Removing stuck panel screws - any advice?

[JimH]

Looking for some advice please. I want to add fog lights and led headlights to my 2017 FE-limited. Because I need to remove so many of the panels I am hesitant to undertake this myself. I watched the videos of Lamont switching things around to the point of almost having it memorized. My concern is stuck screws on the panels. When I put highway pegs on, one of the screws was so stuck, I ended up stripping it. If I would encounter a screw that is really tightly fastened or will not move how to I get it to move. I have an impact drill - would that help? Both upgrades seem like something I could complete, as long as the panels come off.
Thanks in advance,
Jim

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Looking for some advice please. I want to add fog lights and led headlights to my 2017 FE-limited. Because I need to remove so many of the panels I am hesitant to undertake this myself. I watched the videos of Lamont switching things around to the point of almost having it memorized. My concern is stuck screws on the panels. When I put highway pegs on, one of the screws was so stuck, I ended up stripping it. If I would encounter a screw that is really tightly fastened or will not move how to I get it to move. I have an impact drill - would that help? Both upgrades seem like something I could complete, as long as the panels come off.
Thanks in advance,
Jim

This occurs from the Excessive use of lok-tite by BRP ..... if you have a soldering iron you can heat the head and it will help removal ..... lok-tite will not cause a bolt to " strip ", you might strip the head because you can't break the lok-tite seal .... imho those threads were mis-aligned when they were put in ..... good luck .... Mike

[JimH]

This occurs from the Excessive use of lok-tite by BRP ..... if you have a soldering iron you can heat the head and it will help removal ..... lok-tite will not cause a bolt to " strip ", you might strip the head because you can't break the lok-tite seal .... imho those threads were mis-aligned when they were put in ..... good luck .... Mike

Thanks Mike - I appreciate the words of wisdom.
Jim

[JimH]

This occurs from the Excessive use of lok-tite by BRP ..... if you have a soldering iron you can heat the head and it will help removal ..... lok-tite will not cause a bolt to " strip ", you might strip the head because you can't break the lok-tite seal .... imho those threads were mis-aligned when they were put in ..... good luck .... Mike

To clarify - I stripped the screw trying to loosen it with a hand tool.
Jim

[MONK]

Most of the bolts are soft SS. They strip easily. Ask me how I know. As Mike said, BuRP over uses Loctite. Not only that but they use copious amounts of the yellow Loctite. Apparently, they buy it by the train load and put it on everything. I honestly think the yellow Loctite is what they use to keep the space shuttle together.

Anyway, make sure you use the correct size Allen/hex/Torx. There are a few bolts that look/feel like they're one size but are really the next 1/2 size larger. Also, make sure you keep the Allen/hex/Torx as close to 90* as possible. If you strip out a bolt head, try beating in the next size larger tool. It also helps if your Allen keys/bits are the ones with the squared off ends instead of the more normal slightly rounded ends. The rounded ends are easier to insert into a bolt head but don't hold as well.

Just some thoughts from someone who's stripped out more bolt heads than the normal person.

[2dogs]

You've got some very good advice here however, still not clear whether you stripped the head of the screw or the threads of the screw. A big difference in how you approach solving the problem.

[JimH]

You've got some very good advice here however, still not clear whether you stripped the head of the screw or the threads of the screw. A big difference in how you approach solving the problem.

I stripped (or rounded) the hex portion of the screw.

[2dogs]

Try carefully what MONK described. If that doesn't work use a Dremel tool to cut a blade-shaped screwdriver slot in the screw's head. You can buy a small screw impact driver and use that to carefully break loose the screw.

https://www.amazon.com/Teng-Tools-Re...YYTT560EPW1EC1

Be careful to build the slot in the head of the screw to tightly fit the screwdriver bit that comes with the impact driver. Heat the bit so as to transfer the heat to the screw threads without melting your plastic panel. Carefully place the bit in the slot. It should be a tight fit. Start tapping the impact river and make sure you're going in the correct direction. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. I've done that on several occasions. Most of the time it works but sometimes it doesn't. Try MONK's method with the small impact driver first, then go with the more involved method if you continue to strip the head.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

To clarify - I stripped the screw trying to loosen it with a hand tool.
Jim

To also clarify ... a Lok-tited bolt that has been Properly threaded into a threaded nut or whatever ... CANNOT strip the threads upon removal ... if the lok-tite is so strong it can't be removed the bolt head will be stripped or the bolt can shear .... just as if it was Rusted together ..... jmho .... Mike

[Southpaw58]

Get some medium or fine grit valve lapping compound. Heat the screw up as indicated above, put some lapping compound on your screwdriver tip and work it into the stripped out area. Take your time and it should come out. The grit in the compound will give you a lot more bite when removing the screw as long as it's not totally stripped out.

Cheers
Bill

[Valkrocket]

I've had the "locked thread" syndrome happen several times between my 18 and 21 RTL's. My solution, after removing the troublesome bolt, has been to run the same size tap down the hole to clear all that crap out of there. I even run a dye down the bolt if it looks bad. Now the bolt goes in and out easy peasy. You can also apply a lesser strength loctite if you so desire. I've never had a bolt come loose on any of my Spyders.