Removing stripped grub screws

[mattonthesea]

Or should that be grub bolts?

I have managed to turn the hex socket into a round socket so I cannot remove the bolt. Does anyone know of a clever way of retrieving them?

They are in a saddle clamp on the cross bar of the solar goalpost. As they are holding it up I can't remove the bar to take it to a workshop.

TIA

M

 

[Roberto]

Can you hammer a torx bit inside?

 

[penberth3]

A photo showing the arrangement and working space might help. If you can get a clear photo in a difficult place.

 

[ProDave]

Use a thread extractor. With the advantage that you don't need to drill a hole for the thread extractor, you already have a (now round) hole in it.

 

[penberth3]

Use a thread extractor. With the advantage that you don't need to drill a hole for the thread extractor, you already have a (now round) hole in it.

Problem is grub screws (assuming it's a proper blue one) are hard and screw extractors don't grip. Also the hex sockets are quite shallow, but it's worth a try. A bit of penetrating oil might help as well if it hasn't been apart for a long time.

 

[ash2020]

If you get a set, you should be able to choose one exactly the right size. These look better than the old eezyouts with the long thread. YURINWOO: Damaged Screw Extractor Set

 

[Poignard]

Problem is grub screws (assuming it's a proper blue one) are hard and screw extractors don't grip. Also the hex sockets are quite shallow, but it's worth a try. A bit of penetrating oil might help as well if it hasn't been apart for a long time.

They usually are hard, as you say, but the fact that the sockets in these have rounded off suggests they are not too hard to drill, or to be gripped by an easy out.

I would drill into the hole to deepen it,and then try an easy out.

(If the easy out snapped, I would come on this forum and start a thread entitled "How can I remove a broken easy out"! )

Anoint the replacements with that yellow anti-seize paste that comes in tubes: Duralac, or suchlike.

 

[Rappey]

I have a metric and imperial set. Sometimes you can beat slightly larger imp into metric or vica versa. Can you heat it ?

 

[penberth3]

If you get a set, you should be able to choose one exactly the right size. These look better than the old eezyouts with the long thread. YURINWOO: Damaged Screw Extractor Set

Chinese crap, they might work but I wouldn't be optimistic.

 

[Goldie]

For a similar problem, Antarctic Pilot steered me in the direction of these extractors and they worked brilliantly .

https://www.misterworker.com/en-gb/...MI4bT25JiEkQMV6Y9QBh3mvxuJEAQYByABEgLsTvD_BwE

 

[Poignard]

Doh!! posted in wrong thread!

 

[penberth3]

For a similar problem, Antarctic Pilot steered me in the direction of these extractors and they worked brilliantly .

https://www.misterworker.com/en-gb/...MI4bT25JiEkQMV6Y9QBh3mvxuJEAQYByABEgLsTvD_BwE

What you've shown are for chewed-up hexagon bolt heads. You haven't read the original post, have you?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

You could use a left handed drill slightly smaller than the minor diameter of the thread. After drilling the remaining ring having thin walls either comes loose or can be collapsed by nodging with a pointed nodger. With a grub screw this technique will be easier than a sheered stud or bolt as you already have a centred hole.

 

[thinwater]

Obviously, treat with weak acid (citric?) or penetrating oil for a week before trying again. If not already done.

The real trick is to never over strain, which causes rounding. With any fastener, at the first tiny hint that something might be rounding, stop and reconsider.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Lots of sensible and obvious answers. Not sure exactly what your situation is. One other thing that has worked on hex socket heads that are rounded, use a countersink bit to drill the head off. you then have a small stub that can be gripped with moles, or similar.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have had exactly the same experience, quite difficult to solve. You might be lucky and find an Imperial Allen key that is slightly bigger, or maybe grind one gently to fit. The socket in grub screws is very shallow, not easy to find an Easi-out that will go in deep enough. Stainless steel grub screws are cold stamped, therefore hard, marginal for drilling out. As always drilling stainless, use the sharpest bit possible and press hard immediately. If the screw protrudes enough you might be able to cut a slot across it, allowing the use of a screwdriver. Ultimately red heat will do it but you really need oxy-propane or acetylene. Good luck!

 

[KompetentKrew]

What you've shown are for chewed-up hexagon bolt heads. You haven't read the original post, have you?

@Goldie linked the innie extractors, but Irwin also sell outie extractors.

Weirdly, Irwin don't show this set on their own website. I had assumed it to be genuine, but the price seems very reasonable for good quality tools.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I have similar in one of the clamps that holds my bimini together, the lower of the two:

It has been so extremely uncooperative so far that I'm dubious whether an extractor will work. Which is weird, because it seems to be stainless steel and presumably the clamp body is a brass casting? Also strange how it seems to be surrounded by more corrosion than the upper grub screw - I'd not noticed that before.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have similar in one of the clamps that holds my bimini together, the lower of the two:

It has been so extremely uncooperative so far that I'm dubious whether an extractor will work. Which is weird, because it seems to be stainless steel and presumably the clamp body is a brass casting? Also strange how it seems to be surrounded by more corrosion than the upper grub screw - I'd not noticed that before.

All stainless I think, which suggests galling as the culprit. If so, the two are welded together. Drilling out is the only answer.

 

[KompetentKrew]

All stainless I think, which suggests galling as the culprit. If so, the two are welded together. Drilling out is the only answer.

Surely the big solid clamp thing is a casting? Is there any way to check it's stainless, please?