Stuck screw in an elliptical assembly - - halp?
August 25, 2020 10:43 AM Subscribe
I purchased this elliptical, and in putting it together, I've arrived at a step where in order to put two parts together, you need to unscrew a screw...and boy, this screw is STUCK. I have tried: brute strength, WD40, WD40 Specialist, whacking it with a hammer, and more! Fun! Am I "screwed"?
I believe the WD40 did not work because the washer has created such a tight seal with the screw. Importantly, I *have* gotten a refund on the machine. I have also emailed the manufacturer, and asked them to just send me the one part, and they...do not seem to get it. If I can just remove this one screw, the machine will be totally usable. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to get it out?
Imgur link here. In one image, you can see rust on the...outside casing (?) surrounding the screw. I'm assuming there's rust on the inside too, which is causing the problem, but that's a total guess on my part. I'm also holding up what the screw looks like when it comes out (from a different area). The screw head itself is starting to get stripped, but it isnt too bad, yet. I do have access to a screw extractor kit but I havent tried it yet, as I'm not sure if it is the right move or not. I consider myself a 5 on a handyman/woman/person scale.
Thank you! It just seems a total waste to give up on the thing when it is literally just one screw.
I believe the WD40 did not work because the washer has created such a tight seal with the screw. Importantly, I *have* gotten a refund on the machine. I have also emailed the manufacturer, and asked them to just send me the one part, and they...do not seem to get it. If I can just remove this one screw, the machine will be totally usable. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to get it out?
Imgur link here. In one image, you can see rust on the...outside casing (?) surrounding the screw. I'm assuming there's rust on the inside too, which is causing the problem, but that's a total guess on my part. I'm also holding up what the screw looks like when it comes out (from a different area). The screw head itself is starting to get stripped, but it isnt too bad, yet. I do have access to a screw extractor kit but I havent tried it yet, as I'm not sure if it is the right move or not. I consider myself a 5 on a handyman/woman/person scale.
Thank you! It just seems a total waste to give up on the thing when it is literally just one screw.
Penetrating oil is much better than WD40 for this task. Try that first. Let it soak for at least an hour, or even overnight.
Then use a longer-handle hex wrench. If you have access to a power drill, that could do it.
And yeah, everything that bondcliff said.
posted by danceswithlight at 11:14 AM on August 25, 2020
Then use a longer-handle hex wrench. If you have access to a power drill, that could do it.
And yeah, everything that bondcliff said.
posted by danceswithlight at 11:14 AM on August 25, 2020
PB Blaster (officially "B'laster") is a decent and widely available penetrating oil that I've used in these situations - it might be cheaper than Kroil depending on where you get it.
posted by exogenous at 11:21 AM on August 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by exogenous at 11:21 AM on August 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
I can't tell for sure, but it looks like it: does this screw form part of an axis of something that rotates?
In that case you could be looking at a left-handed threaded screw instead of the conventional right-handed, and if that's the case, all your efforts so far have only tightened it. Bottom bracket cups on some bicycles are like this and it causes all kinds of problems.
posted by jamjam at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2020
In that case you could be looking at a left-handed threaded screw instead of the conventional right-handed, and if that's the case, all your efforts so far have only tightened it. Bottom bracket cups on some bicycles are like this and it causes all kinds of problems.
posted by jamjam at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2020
Response by poster: Yes, using a strong hex wrench wrench with a pretty long handle. And there's a total of 6 screws that are just like this one, so I don't think it is a reverse-threaded screw. I will check out these other penetrating oils (that sounds so wrong) and report back, thank you! You've all given me some hope, at least.
posted by fillsthepews at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by fillsthepews at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't use channelocks, they don't bite hard enough.
This is a perfect use for visegrips, preferably real name brand visegrips. Lock on the washer very tightly and pull. you can even beat on it with a hammer.
If that doesn't do it there is something very wrong, like reverse threads or glued threads. You should be able to rip the head off with this setup.
posted by H21 at 12:51 PM on August 25, 2020
This is a perfect use for visegrips, preferably real name brand visegrips. Lock on the washer very tightly and pull. you can even beat on it with a hammer.
If that doesn't do it there is something very wrong, like reverse threads or glued threads. You should be able to rip the head off with this setup.
posted by H21 at 12:51 PM on August 25, 2020
That's a good-size bolt! If it's imperial, that's a 5/16 hex key. The same size used to hold exhaust headers on drag racing motors.
Take one of that bolt's friends to Lowe's and confirm whether it's metric or imperial by matching the threads. That way you know whether to use a metric or imperial hex key.
Better yet, get a hex key socket and use a socket wrench instead of the hex key. Much more likely to bust it loose.
Finally, make sure whatever tool you're using is fully seated in the socket.
posted by notsnot at 1:03 PM on August 25, 2020
Take one of that bolt's friends to Lowe's and confirm whether it's metric or imperial by matching the threads. That way you know whether to use a metric or imperial hex key.
Better yet, get a hex key socket and use a socket wrench instead of the hex key. Much more likely to bust it loose.
