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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ need tool for removing a f**d up screw

Posted by: SirAndy Aug 12 2005, 09:59 PM

so, someone other than myself, broke the tip off a allen wrench in one of the screws on my steering wheel (momo) ...

now, i'm tool challenged (no garage), but i have used a tool to remove screws like that before,
just can't remember what it is called. it's kinda like a reverse thread drill thing ...

anyone know what i'm talking about? where would i get one and what's it called ???
Andy

Posted by: Aaron Cox Aug 12 2005, 10:03 PM

EASYOUT

sears has em.....so does the home depot ot lowes

Posted by: SLITS Aug 12 2005, 10:04 PM

screw extractor................drill hole, insert and twist...it's threaded left hand so it "bites" on turning.

Vise grips on the head might work too!

A "stud extractor" might be useable also!

Posted by: ! Aug 12 2005, 10:09 PM

The tip of allen wrench snapped off and is in the hole? Or the top of the allen headed screw snapped off?

The allen wrenches are hardened steel.....that gonna be a bitch to get out. The screws aren't so bad....

Posted by: SirAndy Aug 12 2005, 10:26 PM

QUOTE (SEEMORE BUTZ @ Aug 12 2005, 09:09 PM)
The tip of allen wrench snapped off and is in the hole?

ayupp, tip of the wrench is in the hole ...

Andy

Posted by: Demick Aug 12 2005, 10:32 PM

What I usually do is take a dremel with a cut-off wheel and cut a slot in the head of the screw. Then I use a flat bladed screwdriver to get it out.

Demick

Posted by: Aaron Cox Aug 12 2005, 10:37 PM

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Aug 12 2005, 09:26 PM)

QUOTE (SEEMORE BUTZ @ Aug 12 2005, 09:09 PM)
The tip of allen wrench snapped off and is in the hole?

ayupp, tip of the wrench is in the hole ...

Andy

enuff to get vice grips on it?

Posted by: SirAndy Aug 12 2005, 10:39 PM

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Aug 12 2005, 09:37 PM)
enuff to get vice grips on it?

nope, nice and flat ....

Posted by: Aaron Cox Aug 12 2005, 10:40 PM

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Aug 12 2005, 09:39 PM)

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Aug 12 2005, 09:37 PM)
enuff to get vice grips on it?

nope, nice and flat ....

dremel 1st... then try the drill and EZ out..... if all else fails, snap on has a left handed drillbit similar to an easyout....

or...tack on a new alan key and turn it out?

Posted by: SpecialK Aug 12 2005, 10:44 PM

Try tapping on the screw a bit to loosen the tip in the fastener bore, then use a strong magnet to extract it. Hopefully it'll come out, but it not, only thing you could drill it out with is a carbide tipped bit.

Is the head of the allen bolt exposed? Or in a counterbore?

Posted by: Brian Mifsud Aug 12 2005, 10:53 PM

If all else fails, heat it (if you can).

My flywheel bolts had been ground down 2 engines ago by a previous owner to clear the clutch. (I guess they were being ultra frugal and had the flywheel machined down to a (thousandth-inch ) of its life..

There wasn't enough hex head for a socket to grab. I used a body grinder to grind the heads off, thinking I'd just pull the flywheel off and then use visegrips on the shafts. In the act of grinding, I unintentionally heated them up enough that they started to spin out...

My dad made a career out of removing broken bolts and screws (rebuilt steel power plant pumps which were immersed in sea water). While he was a machinist, the first tool they all grabbed for whenever it was time to take anything apart was a torch.

good luck, and don't work on it while you are tired.. a goodnights sleep, and sometimes these things become child's play.

brian

Posted by: Mueller Aug 13 2005, 12:50 AM

swing on by on Sunday if you still need help...I think it'll be cooler

Posted by: MarkV Aug 13 2005, 01:18 AM

Why don't you take all of the other screws out first and then rotate the steering wheel downward to unscrew the culprit. If it is like my wheel there is no flange to center the wheel to the hub. Once you break it loose you can unscrew it with your fingers.

Posted by: neo914-6 Aug 13 2005, 01:33 AM

QUOTE (MarkV @ Aug 12 2005, 11:18 PM)
Why don't you take all of the other screws out first and then rotate the steering wheel downward to unscrew the culprit. If it is like my wheel there is no flange to center the wheel to the hub. Once you break it loose you can unscrew it with your fingers.

The MOMO's adapters have lip that fit into the wheel so you can't rotate them outside the center of the wheel.

I would work it with a small chisel and lubrication as it's twisted in. You can find another allen screw so tap away at the head.

If that doesn't work, you can remove the wheel and adapter and drill the tool head out on a drill press and then use an easyout tool for the screw.

Posted by: scott thacher Aug 13 2005, 02:09 AM

get a real hard center punch and try to shatter whats left of the allen wrench

another option would be to remove the other screws and just grab the wheel on the other side of the one that left and snap off the head, then try vice grips or drilling whats left

Posted by: redshift Aug 13 2005, 03:05 AM

or epoxy on a small flat rod end, pull the broken part out, and use the bolt again...

m

Posted by: PatW Aug 13 2005, 03:24 AM

There is this acid at work called "tap out" that will, get a tap out of whatever its stuck in. Might be a little extreme though.

Posted by: redshift Aug 13 2005, 03:27 AM

Tap-out... sounds like a wrestling thing?

M

Posted by: rhodyguy Aug 13 2005, 05:37 AM

don't look at it. or, try some super glue on a slightly smaller allen wrench and see if it will stick so you can pull it out.

k

Posted by: qa1142 Aug 13 2005, 06:48 AM

QUOTE (Demick @ Aug 12 2005, 08:32 PM)
What I usually do is take a dremel with a cut-off wheel and cut a slot in the head of the screw. Then I use a flat bladed screwdriver to get it out.

Demick

I agree, this is first try. works very well

Posted by: Jeroen Aug 13 2005, 06:48 AM

Allen bolts suck!
Allen should be hung by the balls for inventing them

Posted by: rhodyguy Aug 13 2005, 06:54 AM

seemore clarified it guys. THE ALLEN WRENCH END IS STUCK IN THE HOLE!

k

Posted by: kwales Aug 13 2005, 07:44 AM

Spring punch and a magnet.

If the broken part is wedged, spin it loose CCW with the punch and remove with a magnet. Might take a coupla tries.

Radio Shack used to have the adjustable spring punches. That's a tool everyone needs.

Ken