any ideas for removing the rusted trim screws that hold the chrome strip to the windshield frame for a convertible? i sprayed them with blaster and let it sit overnight, but they're pretty gone. i guess drilling them out is about the only option? maybe have luck with a decent piece being left once the head is drill out to grab and turn the remaining piece to avoid having to drill the windshield framing.

thanks

 

can you slot them with a dremel? Sometimes if you put a screw driver in and give it a tap before spinning might help too , when I say slot I mean to score so you use a straight screw driver

 

I have found philips head screws that don't want to budge will round out the screw driver pocket in the loosen direction, but the tighten side is usually still good. Sometimes you can get screws to move if you tighten the screws just a bit. This helps to break them loose, then rock them back and forth (tighten-loosen, tighten-loosen) a few times until you get them moving enough to get them out. Slotting the heads as Eddie suggested works really well on larger screws but tends to weaken smaller screws to the point that the heads will just break off. Anything smaller than 1/4-20 screw will likely break if you slot them. Drilling them out is obviously a last resort method and it can be difficult to keep the drill bit centered to where it only drills out the screw and not the surrounding metal. Just my experience and 2 cents, good luck.

Rodney

 

Also make sure the Phillips driver sits in well sometimes smaller screwdrivers are too pointy and it doesn’t get full contact , this can be remedied with filing or grinding a little off the very tip

 

you mean you guys don't have one of them fancy tools you can tell me to just go buy. lol i have yet to really try either direction or course of action, i let them soak as long as possible. i think who ever did the repaint(trim still on car) tried at one point to get them out. slot will be my first course, then, worse case i can get just the head removed and have enough meat to grab. i posted this before dinner and now is time to go one way or the other. the chrome trim is in excellent shape, so of course there's always that "don't damage it factor". here goes.

 

nope no magic tool , that said carry on my wayward son !! Good luck

 

sometimes a handheld impact screw driver will get this stuff loose assuming you can get a good hit on the tool an the fastener is in a location to absorb the hit.

 

I have had success with my Dewalt 20v impact with stubborn screws, as long as the head isn’t stripped out yet.

 

S





slotted with the dremel, used a small hammer and a flat screwdriver to drive against the slot, once they popped lose it wasn’t so bad. Couple turns and I could make the groove deeper and just turn it out with the screw driver. Now to heat up the glue under the chrome plate so I don’t bend it pulling up.

 

Glad it worked out !! Great job, x2 being careful with the chrome good idea heating it

 

For next time I have had good luck with the Eastwood screw buster.
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-sc...tate=pg:2/ct:rScrew Buster

 

thank you sir.

thanks, i will have to purchase one of those, for 20 bucks it sure looks easier than the adjustable wrench method i've always used. the heads on these were already rounded by the previous owner. thankfully there was just enough of the screw sticking above the trim, piece that i didn't scratch it with the dremel.

 

I have gotten some pretty messed up screws out with the screw buster, it will make its own groves if they are stripped.

 

That's a brilliant little tool. Thanks for posting.

 

I just ordered one

 

heat gun

 

I used my heat lamp versus a heat gun, it heats more area evenly, i then used plastic shims to keep pressure on the trim piece as I worked my way across. Worked out great.

 

A little rusted, but no holes. 👍