I am trying to replace my rotors on a 98 Trooper which has a captive rotor system on the front brakes. In it there are three small screws. Every video I watched said that these will likely strip out and sure enough they did.

I've never owned a screw extractor before but looking online and at Home Depot the kits are all about the same price, around 10 bucks, and have mixed reviews. Most everything I see looks like this:



Something about them all costing around 10 bucks doesn't give me confidence. I may be wrong and maybe this style is exactly what I need but I really can't make this problem worse so if anyone has advice on what I should look for please share. I am willing to pay for quality, I just don't know what quality is in this case.

Thanks!

I've had good luck with impact screwdrivers (hammer type) but it depends on how stripped the screws are.

I have also tried the Craftsman brand of screw extractors, but I don't think they would work very well with rusted stuff.

Good luck with it!!

I haven't worked on one of these for a while. Refresh my memory. Do the screws hold a retainer (a circular plate) to the wheel bearing/spindle nut? Are they Phillips?

Those are the tool that you need. An effective trick for rotors is often to hose the offending screw down with PB blaster and then give it a hard whack with a hammer. I've always been able to remove rotor screws using this method.

I have a set of the Grabbit! brand, which have worked flawlessly, but they all look like that and all cost about $10-20 for a set.

Good luck!

-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I haven't worked on one of these for a while. Refresh my memory. Do the screws hold a retainer (a circular plate) to the wheel bearing/spindle nut? Are they Phillips?

That is correct.

Little soft Phillips screws like those are bad about stripping out, all right.

If there is any semblance of slots left, try a good quality Phillips bit on an impact driver. The hammer blow simultaneously drives the bit deeper and turns the screw. No worries about rust as everything is swimming in wheel bearing grease. I have also used a left-handed drill bit in a reversible drill running in reverse. The bit may catch the screw and turn it out, or you can go ahead and drill the head off, remove the retainer plate and the spindle nut, then at your leisure you can grasp what is left of the screw shank with a plier and turn it out.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Little soft Phillips screws like those are bad about stripping out, all right.

If there is any semblance of slots left, try a good quality Phillips bit on an impact driver. The hammer blow simultaneously drives the bit deeper and turns the screw. No worries about rust as everything is swimming in wheel bearing grease. I have also used a left-handed drill bit in a reversible drill running in reverse. The bit may catch the screw and turn it out, or you can go ahead and drill the head off, remove the retainer plate and the spindle nut, then at your leisure you can grasp what is left of the screw shank with a plier and turn it out.

Thanks for the advice! I had not thought about drilling the head off. I suppose if everything else fails that’s still an option. It makes me a lot less worried to destroy the screw.

I’ll give your suggestions a try. Thanks.

If you're in need of a pair of pliers to grab stripped out screws, there are a line of Japanese pliers called neji-saurus that are simply awesome at this job. This size is large enough for most screws

quote:

Originally posted by ubelongoutside:
If you're in need of a pair of pliers to grab stripped out screws, there are a line of Japanese pliers called neji-saurus that are simply awesome at this job. This size is large enough for most screws

Unfortunately these are still firmly seated and even slightly recessed which takes using pliers or a dremel to cut a notch out impossible. Thanks for the link though. I am always looking for good quality tools!

How large a screw head?

I have a good set I'm willing to lend you if they are the appropriate size.

I'm unlikely to use them in the next month, given the doc's order to keep my left arm in a sling for another four weeks.

Either post here or email me the details.

quote:

Originally posted by wreckdiver:
I've had good luck with impact screwdrivers (hammer type) but it depends on how stripped the screws are.

I have also tried the Craftsman brand of screw extractors, but I don't think they would work very well with rusted stuff.

Good luck with it!!

I also have some Craftsman damaged screw extractors but they only seemed to do more damage when I tried to use them. These crews are in there good.

quote:

Originally posted by bdylan:
Those are the tool that you need. An effective trick for rotors is often to hose the offending screw down with PB blaster and then give it a hard whack with a hammer. I've always been able to remove rotor screws using this method.

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
I have a set of the Grabbit! brand, which have worked flawlessly, but they all look like that and all cost about $10-20 for a set.

Good luck!

-Rob

Thanks for the info. I guess these are the correct tools then. I was just a bit hesitant with the price and all the off-brand names who make them. It is nice to get some reassurance.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
How large a screw head?

I have a good set I'm willing to lend you if they are the appropriate size.

I'm unlikely to use them in the next month, given the doc's order to keep my left arm in a sling for another four weeks.

Either post here or email me the details.

Wow thanks!

I'll definitely let you know if I need them.

The extractors have been a waste of money for me. The soft Philip’s screws strip right out, and the lame ass drill end gets dull on the harder screws, making them dull and useless. Good luck with the good suggestions above

I have had good results with the type when you drill a hold down the center of the screw, then tap in a non-tapered sharp edged device. A special nut slides over the tapped in piece, and you rotate the nut to remove the screw.

Ridgid had them, and others as well. The kit includes a centering device for each of the 5 screw sizes.
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/screw-extractor

It is the set in a red plastic case, on the left side of the screen.

If there is some of the screw sticking out, heat and Kroil oil or Corrosion-X might get it out first.

I have used them all...just the nature of the business I am in. The type posted will work about half the time. You want quality that works better than any of the rest then look at Knipex. Hands down the best. If you don’t like the price at least go with the square type (google it there are many). They are a steep up from the pigs tail type posted.

ez-outs work really good and as Garret said the square shape ones work best.

Cobalt left handed drill bit. If it dosn't back the screw out, it takes the head off.

quote:

Originally posted by Pale Horse:
Unfortunately these are still firmly seated and even slightly recessed which takes using pliers or a dremel to cut a notch out impossible. Thanks for the link though. I am always looking for good quality tools!

For recessed screws, you can use a properly sized cold chisel to cut a slot in it. That might give you some purchase. After a good soaking of Kroil.
 

I e wanted to try this but have not yet: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwz-NXj5ZIk
I saw something similar for stripped screws.