My niece just bought my wife's car, and I went to pull the plates, and the screws will not move. I put PB Blast on them, I've tried screw divers and vice grips. Do I have to drill these out?
Posted by Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 29 comments
I appreciate any help.
Educational_Meet1885@reddit
Invest in an impact driver from Hobo freight. A couple of hacks with a hammer and they will break loose.
SurlyJohn009@reddit
Hobo Freight, I like it. Working on Honda brakes, and an Impact Driver is the only tool that worked to release the bolts.
X 2, the impact driver and a hammer are great tools to break stubborn bolts free.
Kdoesntcare@reddit
If you watch the sales they have you can probably get one for like $20
ironicmirror@reddit
My rule of thumb was always: if you need to use a tool twice, don't buy it at Hobo freight.
Now I see people on this sub saying to pay extra to join their buying club.
Kdoesntcare@reddit
The quality has actually stepped up and the frequent 70% off sales are nice.
While I did save $80 by buying a car jack from HF I did not buy jack stands there.
PaddyBoy1994@reddit
lol, I'm glad I'm not the only one who calls it "Hobo Freight"🤣
Kdoesntcare@reddit
Blowtorch. The screws can't be stuck if they're liquid. 👍🏻
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
Lol, I was hoping to avoid that option.
Kdoesntcare@reddit
Where's your sense of adventure?
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
I think it wandered off following my urge to start day-drinking since I'm on vacation...
Kdoesntcare@reddit
Sounds to me like you need to install a fence around your property.
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
Lol, so that urge doesn't wander too far?
Kdoesntcare@reddit
Exactly.
I know it might be late for lunch for you now but eat a sandwich and drink a beer with it. Then it's not day drinking, it's part of lunch.
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
I like the way you think :)
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
UPDATE: The entire license plate and cover is attached to the car only by press clips. The plate is screwed to just the cover, not the car. I was able to pop the whole assembly off and drill out the screws. Luckily, I had bolts, nuts, and washers to replace the ones I drilled out. Lol, way more effort than that should have been.
optigrabz@reddit
I sold cars in upstate New York which uses way too much road salt. This results in a lot of experience taking out rusty plate screws. One thing to keep in mind is that often times you do not “need” the old plate. If you can bend the soft plate material enough times you can actually rip the plates off around the screws. This results in giving you more room to get a good pair of vice grips on the end of the screw.
Sometimes this results in a trip to the DMV with a colorful pile of Aluminum and a story.
ajm91730@reddit
Pictures?
Can you try cutting a slot with a Dremel , then turning with a flat blade screwdriver?
Keep it soaked in PB blaster. It might help loosen it up as you figure out things to try.
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
I will try that
ShrmpHvnNw@reddit
Take a flat head screwdriver and slide it behind the screw head (or plate if that works better just don’t put it between the plate and the paint)
Put tension on it and then turn it with another screwdriver, hopefully this will help it catch a thread and then you can get it out
ThatOneSnakeGuy@reddit
Do they have nut heads?
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
No, unfortunately
ThatOneSnakeGuy@reddit
Aw damn :( my best advice is an impact. If that won't get it off, I have bad news brother
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
Aw, man, I was afraid of that.
ThatOneSnakeGuy@reddit
You may have luck with an extractor bit! I have a small set of those. The only other thing I could think of is using a Dremel to cut a groove and getting a big ass flathead on there lol
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
I think both are good options. TT
MagnetAccutron@reddit
Yes
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
Ugh, no, you are supposed to tell me something I haven't tried yet that works and does not involve drilling the screws out ;)
Unlikely-Act-7950@reddit
Heat them up cherry red from the back side with a torch. That doesn't involve drilling anything. You might want to keep a fire extinguisher close by 🔥🚒
Crafty-Chocolate7282@reddit (OP)
Hard to heat license plate screws for the back side.