Removing stuck screw from inner door panel.

[PoDuck]

Okay, I've had stuck screws before, and usually I can figure out a solution. Usually a few good taps on the end of my impact driver gets them right out, if not, add a little penetrating oil.

Right now though, I have a single screw on my door panel that acts like it has been welded in. If it is rusted, it isn't noticeable from the head. All the rest of the screws came out very easily and have no rust on them. I also had this door panel off a few years back, and I didn't use any kind of glue or anything that would cause it to stick when putting it back in.

I've spent about half an hour trying to get my impact driver to work it out and I get nowhere. It doesn't even budge. What does budge is the metal of the door with the concussion of the impact driver. It has started bending inward, and I'm going to have to work it a little to get it back straight.

Does anyone have good, non-destructive ways to get screws out?

[McCoyAZ]

I usually am able to get a stuck screw out if I heat it up a little.

[harpo1313]

drill a sm hole in the middle and then increase your drill size until the head is gone then pull the stud out with visegrips after some p+b,

[61_FL_Apache]

Try an impact screw driver. The kind you hit with a hammer. Im not if that will be too strong for a door panel.. I have had great luck with them.

[ABX131]

Helpful tip: when reinstalling use an anti seize paste....unfortunately I had to drill out 3 on each door.

[ChiefRocka]

As mentioned above, drill out directly in center...getting close to thread size.

An easy-out should do it from there.

[62 Barnfind]

Originally Posted by harpo1313

drill a sm hole in the middle and then increase your drill size until the head is gone then pull the stud out with visegrips after some p+b,

This is the way I do it. Another is when you have the whole big enough I take a small punch and make a chisel out of it and collapse the bolt into its self and pull it out. Then I re tap the hole.

[BR3W CITY]

I keep a few old broken screwdrivers around so I can tack weld the head onto the end of a broken stud etc, and back it out.

[PoDuck]

Okay, I thought I would let everyone know what eventually worked, since it isn't quite what anyone was suggesting, although it did incorporate what one person suggested.

It seemed strange to heat the screw up to get it to loosen, since that should expand the screw, but I didn't want to put the torch on the paint too much, so I tired it, since I hate drilling out screws. It didn't make it easy, since I still had to use the impact driver, but after heating it for a while and smacking it several times with the impact, I watched it give me about 1/8 turn. I smacked it a couple more times until it had given up 1/4 of a turn. Then I was able to turn it out by hand.

Thanks for all the ideas though. They will likely help when I get to pulling things apart more.

[sigshooter]

Higher quality screwdrivers such as Snap on, Matco, and Craftmans professional series have a "nut" on the end of the shank next to the handle to put a wrench on for leverage. I have NEVER had a screw I couldn't get loose by using this method.... Also make sure you are using #3 phillips head screwdrivers on door panel screws

[donthekawguy]

It's too late for you but someone might read this and give it a try. You can heat it with a torch and drip candle wax on the screw making sure that some goes in to the threads. I learned this after many (20+) years working on vintage Jap bikes. They used Phillips screws on all the engine covers and they were made in a special size so at least half were guaranteed to strip out.