I have two very very rusted screws on my license plates...
I was planning to put a license plate holder and replace the screws today however.... I tried and tried and all that was happening was me stripping the screw-head.
The darn thing won't budge--AT ALL.

Any ideas how to remove the screws?

 

dremel tool to cut head of screw off, then drill remaining screw out. replace screws with hex screws. this is what i had to do. seems to be a problem on our cars. hope this helps.

 

PB blaster is the best.... its better then liquid wrench and better then wd-40 and its cheaper.. this stuff is no joke i just used it 2 days ago to do my exhaust and all of those bolts were rusted and seized and it worked like a gem and they came right out try spraying that stuff

 

Hmn.. I'll probably try that last. I don't want to ruin my only license plate o.o
Thanks for the info though.. I got regular screws. Perhaps I should go get the hex screws instead.

I'll make sure to head out sometime this week and look for it.
Thanks for the help.

 

i also had the same problem u did with one of my screws and try pushing in really hard with the screw driver so it doesnt slip and then try to screw it out it took me like 20 strait minutes but i was able to do it

 

Once you get it out go down to Can. Tire and get SS ones and replace them .. I do it soon as I get the car .... been around a lot of years and got tired of that scenareo.

 

+1 for PB Blaster. That shit frees up any rusted bolt. Spray it on and leave it for about 10 minutes, then come back with a hammer and tap the bolt head a bunch of times to help loosen the bond. Spray again and then try to turn it. If you're using a 12 point socket, change to a 6 point socket to avoid stripping out the bolt head.

 

I tried that.. but then it only kept stripping off the star-head of the screw.
I am afraid to even touch it at this point.

I'll make sure to get SS ones as well.. forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me.

Well.... the screws don't have a head for socket-wrenches.. it's just a regular screw. My only option of removing is to use a regular screw driving. I have to resort to using a flat head versus a star head now.
Thanks for the further tips though.

 

Kroil is an excellent product for unfreezing rusted metal fasteners. I have heard that a 50/50 mix of ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) and Acetone is extremely effective as well. Have not tried it myself and am not at all certain that the Acetone may do a job on a paint job. There is a product on the market (several I believe) that comes in a tube uses a paste that has diamond dust in it. Put this stuff in the slot of the screw or the philips head or on the screwdriver head. The diamond dust digs into the metal of the screw head and provides the tip of the screwdriver a greatly improved grip on the screw. You may also wish to try to flatten the opposing sides of the screw to the point that you can get the tip of a good pair of vise grips on the screw. Good luck - and next time get some stainless steel screws at the hardware store. John

 

If you already stripped the screw, spray it with pb blaster, and then use a screw extractor to get it out

 

Impact Screwdriver

 

I don't think you want to be smacking the license plate screws with anything. Good chance to dent or deform the deck lid lip behind the plate.
Kroil does work real well,(i'm actually surprised anyone else even knows what that is) but I'd go with bdogg's idea; use a Dremel and be done with it. Do you have a a plate frame? Other wise slide some thin metal or a piece of wood behind and around the screws in case you slip or get overzealous with the tool you're using. +3 on stainless screws

 

Very late update...
Got PB Blaster.... but it didn't work. If anything all it did was clean the rust that was on my license plate from the screw.

I suppose my other option is to go with bdogg's route. Use a dremel and cut the screw's head off... I'm just not sure how I would approach the cut since the head won't budge [thus has no possible gap] on the license plate.
I'm thinking of dremelling head on or something...

 

they do make bits that kind drill in to the screw and gives you a secure grip to remove.

http://www.asseenontvguys.com/index....ROD&ProdID=380

 

Pressure pliers work like a charm for me...all you have to do is "break" it free and then you'll most likely be able to get it out by hand.

Try it! Cheap and much easier than dremel and drill out method cause there's always a chance of hitting the threading with the drill.

J.

 

anybody what what the threading is for these screws? I'm thinking about changing to stainless steel

 

Why not just clamp down on the head with some vice grips

 

Use the Dremel to cut another slot in the head then continue to try a large head screwdriver with vise grips attached to the shaft. You can apply pressure while turning with the vise grips. If no luck, drill through the middle of the screw and use an easyout or the like.

 

This thread is over a year old. I'm sure he got the screws out by now!

 

Rotor retention screws
License plate screws :shakehead

Regarding the threading

 

I now have this problem. Screw is impossible to get out and the screw head is now nearly worthless because it's been shaven down so much...

 

^did you read the suggestions in the thread?

turbonut and amua gave some great suggestions

 

I don't have a dremel or vice grips, so trying to figure out another way....

 

May have to cut your losses and start drilling out the center, start with a small bit, and keep it centered, sometimes, removing the center will take the pressure off the seized sized that are threaded on of the screw...then it'll start coming out with the your drill bit.

 

He might not have a drill either.....

 

I do have a drill but it's pretty weak, so that's probably not a great methodology either. Blahhh

 

So drive somewhere with people that are better equipped to handle the issue and pay them $20 to remove it.

 

No they didn't.

If an impact driver doesn't do it.. drill baby drill.

 

Oh.. wait.. this is for a license plate.. nvm. I thought this was for rotor retention screws.

Seriously.. it's a fucking license plate.

 

Yeah, dude...you guys up North see some major corrosion on that area, man. Mine look brand new, 9 years later...broke the license area and bought a new one from up North, that one's brackets are rusty as heck.

 

one of my screws was so rusted on my traded in 04 TL it broke the bracket when they were taking it off to swap license plates to my 07 TL luckily it was now the dealer's problem.

 

Lol

 

Ended up using vice grips to get it off, only thing that I tried that worked.