I did something really stupid today while trying to fix my door lock actuator in my 2009 base Fit. I've already fixed two of the locks but the third door has proved difficult. The three screws in the side of the door that hold the actuator are extremely hard to get out. I got one of the three screws out but the other two wouldn't budge and I've stripped the heads pretty bad. I tried an impact driver but couldn't get them out.

So I went out and bought a screw extractor bit for a power drill, thinking this would solve it. Now I've broken off the screw extractor bit inside one of the screws. What should I do? Can I do anything or am I just SOL?

TLDR: I broke off a screw extractor bit inside a screw. What should I do?

 

Please post a picture

 

Upper right screw has a broken screw extractor bit in it.

 

Yeppers, been there. Broke off a titanium drill bit in a header bolt once.. wasnt more than two years ago, and thats how much I aged that day.
A pic would help.

In my case, there was nothing to grab, no tool to use, nothin'. I took it to an (the) exhaust shop and they welded a nut onto the snapped bolt, poured some CLP gun oil around where the bolt went in, torched the area then impacted it off. Not sure if torching followed by chilling would have been another step.

I now own PB Swiss screw drivers and a corded cobalt 1/2" drive impact with 300ftlbs torque. Also catagorized as pre-hypertension.

 

I think I must have used an extractor bit that was too small for the screw. Or maybe I didn't drill deep enough. Or maybe it was just cheap.

I was thinking maybe I could try to drill into the head of the screw surrounding where the extractor bit is broken off. Then, maybe I could loosen up the extractor bit and get it off.

Either way next time I try to get a stripped screw out, I'm using a left handed bit and just drilling it out.

Another option might be trying to use some kind of dremel bit to grind it away. I don't own one but they aren't too expensive.

 

If you find an extractor bit that can actually extract anything, call me, come to my house, as far as I know they dont work because they're never suitable for the needed application. Thread pitch, metal density, bite.. seems like someone should do it right somewhere in the world, but havent heard of it yet. Given those pics I'd just go to the exhaust shop. I paid the dude 20 bucks cash.. took em 5 minutes n cost him one nut, no waiting or anything. Any welder worth his salt wouldnt charge much anything since its about as inconvenient as retying shoelaces. Could likely sub the money for beer.
The dremel idea aint bad, but this kinda stuff isn't worth that kinda headache.

Apologies for interrupting, Fiting. It was a cold, lonely night.

 

Thanks, Pyts. I called a shop and found one that will weld a nut to the screw and take it out.

My only worry is that the heat from welding could hurt the actuator, which is made of plastic.

 

.Thanks for the good photos @dcasslem .

I wonder if those are JIS screws (Japanese Industrial Standard). JIS screws look like normal Philips heads but are more shallow. This looks like a potential application for JIS screws. So using a normal Philips screwdriver will cam out and strip a JIS screw head. JIS screws sometimes have a small dot on the screwhead but not always. I can't tell in the photos. You learn to eyeball this.

Regardless, I found that using very high-end screwdrivers reduces the probability of stripping out screws. That is probably because the tips are more precisely machined and have better materials.

Depending on the diameter of the extractor, you might have killed the inside threads. But I don't think that matters too much as you can work around it.

A few ideas that have worked for me on extracting screws with stripped heads:

- Expensive, ultra high quality left-handed drill bit. Cheap one won't bite and/or will break. These are easy to find in Japan and Germany but not so easy in the US.

- Another possibility is adhering a bit to the screwhead. Wipe the metal bits out and then degrease the screwhead. I think SuperGlue might be fine but there may be some epoxies that are better. It may not take much to get this screw started. Let the glue/epoxy set in reasonable temperature for a good amount of time. Seal the edges of the screw with tape so you don't inadvertently glue in the screw to the sheetmetal lol.

- You could take a Dremel cutting wheel and cut a slot for a normal screwdriver. The screw head and door sheetmetal are less than optimal. Also the normal screwdriver torques out a very low rates. That is why fastners have evolved to Philips, hex, star, etc; more area for tools to grip and torque on.

 

I just happened to be watching this video the other day, and according to it, all screws in hondas are JIS, even the US manufactured models.

 

I'm not endorsing the Harbor Freight product but I do endorse the process for getting out large & tight Phillips head screws without damaging the screw. I have a bunch of motorcycles and I use blue Loctite / Permatex on everything (smallest screws can be $4 ea / lots of vibration to jiggle out nuts, bolts, screws). After a couple of years and in areas around the engine or brakes, the heat will make the threadlocker rock hard. Things also get rusty from rain / water, so an 'impact' screwdriver with multi-bit sizes is an essential tool. Always works and the extracted screws are 100% reusable. I have an off-brand driver that was maybe $5, and I use it at least once every time I'm working on those motorcycles. You just need enough room to swing the hammer and the combo of pressure and the built-in twist works on steel / aluminum Phillips.