how to remove stripped screw??

MidBunchLurker said:

In a moment of complete stupidity I managed to overtighten one of the torx t7 screws that holds the reservoir cover on for my Marta SL brakes.

This morning when I tried to remove said screw it obviously stripped completely, and now I'm stuck with a screw that won't come out, and a non-functioning brake.

Hopefully I'm not the first idiot in this situation... anyone have suggestions on what method or tools to use to get the miserable little screw out of its home?

thx.

umm ok thats like the most annoying thing when something like that happens lol but ok firstly, get a hammer, tap the head of it quite hard a few times (loosens up the threads through the vibration) then get some penetrating oil or if you dont have any a bit of normal bike lube or CRC or something should help, let it soak a while, if the torx driver wont fit in the head of it at all umm well then ahh if you can, get a hacksaw, cut a slot on the top and use a flat screwdriver while tapping the top of it (unless you actually have an impact driver this sortof acts as one) umm if you cant cut a slot in the top of it well then thats a difficult one, get a really small metal chisel and make it sharp with a bit more angle than usual and hit the top of it to make a slot on there or if you can use the chisel on the edge of the screw to try to turn it

now if you cant undo it well i dunno, your screwed lol

actually.. being a T7 screw is going to make it a little hard

MidBunchLurker said:

In a moment of complete stupidity I managed to overtighten one of the torx t7 screws that holds the reservoir cover on for my Marta SL brakes.

This morning when I tried to remove said screw it obviously stripped completely, and now I'm stuck with a screw that won't come out, and a non-functioning brake.

Hopefully I'm not the first idiot in this situation... anyone have suggestions on what method or tools to use to get the miserable little screw out of its home?

thx.

If that doesn't work you can drill it out carefully and I repeat carefully with a drill bt smaller than the screw as not to mess up the threads. In the event that you might booger-up the threads you can re-tap the holes.
This is a last resort of course but it works if done right.

After you drill the hole (stop before you get the hole large enough to get to the threads), get an e-z-out. That is a square or spiral shaped piece that goes in the hole and grabs the part of the screw that is left in the hole. You have to use a t-handle to undo it.

peet9471 said:

After you drill the hole (stop before you get the hole large enough to get to the threads), get an e-z-out. That is a square or spiral shaped piece that goes in the hole and grabs the part of the screw that is left in the hole. You have to use a t-handle to undo it.

Get the square type as tehy tend to 'grab' better. Good luck!

peet9471 said:

After you drill the hole (stop before you get the hole large enough to get to the threads), get an e-z-out. That is a square or spiral shaped piece that goes in the hole and grabs the part of the screw that is left in the hole.

I'd advice against that unless you're used to them. The smaller sized extractors break very easily, and being tool steel they CAN'T be drilled out without heroic measurements. My absolute favourite way of removing stripped screws these days is to weld a nut on top of the stripped / sheared screw/bolt, and then use a socket wrench to back it out.

Otherwise drill and re-thread the hole.

If it's a torx head then it already has a hole on top. Get an easy out
that fits inside and use that instead of the torx driver. No drilling, and
as long as you didn't dither the threads putting it in, it should come right out.

Aloha