Finally, make sure whatever tool you're using is fully seated in the socket.
posted by notsnot at 1:03 PM on August 25, 2020
Oh! One more thing. If you can get a wrench that is the same size as the socket, slide the wrench up on the hex key before you put the hex key in the bolt head. (again, make sure the hex is fully seated.) Then you can use a pipe and the wrench to put a lot more persuasion on the hex key, without twisting (and breaking) the short end of the hex key.
posted by notsnot at 1:05 PM on August 25, 2020
posted by notsnot at 1:05 PM on August 25, 2020
A ChannelLock Nutbuster is the tool to use here. Because of the shape of the jaws, the grip (on the outside of the screw head) will tighten the more force you use trying to turn the bolt. Hex keys and hex key sockets will ultimately slip out of the screw head, especially when that head has already been damaged and/or you can't press down on the key hard enough because of the screw being in some part of a construction that you can't clamp in a bench vice or a workmate.
posted by Stoneshop at 1:41 PM on August 25, 2020
posted by Stoneshop at 1:41 PM on August 25, 2020
You can see exactly how this goes together at the 4:40 mark in this assembly video.
It looks like the bolt should come out easily. All are normal threads. The only difference I can see is that in the video the bolt has both a washer and lock washer. If the lock washer were left out, then the bolt could have been screwed too far into the shaft beyond the depth of the tapped threads, causing it to jam. Oil probably isn't going to help, just brute force.
If that is the case, the bolt is just jammed very tightly into the shaft. You will need to find a way to get more leverage on your hex wrench and hope you don't strip the head. I would try sharply striking the far end of the hex wrench with a hammer to apply twisting force while someone else assists in holding the hex wrench tightly on the head.
If you do manage to get the bolt out, don't screw it back into the same location. Swap this bolt with one of the other two bolts with better heads, since this is the more critical bolt holding the assembly together. See if you can find washers to replace the missing ones.
posted by JackFlash at 1:45 PM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
It looks like the bolt should come out easily. All are normal threads. The only difference I can see is that in the video the bolt has both a washer and lock washer. If the lock washer were left out, then the bolt could have been screwed too far into the shaft beyond the depth of the tapped threads, causing it to jam. Oil probably isn't going to help, just brute force.
If that is the case, the bolt is just jammed very tightly into the shaft. You will need to find a way to get more leverage on your hex wrench and hope you don't strip the head. I would try sharply striking the far end of the hex wrench with a hammer to apply twisting force while someone else assists in holding the hex wrench tightly on the head.
If you do manage to get the bolt out, don't screw it back into the same location. Swap this bolt with one of the other two bolts with better heads, since this is the more critical bolt holding the assembly together. See if you can find washers to replace the missing ones.
posted by JackFlash at 1:45 PM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
Do you own a heat gun? Ideally you could heat up just the metal the nut is threaded into, but heating up the whole area may also help loosen it.
posted by Poldo at 1:54 PM on August 25, 2020
posted by Poldo at 1:54 PM on August 25, 2020
You might want to be careful with heat. That shaft is the sleeve bearing for for the connecting shaft and you don't want to mess it up.
posted by JackFlash at 2:03 PM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by JackFlash at 2:03 PM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you do manage to get the bolt out, don't screw it back into the same location.
In fact, don't screw it back in at all. Throw it away and buy a nice clean replacement on one of your trips to Home Despot to buy penetrating oil, breaker bars, EZ-outs, or something like that.
posted by spacewrench at 2:27 PM on August 25, 2020
In fact, don't screw it back in at all. Throw it away and buy a nice clean replacement on one of your trips to Home Despot to buy penetrating oil, breaker bars, EZ-outs, or something like that.
posted by spacewrench at 2:27 PM on August 25, 2020
The video that JackFlash linked shows steel screws with a black oxide finish, but the OP's photos show silver-colored fasteners that are either zinc plated or solid stainless -- I'm not sure which. Stainless machine screws are prone to locking up due to thread galling, and when that happens no amount of penetrating oil will help. Having had that experience a few times, I think it's possible that the solution here is to drill the screw out and run a tap through the female threads.
posted by jon1270 at 3:48 PM on August 25, 2020
posted by jon1270 at 3:48 PM on August 25, 2020
In light of JackFlash's observation that there should be a washer under that bolt, we might guess that the paint is sticking to the underside of the bolt head, since pressure causes some common metal finishes to act like glue.
In my experience, hydraulic fluid is effective (way too effective) at stripping paint from metal, so maybe a q-tip dipped in the brake fluid reservoir of a car and then judiciously and very sparingly applied around the base of the bolt head would be enough to break it free after waiting an hour or so for it to penetrate.
posted by jamjam at 3:54 PM on August 25, 2020
In my experience, hydraulic fluid is effective (way too effective) at stripping paint from metal, so maybe a q-tip dipped in the brake fluid reservoir of a car and then judiciously and very sparingly applied around the base of the bolt head would be enough to break it free after waiting an hour or so for it to penetrate.
posted by jamjam at 3:54 PM on August 25, 2020
Another way to get some leverage is to put the hex wrench in the bolt and then use a adjustable crescent wrench to turn the hex wrench. You can put the crescent wrench right down next to the bolt head so you aren't torquing at an angle which tends to twist the hex wrench out of the socket. It will help if you can get an assistant to push in on the hex wrench while you twist with the crescent wrench. I'm pretty sure if you can get enough torque on the bolt you can break it loose.
