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View Full Version : Rounded Out Screws, ARGH!


VashTheStampede
12-03-01, 10:07 PM
A friend who was in debt to me, sold me his 600W 4-channel amplifier, a Lanzar Vibe 420 (300W across 2 channels, 75W across 4). Which is great, replaces my old gimpy Pioneer 75W 2-channel amp.

Everything was supposed to be so simple, just drill new holes for the bigger amp, done. Disconnect subwoofer wires, done. disconnect power wires, not done. This is where my complete lack of an electrical degree comes in. I take out the screw holding the positive in place. Due to lack of sufficient lighting, I take out the next shortest wire, the ground. Ok it's out, now that I can move the amp around a little more, I can get to the negative, bad move. I let an car audio shop hook up the amp and my stereo last time, this was before I worked at Pep Boys and before my complete lack of knowledge about a car's electrical system. Well they obviously had used a drill on this thing, instead of a friggin screwdriver, because the screw holding the negative down, is rounded out, originally a phillips-head. So I take a flat-bladed screw driver, and try and try, it's not budging, and then the screwdriver slips and POW! White sparks fly all over the back seat, the screwdriver had slipped and touched the bare wire. I was not hurt just a little jumpy. So I reconnect the ground and attempt to take out the negative again, no deal. So I get my power screwdriver, again nothing. Then my cordless drill with screwdriver attachment, still nothing.

So I gave up there and attempted to reconnect the positive wire again, so I wouldn't get any more sparks when I drive to work tomorrow, and POW! More sparks fly from the positive wire. So I leave it at that, I'm going to find some electrical tape and wrap it around the connector so it doesn't spark again.

So any suggestions in the meantime, on how to get that rounded out screw out?

~Vash~

13oots2
12-03-01, 10:12 PM
If there is enough space, can you hacksaw a slot in the head? A good way of loosening a stubborn screw is to place a screw driver on the head and tap the driver with a hammer, not too hard though. Maybe a set of Mole grips to grip the head or pliers???
Thats me out of ideas.

VashTheStampede
12-03-01, 10:27 PM
Originally posted by 13oots2
If there is enough space, can you hacksaw a slot in the head? A good way of loosening a stubborn screw is to place a screw driver on the head and tap the driver with a hammer, not too hard though. Maybe a set of Mole grips to grip the head or pliers???
Thats me out of ideas.

Here's a pic of another amp similar to the one I'm having trouble with:

http://pix.crutchfield.com/products/2001/235/h235USX205B.jpeg

Would have to be the world's tiniest hacksaw to do that, remember the negative is still a live wire, still hooked up to my truck's battery. I tried the hammer method, but I didn't have a hammer so I used the bottom part of my cordless drill. Hmmm

~Vash~

Shep
12-03-01, 10:48 PM
I have a suggestion why not unhook the battery from the truck, just remove the ground cable. Then use the drill and drill the head of the screw out until it comes off. Or you could cut the wire.

brembo
12-03-01, 10:52 PM
Grab a dremel, cut a slot in it. Dremels are like 30-40 bucks, and you can build a space station with one. I have worn out two of em. Dozens of bits, I dunno how civilization formed without em really.

oc jason
12-04-01, 12:53 PM
just use pliers (needle nose) if you can grip the rounded screw, well if not ust use a dremel and a cuttin tool to cut a slot big enough to fit a flahead into, and yes diconnect the battery as blowing tha amp will not be good

Intraveinous
12-04-01, 01:37 PM
Agreed on the "cut a new slot with <insert tool of choice here>" and also very much agreed on the disconnect the battery. Theres a reason why Step 1 in just about all installs that involve the electrical system are "Disconnect negative battery terminal." :D
What good is forgiving the debt if the amp is dead? :D
Peace
John