PLease help!

[hfarley]

Ok I went today to change the oil. I figured that I would do that really quick then go out for a ride. The previous owner had put in 3 philips head bolts to hold the cover for the oil filter on instead of the hex head bolts. I got one out ok. The other two would not budge even after WD-40. I got the screw gun out figuring that I was too weak to do it and now the screws are stripped. Help! Now what do I do? How do I get the screws out? Thanks!
-Heather

[Walt_M.]

You should be able to get them out with a hand-impact wrench, Sears should have one if you need it today. It has an internal spring loaded cam, you fit the appropriate bit for the screw, set it for counterclockwise and whack it with a hammer. It will get them out if they are not too badly stripped.

[hfarley]

the center hole is basically rounded out. Would that hammer still work? I was just on the phone with Lowes and they suggested a special drill bit that taps out the screw? Which is easier and less expensive?

[Walt_M.]

I'd try the impact wrench first but if it doesn't work, the screw extractor bit might. May as well pick up a set while you are at Sears.

[hfarley]

my husband just had an idea. What if I were to use my dremel and cut a slit in the top of the screw. This way I could fit my large flat head screw driver in there. Then try to turn it. If I did that would I ruin my chance of using the hand impact wrench?

[ProfessorRex]

DO BOTH! Cut a slot and use the impact driver.  Then you'll actually get them out.  Drilling and extracting is HARD.

Procedure:
-Cut slot
-Use flat head bit in impact driver
-Breathe sigh of relief
-Replace bolts

It should go easy, and an Impact driver is a great tool to have for every single fastner on our 23yr old motos!

[hfarley]

Well I figured I would try cutting the slot first and using a regular screw driver to see if I could get it out before getting in the car and driving to Sears.  Didn't work. Then my husband had another brilliant idea. Why didn't I just cut the heads off the screws, pull the cover off and then unscrew the headless bolts. Well duh! That was a good idea. And it worked really well. It was so easy to remove the body of the bolts once the cover was off. I replaced the o-ring and the filter and then used the allen wrench bolts from the spare bike to put the cover back on. Put oil in her and I was done. I knew I kept him around for a reason. LOL! ;) Thanks for the suggestions and I will probably get one of those impact wrenches for the next time.
-Heather ;D

[dcsob]

Do the slot cut with the dremel. Soak the bejesus out of the screw with penetrant and hope some gets to the threads. Take the size punch that bottoms out in the stripped hole and wack it (the punch) with a good sized hammer.
 The plan here is to break the corrosion via the shock of impact and allow the penetrant to get to those threads. Soak it some more maybe even heat gun it then wait a couple hours. Wack it again 1 or 2 more times soak, heat, and in the end (like tomorrow) your patience should be rewarded and you can throw the miserable excuses away and use real allen head bolts covered with never seize paste.
The key is PATIENCE. Better to try this than break off the easy out. Then you really have some fun ahead of you.

[ps2/bikevision]

they sell bolt outs at sears. i bought a set and have found that i dont know how i got along without them. they are like a socket with teeth on the inside that spiral and taper in. they work great for getting striped bolts and nuts off. it works better if you use penterating liquid.

[hfarley]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will definately add them to my shopping list for the next time I go to Sears.
 ;D
-Heather

[h2olawyer]

Heather -

The best stuff for loosening stuck screws is "PB Blaster".  That stuff is amazing & available at most auto parts stores.  I also saw some the other day at my neighborhood hardware store.

One other possibility for removing the stuck screws is to use some vice grips if you can get them on the screw & have a little room to swing the wrench to get them loose.

No matter what method you use, try the PB Blaster before you get to turning.  I've used both the dremel & slot method and the vice grip method with equal success.  With the head of the screw intact, the slot & hand impact driver would probably be the best method.

H2O

[QBS]

The stock set up for oil filter housing attachement is 3 allen head screws.  They do not have to be killer tight.

[hfarley]

QBS: I did replace the screws that were on my bike that got destroyed with the 3 allen head screws from the spare bike. It was nice and easy just to have what I needed right there. Thanks again guys! Now I'm on to the next problem...LOL!
-Heather