strip........hex screw

[zoman]

OK help. I have got my second chrome part and of course all is not well in VTX land. I have a new radiator grille cover, but one of the hex screws is striped all of others will come of no problem. Any one got an idea how to remove this screw?

[BrotherBear]

I have ideas but youre not going to like them. 1. Take a dremel or hacksaw and cut a groove across the top of the hex nut. Use an impact driver with a flat bit in it to hawg it out. or 2. drill into the top of the head simulating a stripped screw and use a remover kit for stripped screws.....either way tape off around it cause its gonna get messy. Lots of penetrating lube. or hot wrench it but not both at the same time. Can you say fireball.

[zoman]

You are right, I'm not going to like it. However it may be the only thing I can do! @*^#@.

[BrotherBear]

Unless you can get your hands on one of those Metwrench kits that grab the sides and not the corners. Sears sells a version if you can find em.

[zoman]

that's not going to work its kind of flat head screw, It seems like the dealer used a power screwdriver and it strip good. I think your first idea is the only one that is going to work for the do it at home person.

[mscales]

Is the HEX stripped out? Or are the threads on the bolt stripped out? If the HEX is stripped out what I have done in the past is take a standard (or metric) and grind a slight taper onto the hex wrench end. Then I use a tappit (hammer ;)) and tap it into the hex head. This gives it a nice tight fit and and you can break the bolt loose.

If it s stripped threads then you will need to grind the head off and remove the shroud and drill out or using vice-grips twist out the bolt.

[dajaha]

If you drill a small hole slowly down the center of the screw, then with a slightly larger drill bit in reverse it may start unscrewing. I did this when an air cleaner screw got stripped and was able to remove it.

[Scotrod]

Had a mechanic friend with a special set of 'reverse' drill bits. (They 'drill' while spinning counter-clockwise) Fastest thing to get out a stripped/broken bolt/screw that I'd ever seen.

However, in our current situation, I believe MScales has the 'most realistic' fix(s) listed above.

I've always had very limited results with 'easy-outs'. Drill and tap seemed best for me.

[zoman]

Ok guys, love your ideas, not sure which one I'm going to try, the big thing is not to crack the radiator housing. I would love to use the back out drill bit because the screw is really tight I tried using angle allen wrench but using a little larger size wrench and tapping it into the hex head. It wouldn't move. Thats when I went to Sears and got the T allen wrench, with hope that I could get more force on the screw. Now you all know all. I thinking I'm going to tape the area and try to cut a slot for a standard head screw driver, that way if it doesn't work it still leave the back out drill bits.

[zoman]

It took me 4 hours but I got the hex screw out and the new grille in. Tried the back out drill bit first ( tried the cheap way first, Did not work) Then went to Home-depot got a dremel and cut a large slot in the screw head and with a standard screwdriver and a adjustable wrench had enough force to break the screw lose. Now lots of cut on my fingers, lots of sweat, and running back and forward for parts to make it work the grille is on.... all this for a little chrome.

thanks for everyones advice. I would show photos but not sure how to do so.:coffee:
zoman