torque is applied to them. In a way it's an assembly safety feature. Hex screws don't cam out, so you can apply much more torque to them.

If you replace the case screws with hex heads, don't go nuts tightening them, or you may warp, strip, or mess things up. And add the appropriate sized hex key to your bike's tool kit.

If you stay with the Phillips screws, your local hardware store have standard Phillips heads which work with your screwdrivers. Probably won't find (and don't necessarily want) the JIS screws, which can be identified by a dimple on the head, and require a JIS driver.

Using anit-seize depends on the application. Sometimes you'll want to use threadlocker so the screw doesn't turn itself out from engine vibration.