What Keeps Feeding Electrical Gremlins?

Screw'd

Bummer about the Hang-up.
Options above are good, here's a few more.
First, have a new replacement screw ready, or you won't be riding soon.
I've taken Phillips Bits from other screwdrivers (changeable bit types) and tap'd it into the screw head to try and restore the Star shape.
Then dip'd the driver tip in some Valve Grinding Compound. The tough Grinding Grit bites into the screw and bit, and allows more hold.
Another option is to use a small CutOff Wheel on a Dremel and cut/make a slot into the screw head, then use a regular Blade Screw Driver on it.
Good Luck.

 

Invest in a set of JIS ( Japanese industry standard) screwdrivers. As all the screws are JIS the tell tale is the punch mark on the bolt head.

A pair of needlenosed mole grips may help get a hold of the bolt head.


On reassembly a smear of coppaslip slip on the threads and hand tight say 8nm

 

Where there are two bolts try taking the other one out as it may release some pressure.

 

Spray some Liquid Wrench or other penetrating oil around the screw head. If you can rotate the switch cluster so the penetrant goes down this would help. If not, it will go into the threads and may help you loosen it. You may need to wait overnight. These switch clusters are molded out of glass reinforced plastic and it tends to latch on to the screws and make them lock up. If you can get some lube in there it will free it up and you may be able to get it out. Also a good tap on the end of your screw driver will sometimes cause a shock to free it up. As mentioned before if you have a driver kit with screw driver tips look for one that is a bit larger and tap it in with a hammer to try and "fix" the star. I would try this before I would drill it out.

 

I'm assuming you are referring the phillips head bolts with the scratch on the face? I'd suggest a little pentrating oil, and failing that, I'd plan on replacing the bolt after removal. My weapon on choice to pull the screw would be a needle nose Vise-Grip locking pliers. They aren't made in Nebraska anymore, but I can't imagine not having several different types in my toolbox. Is there something I missed?

 

Curious if or what you have done or? knowing you just did a road trip.

 

if it was me, I'd put the dremal on it & cut a slot for a large impact flat blade first - you can always drill the head off after if it fails to budge.

 

One thing about you AM, you are not a quitter

 

Once you extract the troublesome screw, it would be better to find an Allen head screw or screws to replace them with. Philips head screws (oops I cannot say that word here) are disposable. Ace hardware many times have huge Allen screw stocks and stainless steel would make you the talk of the blog!!!

 

Best of luck on the Extraction. I have had to do them quite a few times over the years. When you put the new one in make sure its lubed and don't hoss it up.

 

Must be somebody over there with experience on these problems that can help you out AM

 

Looks like the Phillips head screw was damaged using the wrong size Phillips screwdriver that only looked like it would bottom out in the slots.

When removed replace with stainless steel Allen bolts like TwoWheelDrift says. Ace Hardware has bins of replacements and usually the help is helpful pointing out the type material and thread size and pitch.

I'd be real careful with any extraction process requiring a shitload of force or "machining." Crap of any kind in a hydraulic system can be more than a PITA.


All the dudes here don't need to read this because they have never screwed up a screw or bolted from a bolt, slipped oot of a a slot even though the dude who wrote it wrote it for dudes.

http://www.primermagazine.com/2012/learn/screwdriver