Offroad-Express

I'm trying to take my doors off to fix some rust around the hinge area before it gets too bad. They bolt on with philips head screws. Really tight - I've tried getting an impact driver on them and giving it a good whacking but can't get them to budge. Havn't got any air tools would that be likely to help? Any other ideas?

Heat!! If it's that tight only adding heat will work.

Either that or drill off the heads and hope you can get the rest out after the door is gone.

Good luck

Muddymatt

I had the same problem they wouldnt budge i was told to drill them but never done it I guess it would work

They are put in with some sealant of some sort , heat them up with a heat gun and they will come free . Bit hard to hit with an impact driver as the door just flex's

best option is get a big drill about the size of the screw head and drill the head off , a big drill will not go into the shank of the screw much . Once you have the door off there is enough sticking out from under the hinge to get with vise grips , they come right out once teh door is off . then use bolts to put them back in , easy to get out next time

I used my big 18v battery drill on a reasonably high torque setting. Let it rattle a few times and they break loose. Just make sure you use the right size (big ?no.3?) phillips bit.

Sounds like heat is what I need. They are seriously tight too. Looking at the bit on the impact driver I can see that that it has twisted (powerbuilt impact bit). I don't like the idea of drilling them because I'm not convinced that I will get enough torque with vice grips before they slip. I haven't got an oxy weilder do you reckon a camping gas cooker will make enough heat? Course I'll end up taking way too much paint off but thats ok its not there to look pretty. And do you heat them and turn them hot or let them cool down and turn them.
Cheers.

another way is get a cold chisel and hit the screw head on an angle in the direction to undo it....
and you should be able to loosen them, then undo with screwdriver

I have found a small mallet and a decent impact driver bit works on them generally... once the bit is twisted it is hopeless get a new one... Also once the bit twists it sometimes stuffs the head up...

Other thing i've done successfully in the past is ground off two flats on either side of the screw and put a pair of vicegrips onto the flats and smacked them with a hammer... (or even a cresent on the flats maybe)?

If your not worried about the paint may as well give the cooker or heat gun a try.. may get lucky may not... no real harm in trying (other than the paint) with a torch i normally put the vicegrips on whilst red hot so they deform the head to get a better grip (but you won't get it that hot )