broken screw removal

[Anonymous]

hey gang,
need advice. i was removing the name badges off my tank when one of the screw's head broke off & left the body of the screw in. any tips on how top remove it? thanks, attila

[Anonymous]

Hey attila,

Your probably going to have to use a screw extractor. But if there is some of the screw still exposed you could use a pair of vise grips to work it on out. If its rusty, you might want to spray some PB blaster on it before trying to remove it.
Good luck

[hoyterb]

There is a drill made that turns the screw out with a reversable drill.You can get one at an auto parts store or Snap-on etc.

[Clone]

take your whole bike to an engine rebuilder or machine shop. They can weld and extension onto the stud and then remove it. if needed they will put in a heli coil. i did three exhaust studs on my dakota this way and it only cost me $40.

[Anonymous]

I like the left hand drill bit idea. I know a machinist who uses that trick and it works well if the screw isn't rusted fast. I'm not sure about welding an extension onto a screw stuck in the gas tank. Seems risky to me. 8O

Also, EVERY screw extractor I have ever used has broken off inside the screw. :x Since they are made of hardened tool steel, they are very hard (and brittle), and make it harder to remove the broken screw. Rather than going that route, take it to a machine shop if you can't get it out. If you decide to drill it out yourself, make sure you don't drill into the tank and cause a leak.

[Anonymous]

Hey !
I just wanted to let you know that I think (I don`t mean to be "rude" clone) Clone`s tips might not be the best solution, the screw is probably way to small for welding something onto it. I know from my experience , that the screws holding the badges are very small, but I suggest you go with a little wisegrip and make sure it`s fastened properly.

Did you manage to loosen the screw before it broke ? I`ve broken a few screws , and in some cases the screws tend to loose when you break the bolt.. strange!. However you will get a lot more torque on the screw with a wisegrip, even if the screw was in it`s original condition.


I love wisegrips !

[Anonymous]

Sears/Crasftsman has a set of screw extractors advertised on TV. They come in four sizes and one is really small! It might work, but be careful, you only get one chance at it!
GY

[Anonymous]

Try a dremmel.

A screw like that may not be frozen in place. When the head broke off the preasure may have been released from the threads. I have turned screws out with my thumb before just by pushing on it and twisting at the same time.
Some guys use a hack saw to put a slot in the screw. I find that a dremmel does it cleaner and faster as long as you are careful not to let it ride accross your paint job. Just hold it hard with both hands and prop your hands on the tank to avoid that.

[Anonymous]

thanks

GS Gang,
thanks for all the suggestions..i'll let you know what works. Attila