rusted screws

[hmerone]

hi eric I saw your video about rusted screws
pretty nice trick!
but in my case it will be a lot more challenging since the rusted screws are on the mirrors
how can I remove them without scratching the paint on it
to be more clear it’s the screws under the mirror that keeps the the section with the mirror connected to the base
the car is a 2000 acura 1.6EL the mirrors are similar to the 94-01 integra
thanks for your help!

Topic

[Austin]

Soak them in PB Blaster. Shouldn’t have a problem.

[hmerone]

is it safe for the paint?

[Austin]

If you don’t wipe off the excess then no it’s not. Just shoot a couple squirts on the heads of the bolts, wipe off the excess. It’s not going to just melt paint went it hits it if that’s what your worried about. Have you tried to take them out yet? Most of the time on small fasteners you don’t really have to worry about them getting seized persay, but ive seen more of the heads round off. Make sure you have the socket, bit, screwdriver whatever as center and straight on top of the head of the fastener as you can and push straight in and then turn it and you shouldn’t have a problem. A rusty fastener vs a rust seized exhaust bolt is a very different thing.

[hmerone]

thanks for the tip!
I’ll try it soon I’ll give you a feedback!
I tryed once to unscrewed them but the screws started to scrapped right away
thanks again!

[EricTheCarGuy]

That’s a difficult situation and there may be nothing you can do but break the glass in the end. You might try a pair of vice grips but beyond that you have few options. I believe those screws go into plastic so I’m not sure how much help penetrating oil is going to be.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[hmerone]

I tried the product and it ain’t working
do you have any other option?

[Ingvar]

Let me guess.
You talking about Phillips head screws, right? And heads are round, and screws made out of soft metal, and they strip from a wind blow? The cross in the screw head?
If that’s the case, do you have Dremel tool? You can cut wide/deep single slot in each head, for a flat head screwdriver.
If those heads are sticking out reasonably, you can use tap holder

http://www.f-gear.co.jp/deen_new/others/tap_holder.html

or even a hand drill chuck

http://www.traderscity.com/board/products-1/offers-to-sell-and-export-1/drill-chuck-12001/

and lock its jaws on the screw head.

Personally, I am very good with drills, so I’d have tried slot 1st, as I have Dremel, then tap holder, as I have that too, then simply would have drilled heads off, using pilot bit, and, after mirror removed, taken what’s left of screws themselves out with channel locks or good pliers.

[hmerone]

[quote=”ukrkoz” post=109178]Let me guess.
You talking about Phillips head screws, right? And heads are round, and screws made out of soft metal, and they strip from a wind blow? The cross in the screw head?
If that’s the case, do you have Dremel tool? You can cut wide/deep single slot in each head, for a flat head screwdriver.
If those heads are sticking out reasonably, you can use tap holder

http://www.f-gear.co.jp/deen_new/others/tap_holder.html

or even a hand drill chuck

http://www.traderscity.com/board/products-1/offers-to-sell-and-export-1/drill-chuck-12001/

and lock its jaws on the screw head.

Personally, I am very good with drills, so I’d have tried slot 1st, as I have Dremel, then tap holder, as I have that too, then simply would have drilled heads off, using pilot bit, and, after mirror removed, taken what’s left of screws themselves out with channel locks or good pliers.[/quote]

sorry to answer that late since I started that topic!
yes this is those screws! I tried other option but the screws are so rusted that I can’t even touch them without broke them
I’ll try your trick if I can get after that some better screws ater the cleaning I’d be happy

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[Harold Layne]

I would start by putting masking tape over that area in case the tools you are working with slip. I would use a speed handle with an Apex holder and a #2 bit if you can, because that will give you a lot of direct force. Otherwise you could drill it with a #30 bit and try to snap the head with an 1/8th inch punch. Good Luck

[Frank Aruffo]

after you round off the cross on the top of the phillips head, sometimes you can drill a small hole and tap a square-drive bit into the screw. I found a 9/64 drill bit works good with a #2 square-drive bit.

[Edward]

Is it not possible to just drill the heads off the screws that you can’t undo, then when you hav he mirror off take the screws out with a pair of pliers?

[Author]

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