Gernby

I spent 4 friggin' hours trying to remove the brake rotor screws from my front passenger side last night. I tried all the tricks I could find here on S2KI or on Google, but they wouldn't budge.

However, I decided to try cooling the screw down with a can of computer duster, and they came out easily! Here's a video of what I did. Sorry it doesn't include the actual extraction, since I only have 2 hands.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbcJ8V9wneY [/media]

SlowTeg

Neat idea to cool it down so it contracts/shrinks a little.

Another nifty trick that I've learned over the years is turn the philips screw into a flathead screw.. Break out the dremel and a cutting disc, cut a nice groove in the screw, then use the impact screwdriver w/ the flathead bit, and it pops right out. I've done that many times now, and never been able to not remove one of the screws.

Gernby

I didn't think to try that, but it sure seems like I would have shattered the flathead bits even easier than the phillips bits.

SlowTeg

Hmm, could be.. I find they tend to get mangled and twisted, but fortunately don't tend to break, at least not till after a couple uses. The damn philips bits/screws are a problem as they tend to strip too easily in my experience, and I end up resorting to cutting a slot in them. If I ever can't get one out, I'll definitely try the cooling method, that should def work, thanks for the tip.

Seattle2k

Thanks Gernby. Those cans of compressed air are also good at removing candy/gum out of carpet/upholstery/kid's clothing. Freeze the sugary mess, then scrape at it with a putty knife/screw driver/s2000Junky's car. The frozen gunk will chip and shatter, releasing its death grip from the carpet's fibers. If the mess thaws out before you are done getting it out of the carpet, just refreeze and continue. Vacuum up the remaining chips.


Edit: Loctite makes a product specifically for this purpose.
Loctite® Freeze & Release. It includes a penetrating lubricant as well.
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productde....asp?RecID=7418

SgtB

An impact screwdriver sometimes works, but nothing beats just drilling the head completely off. Those screws are to aid in assembling the vehicle, and aren't needed once a wheel is bolted on it.

vjarnot

Only sometimes??? You ain't hitting it hard enough.

zeroptzero

I was just talking to someone about this today and he heats up the screw heads with a torch lightly and has told me they come out easy after that. He's done hundreds of rotor removals on Hondas this way. This seems the opposite of the cooling process though ?. Maybe both of them work the same way in breaking the contact of the screw heads somewhat.

SgtB

Heating and cooling work. You either freeze the screw, or heat the rotor. The idea is to add a tiny bit of gap due to expansion/ contraction.

Gernby

I think I was hitting it hard enough when I kept shattering the phillips bits.