how do u remove a screw that has a stripped head?

Sears and other Hardware stores will carry a tool to remove screws with stripped heads... A good thing to have in your tool box - If I remember costs about 10 bucks...

 

google search my friend...

http://www.globalair.com/discussions/ac_tool/article.asp?msgID=17

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990927j.cfm

http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/damaged_screw.html

Remember, ask "google" first... www.google.com

Dave

 

drill the remains of the head off until you just break through the head. use a drill bit one size smaller than the hole size of the fastener itself. remove your part or panel and use vise grips to remove the remaining stem of the fastner. if you cant get the head to just pop off once you have drilled though the head, (not through the whole thing !) take a punch the same size as the hole you drilled and pop the head off. i do this with steel and titainium stuff all day on airplanes at work. cars are a piece of cake, even the old valuable ones.

 

Michael hit it on the head (no pun intended). That's very similar to how I've done it.

 

Ok, I've done this dozens of times, even on my old Ferrari ('76 308).

If its a large screw, then drilling it out might work. If the part is still on the car then you are stuck drilling it out with a hand held drill which is very unstable and inaccurate. Generally, the material the screw is screwed into is much softer than the screw itself and you'll likely end up just drilling a hole into the material as the drill continuously slips off the screw.

I have a very small pair of Vice Grips (3" or 4" inches), the needle nose version. Often, if the screw cap is still intact, laying the Vice Grips flush against the surface so it grips both sides of the screw cap it will get the thing off. Sometimes I have to adjust the pressure on the Vice Grips so that they actually crush the screw cap. Then slowly, very slowly, remove the screw.

Another method is to bare down on the screw with a good philips head screw driver while tapping the end of the screwdriver with a small hammer as you try to unscrew it. The tapping does two things: It breaks the screw threads loose from the material and it kind of restores the philips pattern in the screw cap.

Good Luck!

 

Tried an impact-driver (the one you hit with a hammer, not a torque-wrench) with a philips head bit?

 

If you can't just drill the head off & remove the part so you can get at the body with vice grips (easiest alternative), try a 'Screw Out' from Sears & other places:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00952154000

A screw out digs itself into the screw head & backs it out. Has worked for me a couple of times. There's actually a video showing them in operation if you click on 'details' you'll see the gadget to click on for the video.

If you have to actually drill the screw out, use a cobalt drill bit. It's made for drilling metal & will take out a hardened steel fastener. Use a cobalt drill noticably smaller than the screw you're removing, less chance of taking out the threads.

What size is this infamous screw?

 

You can also try cutting a new or larger slot in it with a small die grinder or dremel tool. This only works if the head is large enough and there will be enough meat left for the screwdriver to grab.

 

Bob Villa just sold me - I don't even need it right now & I'm getting my a$$ over to Sears to get one.

Thanks

 

You can put a blob of valve grinding paste on the tip of your best fitting screwdriver to help grip.

Or PVA wood/paper glue and grit off the floor if you don't have valve grind paste....

 

Da*n, that's a tough one all right.

Hmm, Have seen power screwdrivers with a 90 degree head somewhere (Sears? Harbor Freight?)

Also, sears has small ratchet wrenches that take 1/4" Hex bits, try one with the screw remover. That way can ratchet with room to push the end into the screw.Think they are usually with the ratcheting 90 degree screwdrivers.

Good luck, you're going to need it fer sure.

Ferrarifixer, the valve grinding past is a good one! Suspect that household abrasive cleaner would be an substitute.

 

I'd say the Sears one MUST be the easiest to use. Just look at his hands, they aren't even dirty! LOL