ever snap a screw off in reel frame?

[snowdog]

I've pulled apart my Daiwa Sealine 400h for a complete overhaul with some upgrades.  When backing out the frame screws one of the heads snapped off.  It was one of the screws in the rod clamp and I was able to separate it from the frame leaving a few mm of thread sticking out.  Even after soaking threads in Break Free the screw still won't budge.  ANy suggestions on how to remove this screw.  I'm nervous the last bit sticking out will snap off then I'm up a creek.

[jaypeegee]

Have you enough screw clear to carefully cut a slot with a small saw?

[thorhammer]

Heat it

[Three se7ens]

Heat it.  10-15 min at 300 degrees in the oven should do it.  Or use a torch (carefully) or a heat gun. 

[snowdog]

so if I heat it do I try and unscrew it (vise grips?) while it's still hot? 

Not sure about cutting a slot.  There is enough length but it is pretty thin and seems brittle.

[fsrmn]

When that happens to me I heat it up good with my heat gun then touch the screw with an ice cube. Cutting a slot in it will help also if it's too short to grab with small vice grips.

[jonnou]

Yes but don't burn yourself.

[Tightlines667]

You might also try putting 2 thin nuts on the exposed portion of the thread so you can get a box wrench on the screw.

[foakes]

All good ideas --

If it were me, I would use the 2 nut trick -- have everything in place -- heat the screw with a soldering gun -- apply ice -- then quickly try to back it out with an impact gun and six sided socket.  Or no impact and a wrench or ratchet.

A good set of big vise grips will work here also -- but if it didn't work, the threads would be ruined for the double nut trick.

Since the head twisted off -- cutting a slot is likely a low percentage trick, since that screw is really fused tightly -- but it may work.

Another example of why to grease every screw and exterior thread with mariine grease when servicing or assembling.

Best,

Fred

[Alto Mare]

You might also try putting 2 thin nuts on the exposed portion of the thread so you can get a box wrench on the screw.

Good one!


All good advises, unfortunately at times nothing works. You have stainless steel screws going into aluminum, those are welded together.
Take your time or you might crack the stand, don't ask me how I know ...good luck!
Sal

[Reel 224]

Two more cents; Heat expands Cold contracts, If you place the stand in a vice with the screw facing upward and concentrate the heat at the area of the stand where the screw is threaded into it and then gently try working the screw back and forth until it brakes free...would be my approach. Placing the heat in the right area is most important, applying heat to the threaded area only will expand the screw making it more difficult to remove it. heat and cold may work on larger bolts but in such a small area that is pretty difficult to do if not imposable, Since it is Aluminum heat will affect it much quicker then the SS, as Sal said it also can brake easily so be gentile with it. You may have to try that a few times if it doesn't move the first time when it cools then apply some WD-40 to the threads and let it soak for a while, then in an hour or so go back and apply heat again and thy to move it.     

[Shark Hunter]

Let us know how it works out snowdog. If you snap it off, your only option will be drilling it out and retapping the hole. I can't give you any advice that hasn't already been given. Good luck.

[handi2]

I finished one the other with 4 screws corroded in. I use a little mini torch and heat the metal around the bolt while dripping some TSI301 on the threads. They did come out..

[Bryan Young]

You might also try putting 2 thin nuts on the exposed portion of the thread so you can get a box wrench on the screw.

If one nut doesn't work, two nuts are better than one.   

Heat and cold is a good way to break free frozen screws.  I cool down with lubricant, like TSI, WD40, CorrosionX...While the metal expands, it will often break part of the corrosion between pieces and will get filled with lubricant.  I do this 4 or 5 times before even attempting to apply pressure to the screw.  Vice grips, pliers, 2 nut method (metric in this case) are good methods, but I like vice grips because:

I heat us the base and screw at once, then I use compressed air to cool the screw down quickly and grab the screw with vice grips and twist.  I don't like the nuts method because the nuts add thermal mass and will be harder to cool down faster than the aluminum base.

Good luck.

[Reel 224]

Two nuts with TNT will definitely work. Bryan made a perfect point on heat and cooling with spray lube that should work good.