Screw Extractors - Worth paying a lot for?

[herulach]

SO, need to get one of the mangled screws out of the front brake reservoir and am intending on purchasing a set of screw extractors. SInce prices seem to range from £3 upto about £20, I thought I'd ask for some personal opinions, last thing I want is to end up with the end of an extractor stuck in there as well.
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YBR 125>FZS600

[LongJohn22]

Most screw extractors I've ever used seem to end up broken in the remains of that I was trying to extract! The problem is that they tend to expand the broken off screw/bolt, so that it is jammed in even more firmly. On the odd occasion when I am faced with this situation, I take a bit of time and drill it out. I have no doubt there is someone with a super-dooper expensive set that works every time, just not me.

[Frost]

Brake reservoirs usually are counter sunk to make them flush with the top. Drilling them out with a bit slightly wider than the thread works perfectly.

[herulach]

Right, maybe i'm being a muppet, but how does that not result in a fucked thread thats then useless and needs replacing anyway?
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YBR 125>FZS600

[Frost]

Cause you only go down as far as is shown on that picture, just enough to separate the head from the threaded part. You can then take the lid off and undo the thread with pliers or probably your fingers. Bolts only get hard to turn as the head presses into something, as soon as the head is gone it's like unscrewing a bolt that is already half undo... piss easy.

[N cee thirty]

some dicks ruined the screws on my fazers reservoir aswell
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Frost]

Every bike i've ever had at least 1 has been knackered. They can sometimes be got out with an impact driver, but often their beyond this and the fluid is stale as fuck

[N cee thirty]

yerr i'm not looking forward to getting mine out,drilling the top bit is a good idea
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Nick 50]

Get some Evo-Stik Liquid Metal and stick a small hex bolt (smaller diameter than the damaged screw head) on top of the damaged screw head (standing up). Let it dry and then use a socket to unscrew. Both should come out as one.

[Fizzer Thou]

I have never needed to use this trick before,but I read about someone who suggested using some course grinding paste on the tip of a screwdriver,then try to undo the chewed up screw.

Another way might be to remove the piston and the seals and to heat up the master cylinder cap with a heat device.The softer aluminium will heat up faster,so it may well allow the steel screws to loosen.

I too have had to resort to the drilling out of the countersunk part of the steel screws before.It takes a steady hand to do this a bit at a time.Too quick and it may catch and shear off the screw head.Too slow and the drill might not cut into the steel properly.
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[herulach]

frost's suggestion worked a treat. Nicely bled and replaced with a machine screw & a stack washer for the moment till I can get me a replacement - or more than likely it'll stay like that till i next need to touch it.
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YBR 125>FZS600

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Ariel Badger]

[Frost]

I've seen people try that one only they welded it on. It still failed.

[DrDonnyBrago]

I feel that I should clarify that my 0.1% of screws that glue might work on were those that are so loose they could be undone with a dry marshmallow on a stick. I was not inferring that it is a viable solution in some instances.

[herulach]

[SuzukiTom]

i agree get some decent drill bits and drill them out.

[J4mes]

I have used a Dremel type tool to cut a slot in the top of the screw before so that you can get a large flat bladed screwdriver on it. Worked for me!

Screw extractors only really work well on bigger items, where there is enough meat left on the screw for it to grip. Smaller screws just get chewed up in my experience.

[serlant]

I start by trying to tap the bolt around with a flatheaded screw driver and a hammer, works 99% of the time, when that doesn't cut a slot in it and use a flathead, slot gets bigger until it undoes or the head snaps off cos the slots so big.
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04 CBR1000RR, 1995 Husqvarna TE410, 1998 VTR1000(Sold), 1990 XJ600(sold), 1996 KH125(dead and sold)

[Frost]

Cutting a slot in it isn't an option with a counter sunk screw, there is nothing sticking up above to cut a slot in, you'd have to cut a slot into the cover itself too which is just nasty.

[Dazbo666]

[Fizzer Thou]

I used an extractor on the KTM fine filter that goes vertically into the engine.The standard one is also made of cheese and the replacement item is far better made.But I have read on various forum sites about how far people will go to get these out,often mullering crank cases in the effort.I ended up grinding down one of the bigger Easi-Outs in order that it would do the job cleanly.The cost of one of these tools was far less than a full engine rebuild if things went wrong.
____________________
Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'