Broken off headlight bezel retaining screws
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,358
Likes: 519
Broken off headlight bezel retaining screws
It seems that both screws that retain the headlight bezel at the top of the lid are broken off. I can’t get a vice grip on the stub.
Do you gents have any recommendations on how to extract those ?
Do you gents have any recommendations on how to extract those ?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 224
From: Pawleys Island, SC
Common problem I think. I ground off the stub as best I could and then drilled, filled with a steel filler product (can't recall which right now), and tapped. The new hole wound up slightly off center from the original hole position, and at the time I had my doubts about the holding power of the steel filler, but it's worked out fine.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 88
From: Easton Pennsylvania
I ground the broken screws down even with the screw hole. Used a sharp center punch to mark the center of the screw, I then drilled into the screw starting with a smaller drill bit and working my way up to a larger size one. Some times the broken screw will get drilled out till it's so thin that it may even just fall out with a small pick tool. Otherwise, just keep carefully drilling using larger and larger drill bits till you get to the correct size for you to then use a tap to repair the screw threads.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,327
Likes: 721
From: Marietta GA
I used the smallest drill bit to drill out the top screws that were rusted and would not come out. Since the painted bezels were in very good shape, I loaded them up with SEVERAL layers of Blue painters tape, in case the bit wandered, or my arm moved while holding the drill motor. I think I started off using my Dremel until the drill bit became to large for the Dremel Chuck. I found some Cobalt bits at Lowes, and probably went though 15 or so before finishing the job. Once the screws heads were removed from drilling, be sure to tape the areas around the bezel, before removing them. You don’t want to scratch the paint when removing the bezels. Go SLOW and rest every few minutes, as your arm will get tired. After I removed the bezels, I was able to get most of the screw body out. I did not try to tap the hole, and just went back with tiny stainless steel screws, and keep changing them as you retread the hole. Good Luck.
Eli
Eli
