How to Loosen Frozen & Rusted Screws
If you do a lot of home repairs or work on cars and motorcycles, you are no stranger to the dreaded "frozen" screw. This is any screw locked in place by rust and corrosion between the threads and the metal bolt hole shaft. Nearly impossible to remove by hand alone, frozen screws require special steps to loosen. The use of special chemicals and some patience is all it takes to solve the problem. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Soak the head of the screw in a penetrating oil compound by pouring it over the screw or spraying it. This oil is designed to loosen rust and corrosion, making removal easier. There are many on the market, but Mystery Oil, Liquid Wrench or Kroil are three to try. Allow the bolt to soak for several minutes or up to an hour in extreme cases.
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2
Press a properly sized screwdriver tip into the screw head. The screwdriver must fit perfectly into the screw head. If it does not, go get the right size screwdriver. Improperly sized screwdrivers do not work on rusted on screws and could exacerbate the problem.
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3
Apply downward pressure to the screwdriver with your hands and turn the screwdriver counterclockwise. If the screw does not budge, apply more lubricant and repeat this step to attempt removal again.
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Grip the head of the screw with locking pliers. Lock the pliers down by squeezing the handles closed, if the screw head is raised above the surface of the screw hole. Twist the locking pliers counterclockwise to loosen the screw.
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Tips & Warnings
If these methods don't work, you might have to use a tap and dye to drill out the screw. Drilling the screw with a regular drill will damage the mating surface.
