Removing Door Screws

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 2:54 am

Howdy.

I've tried No4 Screw Drivers.... Impact Screwdrivers... PB Blaster and Heat.

I still can't get the screws on the 1960 sedan to budge.

The car isn't a rust beast and I'm cornfuzzled.

Anyone have any tricks?

I haven't tried REALLY hard to remove them... figured there was a trick to it.

Thanks for the smarts.

timmy

metropoj · Post by **metropoj** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 4:22 am

After spraying a good rust buster on the back threads, I've had to resort to a number 4 phillips and take a pair of Vice Grips on the plastic handle of the screwdriver and turn for all I was worth .... Between using the impact driver, a good 2.5 pound hammer and using the abovementioned solution, I've been lucky to remove them ......

John Kelly · Post by **John Kelly** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:06 am

Sometimes it helps to put the large phillips on an 3/8" ratchet with extensions long enough to brace yourself in the door opening...pushing and turning at the same time.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

JC-ATL · Post by **JC-ATL** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:48 pm

I bought a half-inch drive socket with a number 4 Phillips head. I use a long extension so I have room to lean on the ratchet with all my body weight while turning it.

Once I got them out, I replaced them with the Allen-head type from a late bus. 100% easier.

jwvert · Post by **jwvert** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 7:54 pm

I've had to drill 60% of mine out. They would not move for anything.
JW

Mdyson · Post by **Mdyson** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 10:15 am

I have three VW?s and had to remove the doors on all of them, and none of them wanted me to take the screws out. The rust buster is good if you can get to the threads. The problem I had with that was you are working with a vertical surface so gravity works against you and the flat heads seem to keep the stuff from getting to where the problem is. It my work on the top ones because you can reach them from behind but the bottom hinges are too deep to get that stuff down there.

I have found only two methods to work for me, not to say others don?t have a better approach but perhaps this will help you.

1. An impact wrench (not a impact screwdriver) with a #4 impact bit on a ½? drive.

You can probably get a service station to do this for you, once you loosen the screws you can put them back in snug to drive home and finish the job.

2. Heat from a torch, I used one of the small handheld ones that use butane as fuel.

Heat just the head of the screw and then try your impact screwdriver while it is still hot. You will have to play with the heat and depending on if you are going to repaint or not will determine whether you need to worry about protecting the paint on the hinge with a damp towel.

I once had a situation where I could get all but one screw out. I held the screw with a screwdriver and a vice-grip while a buddy moved the door up and down. This worked real good if you have that type of situation.

Good Luck,
Mike

Post by **Marc** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 9:36 am

Mdyson wrote:...An impact wrench (not a impact screwdriver) with a #4 impact bit on a ½? drive.
...I held the screw with a screwdriver and a vice-grip while a buddy moved the door up and down...

John Kelly wrote:Sometimes it helps to put the large phillips on an 3/8" ratchet with extensions long enough to brace yourself in the door opening...pushing and turning at the same time.

These are the techniques that have always worked best for me. A variation on John's method is to use some lumber across the door opening to push against a screwdriver, using a 2x4 as a lever against the B-pillar to exert max pressure while turning the 'driver with ViseGrips (or a wrench, if you happen to have a screwdriver with wrench flats on the shaft). Works best with a second person to hold everything in line.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 10:47 am

Lesson learned -- I went and picked up a L--O--N--G Craftsman #4..

had a private message asking if my no 4 was really a no 4... answer was no after taking mine to the store....

Put the new Craftsman in and they all came out (didn't want to) but all came out.

Impact didn't work... even on an impact wrench

T.