Removing screw after head snapped off (tail light).

anewman

Wasn't sure whether to put this in DIY or here.

My tail lights are held by screws. It looks like the previous owner has used screws that rust :mad:. I was just replacing these for stainless steel screws, to prevent any problems - and low and behold one snaps off and another on the other side won't shift and is camming out

Approximately 4mm remain protruding of the screw body itself. I have tried spraying penetrating oil at it then leaving it for a short time, and using some standard pliers squeezing really hard (not sure if a better type of pliers exist for this job) and it does not appear to rotate. I think it is screwed into plastic so I'm guessing extreme heat might not be the best idea. Drilling may cause damage to the reflector lens.

I'm guessing I need something that can grip a small round thing very tightly without simply dragging around the outside of it.

Thanks in advance.

ManAtHome

Always found mole-grips better than pliers for this sort of thing as you can tighten them up to 'scrunch' the screw shank.

anewman

Thanks very much. Off to B and Q to get some mole grips tomorrow.

Wig

The one with the screw head still on, it is a cross head screw and the 'cross' part has worn away right? And the screw head is sitting proud from the reflector glass by 4mm. Try a hack saw blade cut a straight notch and use a flat head screwdriver.

The one where the screw head broke off - when you undo the first one ^ the reflector might just slide over this screw shaft and you will then easily get it out.

Either that or show us a picture.

anewman

Left hand cluster. Dodgey screw 1. Head snapped off allowing lens to come off (top screw came out no problems). With lens off approx 4mm of the shaft left on the screw is accessible. Going to try the mole grip approach on that one, sprayed loads of penetrating oil on that and leaving it overnight.

Right hand cluster. Dodgey screw 2. Phillips-style screw, head camming out and tight, sits inside the reflector lens and lens will not come off with bottom screw removed. Have generously sprayed penetrating oil on again so may try tomorrow. My best option might be to wait till a bulb pops and then gently and carefully grind the head off with a dremel. I know someone with the same car tried to drill the head off a screw and cracked the lens.

epz_2

i used to work on motorbikes which would just spinn with mole grips, ended up using a small vice, twisted the small screws right out.

if you do snap it all the way then you can just drill into it and use some of those revers screw bits to force it out, they are a few quid on ebay etc.

oldagetraveller

This might sound a bit daft, but try to screw in a little bit, maybe a quarter turn, before attempting to screw out, if you know what I mean?! It sometimes works.

Wig

**If** you are succesful removing dodgy screw #1 And I agree mini vice sounds like a great idea - don't suppose you have one of those. Hmmmm :think: If you have 4mm it should come out with pliers. The only thing I can think off is to use a soldering iron and heat the screw with the soldering iron, it might melt the plastic enough to unscrew it, you'll need a soldering iron capable of getting red hot (the ones shaped like a pistol can do this) - I don't suppose you have one of those. It's probably a cr4p idea anyway, the heat won't transfer into the screw fast enough.

Create dodgy screw #2 to look the same as dodgy screw #1 by drilling into the worn cross part (you won't slip with the drill because you have a perfect hole to drill within.) the head will then snap off, remove light cover, and attack screw shaft. same way you did with #1.

anewman

Dodgy screw 1 won't shift with a pair of irwin vise grip long nose things. The screw seems 100% solidly stuck in. It hasn't budged either way. I am sure I have even seen one spark, and some sort of steam coming off when they slipped off the end.

I have a mini vice somewhere but as luck has it search high and low I can't find it. I have a cheapie soldering iron from Lidl so I doubt that's powerful enough to do anything but melt solder.

Dodgy screw #2, tried placing a flat bladed driver into the head and saw it gripped probably better than a crosshead. Tried to turn it and what you know, the flat screw driver snaps.

Wig

anewman wrote: »

Tried to turn it and what you know, the flat screw driver snaps.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

You're having a good day then.

Long nose pliers won't cut the mustard you need a pair of this type at the very least.




Mind you as they are Irwin Vice grip they should be pretty good, the standard curved jaw would probably be better.

anewman

Hurrah, found, one very mucky mini vice.

Edit: Vice didn't grip as well as the irwin vice needle nose. Have got something bigger to try out anyway.