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Step screw removal

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Hi Forum, I an deconstructing my Monster Beetle and the front upright that has the pin that the shell sits on, is held on by 4 step screws (at the bottom). They also hold both sides of the suspension arms on to the chassis. The bottom screws at the bottom came out normally, the upper two just spin in the hole, and don’t come loose in order to be pulled out. Does anyone ha e any ideas why please??

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Hi @alvinlwh, yeah, tried that. It should be the same for both top and bottom screws. The bottom ones come out easily. Top ones, just don’t move, however much purchase/pressure on the other end of the screw. I’ve tried a thin blade to try and gain purchase to help pull it through. But it still doesn’t want to slid3 out :(!

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Are those CRP arms, or the standard Tamiya arms???  I find that the brass inserts on the CRP arms will sometimes "weld" themselves to the step-screws.

As Alvin suggested, this is a through hole and you could push them through using a screw-driver and a little tapping with a small hammer.  I would use a small pry bar and just pull them out using a little leverage.

A squirt of WD40 might help...

Terry

 

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Hi Terry,  They are standard Tamiya Arms. The bottom ones Have come off with no problem at all. I have tried tapping them out too  they spin freely in the holes. They are a solid screw. They have a small screw part at the end, otherwise it is smooth. I have attached a pic of the instructions.  It’s very strange… and somewhat doing my head in lol!!

 

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It seems that the screw's thread is not engaged with the aluminium part (as intended) but the moment you want to push it out, then the thread bumps against the aluminium part and cannot get out. Try pushing it out and at the same time turning the screw (unscrewing direction). The thread might catch the aluminium piece's bore and "unscrew out".

Maybe also try pushing the screw but leaning it at different directions (side load it). It might be catching only one side and this could free it. You can use the nut to protect the thread (not fully screwed) and push on the nut.

All comes to worst, perhaps you can use a small file to destroy/cut the threaded tip and pull or push the screw.

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If you have another set of screws to replace the suck ones then grind down the threads with a dremel just enough  that when the nut is thread backon slightly and you push hard enough it pops thru the aluminum brace... If your re-using the screw I would place the nut backon and slightly heat the aluminum brace some and then see if it opens just enough to make it through without catching

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get some penetrating oil down the hole and leave it to soak in for a while, then get an adjustable wrench, with one jaw on the end of the thread (you could put a nut back on loose to protect the thread and give you a larger area to push against) and the other on the black plastic suspension tower (J11) and you should be able to "squeeze" it out.

My guess would be some grit has got in between the bolt and the plastic arm and stuck together to make a ring of debris that's fused it together, or a piece of grit has got in and cut a ring in both and has locked them together. Whatever it is, it won't be anything a bit of lubrication and some brute force won't be able to fix :) 

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5 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

It seems that the screw's thread is not engaged with the aluminium part (as intended) but the moment you want to push it out, then the thread bumps against the aluminium part and cannot get out. Try pushing it out and at the same time turning the screw (unscrewing direction). The thread might catch the aluminium piece's bore and "unscrew out".

Maybe also try pushing the screw but leaning it at different directions (side load it). It might be catching only one side and this could free it. You can use the nut to protect the thread (not fully screwed) and push on the nut.

All comes to worst, perhaps you can use a small file to destroy/cut the threaded tip and pull or push the screw.

This seems most likely.

If the bolt (it's not a screw) spins freely as you say then it's not binding on the shank.

You should be able to press it out from the back with some pliers... one of the tips on the end of the bolt and the other somewhere where you can get purchase (perhaps on the inside of that alu part, lower than the bolt) and squeeze. As long as the purchase point is secure you can't break anything.

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