How to loosen a really stuck bail screw?

[BCT7]

I am slowly working on my second Daiwa 8700, which is in very poor shape. I manage to loosen one of the bail screws after 3 days of spraying with PB Blaster, but the other one is still not budging. To make matter worse, the previous owner kinda messed up the screw head so I am not able to get good contact with my flat head screwdriver. I need to find something that will fit better.

Any idea what I can try besides keep spraying PB Blaster?

One of the ball bearings is also not working, so I have it soaking in PB Blaster.

[Midway Tommy]

Find the right size coin that fits tight in the slot (probably a nickel or quarter). Put it in a vise-grip and use it as a screw driver. The slots in those bail screws are concave. A trick to loosening a tight screw is to turn it slightly tighter first to break it loose and then remove it. If that doesn't work add a little heat to it to expand it and then put an ice cube on it to shrink it. The righty-tighty trick will probably work, though. Make sure you are pushing hard against the screw so that the coin doesn't pop out. I have actually over hauled a couple of cheap appropriate sized screwdrivers just for bail screws. I got rid of their taper and curved the tip so they fit tightly and all the way into the slots.   

[alantani]

i'm guessing that torching the screw is not an option......   

[Donnyboat]

Some time you can cut the screw slot, a little deeper to get a coin or screw driver in to it, as you cut the groove it generally heats it enough to help it turn, good luck, cheers Don.

[BCT7]

Find the right size coin that fits tight in the slot (probably a nickel or quarter). Put it in a vise-grip and use it as a screw driver. The slots in those bail screws are concave. A trick to loosening a tight screw is to turn it slightly tighter first to break it loose and then remove it. If that doesn't work add a little heat to it to expand it and then put an ice cube on it to shrink it. The righty-tighty trick will probably work, though. Make sure you are pushing hard against the screw so that the coin doesn't pop out. I have actually over hauled a couple of cheap appropriate sized screwdrivers just for bail screws. I got rid of their taper and curved the tip so they fit tightly and all the way into the slots.   

That is a great idea with the coin + vise grip! I thought about using a coin but I could not grip it tight enough with my fingers. I will also try the heat and ice cube. I do not have a torch so I have to think about how I am going to do this.

Agree with turning it to the right slightly. That is how I got one of the screws off. The other one is just being stubborn lol.

[Midway Tommy]

You can warm it up with a hair dryer, heat gun or soldering iron. Just be careful if there's any plastic close and don't get the rotor so hot it blisters the paint. You might want to remove the rotor first so it's easier to hold steady.

[oc1]

I was thinking about how you make a deeper scredriver slot with a dremel cut-off wheel or hacksaw blade.  Besides the heat generated it is going to vibrate the screw.  I wonder if high frequency vibrations would help loosen any stuck screw?

[oldmanjoe]

I was thinking about how you make a deeper scredriver slot with a dremel cut-off wheel or hacksaw blade.  Besides the heat generated it is going to vibrate the screw.  I wonder if high frequency vibrations would help loosen any stuck screw?

I wounder if the Ultra Sonic cleaner has the frequency that would help free up frozen hardware ?
   
    Another heat source is the cigarette lighter or birthday candle ..

[foakes]

Another trick that I have used on occasion with salt-fused bail screws —

Basically, this is making what is referred to as a "Snake-Eye" screw.

Remove the rotor like Tom suggested —

Secure the rotor in a vise with protection for the paint such as cloth or rubber —

Drill (2) small holes perpendicular to the goobered slot —

Using a pair of needle nose pliers or even better — a 90 degree offset pair of snap ring pliers —

Insert the points into the drilled holes — something will come loose — generally the bail screw.

One time, when doing this — the screw was fused so badly — that it just twisted the head off.

But regardless — this is Triage Work — and the screw must be removed and then reworked or replaced

You already need a new bail screw — but even if you did not replace the bail screw — the screw can be cleaned up and re-worked to operate for another generation.

I have thousands of bail screws — glad to help with a new one when you get this one out.  N/C.

Best, Fred

[BCT7]

Thanks for the offer Fred!

Latest update: the other day I worked on it immediately after I left it outside overnight (temperature was down to 9F overnight). I figure I got nothing to lose at this point, and good news, I finally managed to move the screw, like 1 mm or maybe less, but it is progress. I can kinda wiggle it a bit, but it is still very tight. A combination of heat + cold + soaking in PB Blaster (I believe over a week so far) is starting to pay off.

I am pretty sure I can get this screw off now, but just going to take my time. I do not want to break it lol