Does anyone know the best way to remove 49 -51 ford hinge screws without striping them? Thanks for any advice in advance.
If paint damage is not a concern, heat them first with propane or oxy torch. After they cool, use an impact screwdriver. Ray
They were a bitch to get out in '64. I would try used ATF thinned 50% with paint thinner. Best damn penetrate there is.
If you ruin the screws I have some NOS screws that might be right. Ford part # 378428-S8 and 353908-S7. Also have 354488-S8 Robertson screws. Rod
I bought something similar to that at the Home Depot but it is a pile of garbage. That one looks pretty cool with the handle on the side to keep it from rotating. The washers under these screws are very unique.
Read this thread, if my link works.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=655919&highlight=removing+rusted+screws
Got mine out by heating the nuts rosy red . Loosen while it red hot. Even stuck the torch inside the doors with a heat shield. 2 people is best. Heating the philips head will probably twist the head of. If it does twist off just weld a hex nut on after you get the hinges off, The heat from welding will be enough to turn them out. It's a job that takes a long time since there are 32 of them.
I just went through this a few weeks ago , and deal with this at work quite often (in the car resto business) . Where you can get to the nuts on the backside , I'll agree with Tedley : Use an oxy/acet torch to heat the nut red hot , and then turn it out with a proper-sized screwdriver . An impact driver can be used to help out . On the ones that you can't get to the nuts behind : use an oxy/acet torch (propane isn't hot enough) with a small tip - heat the screw up red , right on the head ... let it cool black , then heat it back up again - repeat a few times , then use a proper-sized screwdriver (or carefully with an impact screwdriver) (once it begins to go black) to remove them . Don't force them . If they don't come out , repeat the process . If you try to beat on it while it's still red , it'll deform the head , and make it even harder to remove them . Have patience with them , you'll be glad you did .
Thanks for the advice guys. I went out and bought some torches (long over due). I heated each screw twice and took my time with ample amounts of penatrate oil and and all the screws came out in one piece. Now it is time to join the bottom half of my solid Tudor doors to the upper half of my rotten Vic doors.
While you're at it... Rebuild the hinges, and ditch those damn screws for hex head... Check this out. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=570601&highlight=rebuild+shoebox+hinge Rich
I managed to destroy 2 screws trying to get them out. The heads were already pretty stripped when I started, and stripped out completely when trying alternating heat and PB Blaster, hand impact screwdriver, etc. Tried using a version of an EZ-out, and ended up drilling the ez-out completely through the screw. They were not coming out regardless. My question is, what do I do now? I've got portions of the screws in those two holes. One is slightly off-center. How do I fix this?
A screw knocker is the ONLY way to do this IMHO. I've pulled quite a few doors off these cars and it never fails. Dads, I think you're going to have to sneak up on the those with progressively bigger drill bits. once you ALMOST hit the threads at one point (you say they are off-center) the screw should now be slotted and you should be able to work it out with a small chisel. a little heat may help. this has worked for me in the past. worst case you can just knock the welded on nut off the backside and weld a new nut on! I think some of them are accessible on the body.
I don't really have a way to make a screw knocker at this point, so I ordered this one: http://www.amazon.com/Aircraft-Tool...8XQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332553285&sr=8-1 I hope that one will work.
On a related note, does anyone know the size/thread of those door screws? And the best place to get a quality tap and die set that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?
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