If you don't have an adjustable crescent wrench, even a pipe wrench,channel lock or vise grip pliers might work. The trick is to get the torque down close to the bolt head so you don't twist the hex wrench out of the socket.
posted by JackFlash at 4:18 PM on August 25, 2020
If you don't have an adjustable crescent wrench, even a pipe wrench,channel lock or vise grip pliers might work. The trick is to get the torque down close to the bolt head so you don't twist the hex wrench out of the socket.
posted by JackFlash at 4:18 PM on August 25, 2020
Besides galling mentioned above, there's also a chance someone cross threaded that screw when they put it in.
A good quality hex key with the wrench as discussed above ought to either back it out or break the head off.
If the head breaks off, or you drill it off, can you then get to the shank of the screw with some brand name vise grips?
posted by rudd135 at 6:20 PM on August 25, 2020
A good quality hex key with the wrench as discussed above ought to either back it out or break the head off.
If the head breaks off, or you drill it off, can you then get to the shank of the screw with some brand name vise grips?
posted by rudd135 at 6:20 PM on August 25, 2020
Response by poster: Ingesting a lot of this information (thank you all!!), and this might be a dumb question but...none of these methods (with the exception of the heat, as mentioned above) could hurt the casing (for a lack of a better word) around the screw?
posted by fillsthepews at 9:23 PM on August 25, 2020
posted by fillsthepews at 9:23 PM on August 25, 2020
The important part is the smooth cylindrical surface that slides into the connecting arm. The face on the end of the cylinder where the bolt is stuck is less important so not a big deal. Look carefully. Does everything on this problematic side look exactly like the other side? Nothing bent? Can you wiggle the triangular bracket by rotating it on the stuck bolt like the hands on a clock, maybe with a bit of force?
If you can't remove this bolt, you should consider this a manufacturing defect and ask for a replacement. If you bought this through Amazon, you should contact them first and tell them it is defective. You might also go the the manufacturer's web site and explain the problem to them.
None of this is your fault. The bolt should come out as easily as in the video with two fingers. Unless you want to wait a couple of weeks for a replacement, you can't do any harm by trying to fix it yourself so go ahead.
posted by JackFlash at 10:09 PM on August 25, 2020
If you can't remove this bolt, you should consider this a manufacturing defect and ask for a replacement. If you bought this through Amazon, you should contact them first and tell them it is defective. You might also go the the manufacturer's web site and explain the problem to them.
None of this is your fault. The bolt should come out as easily as in the video with two fingers. Unless you want to wait a couple of weeks for a replacement, you can't do any harm by trying to fix it yourself so go ahead.
posted by JackFlash at 10:09 PM on August 25, 2020
Response by poster: Thanks, all! I appreciate it. From what I can tell, the rest of it seems intact. I can indeed wiggle the bracket, very easily. As you said, there's nothing to lose by trying, so I'll do that and report back.
posted by fillsthepews at 9:48 AM on August 26, 2020
posted by fillsthepews at 9:48 AM on August 26, 2020
Response by poster: Looooooong time for an update, but: I tried many things listed here, and I thank you all! None of them worked, lol, and in desperation, I went to my local Ace Hardware. A worker there took a look at it, found a better hex wrench, hit the wrench end with a hammer a few times, and it eventually came out. I think what really helped was he was able to put the entire thing in a vice, so he could put a lot more force on it. He said it seemed like there was "thread locking glue" on it, which....obviously there should not be! Whew!
posted by fillsthepews at 1:04 PM on October 25, 2020
posted by fillsthepews at 1:04 PM on October 25, 2020
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I might try a different penetrating oil. I've heard good things about Kroil.. Put some on and give it an hour or so to penetrate.
You didn't say what you're trying to remove it with? How long is the handle on your hex wrench? If you can lengthen it somehow to get more leverage (a length of thin pipe will do) that might help, but of course you don't want to wrench it so hard you strip the screw.
If you have a shitty hex wrench (like an Ikea one or one they gave you with the machine) you might try a better quality wrench. It will fit better and be less likely to strip the screw.
If the head itself get stripped it looks like you have enough exposed screw head that a good pair of channel locks might get a good grip on the head. You could loosen it that way.
If you don't need to save the screw you can just drill it out. Use a bit slightly smaller than the diameter of the threads. Since it's a hex screw the bit should sit nicely inside the, er, hex hole, and not skirt around all over the place. Just drill and keep drilling until you've gone all the way through it. Squirt some oil or cutting fluid on it occasionally so the bit doesn't overheat.
Uggg. Good luck. I have been there a million times and it's not a fun detour at all.
posted by bondcliff at 10:59 AM on August 25, 2020 [3 favorites]