Removing stuck screws

kjmagsig

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Wisconsin
In the hopes of removing the doors from my jeep this summer, I purchased some different mirrors that fasten to the windshield frame. Unfortunately the screws in that frame are stuck tight. I saw a discussion about this in a Facebook group where it was suggested that the user simply drill out the old screws and replace them with new ones. I now have new screws, but do not know for sure how to drill out the old ones without damaging the threads in the windshield brackets. Can anyone give me any advice on how to go about doing this?

Thanks in advance!
 
Spray the old ones with pb blaster and wait 24 hours…they will likely be able to be removed.
I'll be trying to remove them again this afternoon, but the screw head is pretty much stripped. Will I need to pick up an easy-out set to do this?
 
Spray the old ones with pb blaster and wait 24 hours…they will likely be able to be removed.
When PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench
In the hopes of removing the doors from my jeep this summer, I purchased some different mirrors that fasten to the windshield frame. Unfortunately the screws in that frame are stuck tight. I saw a discussion about this in a Facebook group where it was suggested that the user simply drill out the old screws and replace them with new ones. I now have new screws, but do not know for sure how to drill out the old ones without damaging the threads in the windshield brackets. Can anyone give
When PB Blaster or liquid Wrench doesn’t work I have used eas
I'll be trying to remove them again this afternoon, but the screw head is pretty much stripped. Will I need to pick up an easy-out set to do this?
When PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench doesn’t free bolts up I have used left-hand drill bits and an ease-out. About 60% of the time the drill bit will catch and back the stuck screw out without using the ease-out.

Be careful using this method. You don’t want to break the drill bit or the ease-out off in the stuck screw. If that happens it makes removing the bad screw much, much harder.
 
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Tapping the heads with a hammer often breaks the rusty crusties loose and the come out. If their still torx and the heads are trashed use the hole for a guide to drill them out. Ive had better luck with left hand drill bits when hoping to remove frozen in bolts or screws and often the unscrew themselves while drilling. Use the correct size drill required for the bolts used as if you were making new screw holes. If you over do it drill wise you might have to retap the holes to clean them up if you didnt use to big of drill.
 
Tapping the heads with a hammer often breaks the rusty crusties loose and the come out. If their still torx and the heads are trashed use the hole for a guide to drill them out. Ive had better luck with left hand drill bits when hoping to remove frozen in bolts or screws and often the unscrew themselves while drilling. Use the correct size drill required for the bolts used as if you were making new screw holes. If you over do it drill wise you might have to retap the holes to clean them up if you didnt use to big of drill.
I've tapped and hammered on them to no avail. They are stuck as stuck can be. And yes, they are torx heads, and after yesterday's attempts at removing them, I no longer have a torx bit the right size. Another trip to the auto parts store for new tools... I'll see if they have left-hand drill bits there too. Temps are going to be in the 80's next week, that top needs to come off and I need side mirrors...
 
Tapping the heads with a hammer often breaks the "rusty crusties" loose and the come out. If their still torx and the heads are trashed use the hole for a guide to drill them out. Ive had better luck with left hand drill bits when hoping to remove frozen in bolts or screws and often the unscrew themselves while drilling. Use the correct size drill required for the bolts used as if you were making new screw holes. If you over do it drill wise you might have to retap the holes to clean them up if you didnt use to big of drill.
I will forever use this in my vocabulary.
 
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This was a happy day. I used lots of heat from a map gas torch and Kroil

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Congratulations! And that looks like some really fine drill work. I have some Kroil being delivered tomorrow.
Thanks, That Kroil isn't cheap but is the best I've found. I bought two cans over 15 years ago and still have a little left. Use it very sparingly with only a few drops at a time. It doesn't dry out like most others and there's no need to go crazy and soak everything down.

I hit the bolt with a center punch first to get a good dent in the middle which made drilling much easier.

I was given a set of those square extractors by a neighbor and found them better at gripping than the screw in type. These didn't slip at all.
 
Thanks, That Kroil isn't cheap but is the best I've found. I bought two cans over 15 years ago and still have a little left. Use it very sparingly with only a few drops at a time. It doesn't dry out like most others and there's no need to go crazy and soak everything down.

I hit the bolt with a center punch first to get a good dent in the middle which made drilling much easier.

I was given a set of those square extractors by a neighbor and found them better at gripping than the screw in type. These didn't slip at all.
Correct me if I’m wrong but Kroil doesn’t have acid in it like other penetrating oils, is that correct?
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but Kroil doesn’t have acid in it like other penetrating oils, is that correct?
Not that I've heard of but I don't know

This is from the website:

Severely Hydrotreated Petroleum Distillates 30-50%, Light Petroleum Distillates 30-50%, Aliphatic Alcohols, Glycol Ether 1-5%, Proprietary Ingredients 5-15%, Carbon Dioxide Propellant 1-15%
 
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Not to take anything away from the awesome drill work, but I use "safari" mirrors when I have my doors off because they simply mount to the upper door hinge. No need to mess with the windshield hinge screws. I've also heard that the passenger side mirror when mounted to the windshield hinge is damn near impossible to see. The safari mirrors do vibrate a lot so I'm not sure any solution is perfect.
 
Well, I've got an easy out kit. Drilled into the screw and the dang ready out will not bite into it. Flyer 58, looks like I need to find a nice set like yours. I'm the mean time, anyone have any hints on getting this thing to bite?
 
Well, I've got an easy out kit. Drilled into the screw and the dang ready out will not bite into it. Flyer 58, looks like I need to find a nice set like yours. I'm the mean time, anyone have any hints on getting this thing to bite?
Tapping the ease out into the drilled hole with a hammer usually works for me, but it really depends on the quality of the ease out. I have had more trouble with the spiral type than the square ones.

You may have to enlarge the beginning of the hole to the next larger size. Only drill in a bit. Using numbered size drill bits is best. They are sized in smaller increments.
 
Do you have any kind of a torch to heat them? Not a fancy cutting torch, just the screw on tank type used for soldering copper pipe. I prefer Mapp gas in the yellow bottle since it burns hotter and makes soldering quicker and easier.

Heat the screws and spray them with penetratingly oil. It will probably steam off quickly but keep putting on a few drops to get it into the threads.
 
Thank you guys for your advice. I'll give both ideas a shot. Then fall back on the old axium I was taught when I worked in electronics... "There are very few problems in this life that cannot be solved with a suitable application of high explosives". I'll just have to pull it out of the garage first.
 
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Thank you guys for your advice. I'll give both ideas a shot. Then fall back on the old axium I was taught when I worked in electronics... "There are very few problems in this life that cannot be solved with a suitable application of high explosives". I'll just have to pull it out of the garage first.
Got them out! Since the easy out I was using wasn't biting, I went to the next size up, which happened to be the exact size of the screw minus the threads. That did it for both. Got my new mirrors mounted and the doors off. Now to find someplace to store the hard top and that's coming off too.