When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Use a drill bit that is just a bit bigger in diameter than the screw, it will remove the head of the screw and you will be able to get the exhaust pipe collar off, then you will be able to grab the protruding part of the screw with vise grips.
If you use a left hand drill bit (as Dyna suggested) it may actually spin the stuck fastener out when the head of the screw comes off. You may find that after the head is gone and the collar is out of the way, that the remaining part of the screw is not very tight in the head anymore.
If Kroil is not available, try to find some PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, or Automatic Transmission Fluid. Don`t bother with WD 40...
oops, i somehow missed this post. gotcha.
i think this will be my best bet. now, to find drill bits big enough....
if anyone has any other suggestions, i am definitely all ears/eyes, and will check back later tonight. meantime im gonna grab some food and potentially make a trip out to lowes. thanks for all the responses gang.
I would drill the head of the screw off: carefully. Center punch the bolt head and drill about 1/4" with a 1/16" drill. It is important to drill dead center. Then work up through a couple of drill sizes until you can get the head off. Once you remove the exhaust you will be left with a stud and most likely a centered hole in the middle of it. I would then soak that stud with penetrant and let it sit overnight.
After resoaking the stud, go back to drilling it to size for an easy out then try and work it out with that. You can always use a left hand drill if you have one. It might help unscrew the stud. Take you time and try not to mess up the threads in the block.
I would drill the head of the screw off: carefully. Center punch the bolt head and drill about 1/4" with a 1/16" drill. It is important to drill dead center. Then work up through a couple of drill sizes until you can get the head off. Once you remove the exhaust you will be left with a stud and most likely a centered hole in the middle of it. I would then soak that stud with penetrant and let it sit overnight.
After resoaking the stud, go back to drilling it to size for an easy out then try and work it out with that. You can always use a left hand drill if you have one. It might help unscrew the stud. Take you time and try not to mess up the threads in the block.
Good luck and keep us posted.
After seeing the pics and how little material there will be to grab on to, I agree that this method will be your best bet.
ok you stated you used an impact driver? The kind you hit with a hammer? If not get one, you can pick them up for about $10 to $15 and they work wonders on phillips head bolts like that.
hold it onto the screw, give it a twist counter clockwise and a good wack with a 2lb hammer and in seconds it should be coming right out.
I hate the thought of drilling the head off because then all you have left is the stub of that small screw left, after that you will have to drill all of it out.
an easy out is easy to break off in the hole, if you were to resort to this be sure to heat the head around the screw.
good luck either way and keep us informed, we learn so much from what everyone else does on here suck as I did not even know about kroil, gotta get some now
You might try taking your dermal and cutting a slot in the head and use a screwdriver. Use an adjustable wrench on the shaft of the screwdrive to turn the screwdriver while pushing down on the top of the scredriver and keep it as stright as you can. This works sometimes worth a try before grinding the head off.
You can also use a center punch near the outside edge of the screw to try and break it loose. First try putting the punch in the center and giving it a couple of good raps and then punch a dimple near the edge and turn it with the hammer and punch.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.