BEBOP138

Has anybody had an easier way of getting out the broken screws on the rocker panels than breaking a couple dozen drill bits and easy outs???? Easy out------HAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! :chevy :( :(

NHvette

Air hammer ?
That might work, but if they are that rusty ... then the rocker channels are
probably rusted pretty good, too.

Maybe drill the heads off the screws and then grab them with vicegrips ?

Maybe needle-nosed vicegrips between the fiberglass panel and the steel rocker channel ?

Maybe hammer them straight through and go with oversized screws or one of the repair kits ?

:seeya

78 Vette

Drilled mine out and used stainless oval head screws and nuts on the back. I wont have that problem again.

Fevre

Sounds familiar. :mad Ended up using a stronger drill bit sized for plastic dry wall anchors. Once it was drilled out I cut off an anchor and glued it in the hole. Sounds bubba but will never have to worry about the screw rusting in there again. Of course a little anti seize works on ones that aren't rusted but you are working on ones that are.

Red 69

BEBOP138, I tried that route and just gave up. Zip has a rocker screw repair kit for $27. You drill a 1/2 inch hole and insert the brass threaded collar. http://www.zip-products.com/Corvette...A36877E28C6085



[Modified by Red 69, 12:44 AM 4/9/2004]

foundvettelifeisgood

That's slick. :cheers:

If you're not using PB Blaster or similar juice to help, you'll have to drill. I was able to use the vice grip method with the PB.

Eddie 70

Mine were put on by Bubba. They were held on however he could get them to hold.
I need to get me at least one of those kits or come up with something similiar. Thanks for the ideas. (Bubba gears whirring in my head now)

R 73 454

Try a titanium drill bit, preferably a made in USA one from a industrial supply house. You can drill stainless with them. Also great for ball joint rivets! :flag

BEBOP138

Hey guys Thanks for the ideas, the Zip repair kit sounds great but will try the super hard drill bit first. Sorry about the double post, I put it up by accident on the for sale stuff, the moved it for me.. :chevy

Jughead

I cut off the remaing screws with a cut-off wheel then started drilling out the screws with a 1/8th bit to get the hole started. I used the kit above from Ecklers though. Read the directions, I don't remember using a 1/2 in drill bit though, maybe a 3/8.

:chevy

Edzred72

Try using needle nose vice grips from the backside of the fiberglass. (between the body and frame. Turn the screw "IN" to remove from the backside. I got three of em out that way. The repair kit works great!! But don't tighten the inserts too much....they are brass and will snap. Ask me how I know!
Eddie

stingry

Me too. Go to a boating store and get stainless steel screws, washers and nuts. Use locktite(blue) so you don't lose the nuts.

theandies

:iagree:
Be careful with the kit, it works great but the brass part will snap as stated above. I don't know the significance of them using brass unless they don't want stainless (or some other metal) and aluminum to react with each other. :crazy: