I've been outsmarted by a screw... o_O luggage rack

Ok so i wanted to take the luggage rack's slider bars (the two flat bars that connect the lengthwise slider tracks) off and that wasn't a big deal but the metal brackets in the slider track that the bars screw into are stuck... meaning, to get the brackets off the slider track, I need to unscrew a philips head screw in the end of the track- a screw that was probably put down with 150 ft/lb of torque 8 years ago and hasn't been touched since by anything other than the elements.. without an air compressor, it's needless to say my thumb is bruised and the screws havent budged (none of the 4 will break free, my screwdriver is raking these soft screws)... I know you all can help me with an old remedy or something to break these screws free (all this crap just to get those little ugly metal brackets out, pita!) Or if anyone has any alternative ideas, bring em on! Thanks ahead!
~stu

 

[blackbeauty]

pb blaster, wd40, etc.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Could try PB blaster or some other sort of penetrant (sp?) Just be careful to not get it on the paint - not sure just how corrosive this stuff could be. Maybe spray some in an old cup and use a q-tip to apply it on and around the screws.

Good luck

 

[mechanic021]

take a hammer and when you have the screwdriver on the screw hit the end of the screwdriver with the hammer dont hit it hard enough to injure yourself or break the screwdriver but a good whack might break it loose.

 

[XLoudFN97X]

mech has a good idea..., maybe. as for the penetrant, no go. WD40 and then some good ole' penetrating lube got me no-where. Of course I couldnt be too liberal b/c of the paint. any more ideas?

 

[Lt.Jim]

Sears sells a screw extractor kit. Looks like a drill bit but you put it in your drill and run the drill in reverse. The bit digs in and grabs stripped out screw heads. Works pretty well and is a handy tool to have around.

 

[Glowin97x]

those same screws broke like 4 of my bits right in half. I just gave up

 

[XLoudFN97X]

yeah the screwdriver/hammer trick made me nervous (something about swinging large metal mallets at the roof of my truck...). I'm gonna check into that screw removal kit, Q: will the screw extractor not disturb the screw opening so I can reinsert a screw after I remove the brackets? thnx again,
~stu

 

[mechanic021]

You dont need to hit the thing like your trying to drive a stake in the ground just a few light smacks. If its on the screw your not gonna hurt your roof. WHat it will do is jar the threads alittle and if theres any dirt or anything down in the threads making the screw stick it will hopefully make it loosen up the debri. I do this all the time at work There is a special tool you can use just for this made to break screws loose Its called a drill driver i believe.

 

[Lt.Jim]

The screw extractor that I was talking about does not touch the screw hole. It does however chew up the screw head pretty good. Chances are if your using this tool the screw head is already pretty bad.http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&pid=00952156000&bidsite=&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

 

[TJM623]

I used WD-40 on my door locks, when they were all gummed up and some dripped on my paint, the paint is fine, just put a rag around the screw or some paper...spray a ton on and around the screw and quickly wipe up the excess a little WD-40 aint' gonna hurt the paint...not sure what would happen if you left a puddle of it sitting up there though

 

[Creager]

Bigger screw driver.

 

[HappyGilmore]

wd40 doesnt hurt the paint. i use it all the time to get sap off of my car. so go ahead and spray away.

those screw extractors work exellent. i use them all the time at the aircraft maitnence hangar i work at. (all those screws in the wing panels, one is bound to get stripped)

 

[inh]

Forget what they are.. but there are screwdrivers designed to be smacked with a hammer. I think they are spring loaded or something.. But you hit it, and ity turns a lil or something and losens the screws right up.

 

[XLoudFN97X]

its called a "Tap and Die" set. and I picked one up for about 6 bucks from the Home Depot. Got the job done just right. Thanks tho
~stu

 

[DeerSlayer]

A Tap and Die set is to make new threads in a hole or on a bolt. The "Spring loaded screw driver" is called an impact driver (much like an impact wrench) You smack it with a hammer and it jerks the screw. I use one all the time on motorcycles its great. I'd be woried about smacking on the roof of a car though. The Hitting the screw driver works pretty well to but it only shocks it, it doesn't twist it at the same time like the impact driver.

 

[XLoudFN97X]

I dont believe I have the wrong name.... It was actually a 2 part deal. first was a "bit" with a conical tip which was reverse threaded. Then the second piece was a handheld twisting lever dealie. I had to drill a hole (smaller than the diameter of the screw) in the screw itself then hammer, or "tap" the conical-tipped bit into the drilled hole in the screw. Finally, turning the bit clockwise (with the handheld lever, or a drill w/ low power) caused the reverse threads to catch and twist the jammed screw from it's dwelling. I guess if I had a smooth hole and needed to thread it I could utilize this device (and a lot more elbow grease) but that's not what I needed so that's not how I used it. Capeche? Buono.
~stu