Hard top latch removal - loctite screws?

Started by ad_car_08, March 23, 2017, 20:36

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ad_car_08

Trying to remove my hardtop latches to fit the Rogue Motorsport hardtop mounts, but encountered a frustrating problem.
The screws (with star heads) appear to have been secured with some kind of godzilla glue / ridiculous loctite!!! I managed to wrench two of the three screws out of the drivers side rear/middle latch, but the third doesn't budge. I the screw head eventually gave up and I managed to round the  sbastard bastard sbastard  thing off!!    s:evil: :evil: s:evil:  

Any ideas on how to get it out?? I've tried an irwin socket but it can't grip the rounded profile. If I dremel a slit in it, I think I'm just going to butcher it further with a flat head screwdriver...  I'm well and truly stuck   s:cry: :cry: s:cry:
[size=85]2004 Sable MR2 Roadster - Track toy
Honda Civic EX 1.0T - Company Car
[/size]

normanh

#1
I used a screw extractor to remove the catch on my soft top similar to those from Screwfix using a Dewalt cordless drill worked first time. The screws used have a factory applied threadlock and are buggers to remove. Cheapo drills wont touch it!

Norman

Carolyn

#2
Bugger.  They are well  Loctited.  I just removed one of the front lugs on the top of the windshield of the blue car.  I used really good star bits ( making sure they were a very snug fit) and they came out, but worryingly tight.  You are going to be drilling very carefully to take the head off, and then, core-drilling to leave the thinnest bit of metal you can and THEN tapping it out.  I doubt you'll get it out with a thread extractor, the glue is so good.

Good luck!!
Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

ad_car_08

#3
Screw extractors it is!!
[size=85]2004 Sable MR2 Roadster - Track toy
Honda Civic EX 1.0T - Company Car
[/size]

secla

#4
had the same problem with mine, i just drilled the head of and removed with a pair of pliers

ad_car_08

#5
Quote from: "secla"had the same problem with mine, i just drilled the head of and removed with a pair of pliers

Considering how crazy stuck they are, I'm worried I'll be left with a stud I can't grip/twist.
Hopefully the screw extractors work when I get them
[size=85]2004 Sable MR2 Roadster - Track toy
Honda Civic EX 1.0T - Company Car
[/size]

Carolyn

#6
Very careful centre drilling will leave quite a thin layer of metal that can be either distorted with a punch, or tapped out with a well-tapered thread tap. We tend to use the thread tap method. Really important to get the hole well centred.  Start with a small bit and work up to size.
Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

Essex2Visuvesi

#7
Depending on the threadlock used they may need a little heat to loosen them

ad_car_08

#8
I tried undo'ing, then doing up, then undo'ing and doing back up...a couple of times, but the screws were stuck fast!!
[size=85]2004 Sable MR2 Roadster - Track toy
Honda Civic EX 1.0T - Company Car
[/size]

normanh

#9
Dont take the head off use one of these directly on the crosshead screw with a good quality cordless drill.

 m http://www.screwfix.com/p/trend-pro-gra ... eces/21391 m

Norman

ad_car_08

Sorry to revive this topic, but....for the love of god someone help me!!  :(
Just spent a couple of hours in my car - I'm still having no luck trying to get these darn bolts out of the hard top brackets. I successfully managed to round off 2 of the 3 bolts holding the passenger side hard top latch..
- tried heating it up
- tried hammering a torq bit into the torq head, then tried undoing with a cordless, then tried with an impact gun
- tried two different sets of screw extractors, which only succeeded in creating a smooth dimple in the torq head
- tried dremeling the edges off and hammering a socket onto the head but couldn't get any purchase on the bolt head
- tried dremeling a slit in the head and getting a big-ass flat head screwdriver on it. It worked to a degree, spinning the bolt about 180degrees, but it was so stiff to turn that I ended up forcing/bending the two halves apart and popping one of the halves off, so then I was left with half a bolt head that I couldn't do anything with. So I buzzed the head off and left with the threaded shaft protruding.
I'm hoping a stud extractor will grip it and spin the rest out, but the're so stuck I'm dubious!!

Please for the love of god, someone offer me some useful/proven/successful advice as to how to get these bloody things out!! (:< >:)
[size=85]2004 Sable MR2 Roadster - Track toy
Honda Civic EX 1.0T - Company Car
[/size]

J03

If you've left the head on you could try welding a nut to the end.
These will be high tensile bolts as well, so trying to drill out will be impossible with sub standard bits. Maybe invest in a set of reverse thread cobalt bits if you haven't already  ;)
The Silver Shed - 2zz Rotrex ........  viewtopic.php?f=88&t=53969

ad_car_08

...reverse thread cobalt bits...right, I'll track some down and give it a go. Thanks
[size=85]2004 Sable MR2 Roadster - Track toy
Honda Civic EX 1.0T - Company Car
[/size]

Carolyn

Judging by how easily they butcher - I doubt they are good steel.  A decent sharp bit - keep the pressure on, should do it.
Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

Joesson

The screw must be either very hard/ brittle material or relatively soft ( and well bonded)  for it to keep breaking with well fitting tools
If there is still some of the threaded portion remaining I suggest flattening / grinding two opposite sides to suit a small open end spanner and then turning it alternate ways to break the bond.
If you have nothing protruding you will need to try Carolyn' s drill it out and retap. You would have to drill it for a stud extractor so you could try that along the way.

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