What Should I Do Now? The Air Filter Screws Are Stripped

[X1Ryan]

I've vigorously tried to unscrew these horrible things, and i haven't succeeded. Now they are practically stripped. THEY ARE SOOOOOO FREAKING TIGHT INTO IT I DONT GET IT! Why would they need to be THAT tight. Nothing can make them budge and now theyre stripped. IT looks like i wasted 30 bucks on a new air filter now cuz i can't even use it. I'm SO MAD! is there anything i can still do to save myself from this mess?

[Buster]

use a drill bit that is about 1mm smaller than the diameter of the head of the screw your trying to remove, then drill the head off, pull your air filter off and then you will have plenty of the screw body showing that you can put a good set of pliers on.

[X1Ryan]

What do u mean drill the head off. The screw's head now its like circular, there's no way i can even use a screw driver now How does everyone else get theirs off to replace the filter! i don't get it!

[Buster]

Drill the head of the screw off by drilling right on the spot where you would insert the screwdriver to turn the screw. This will allow you to pull the old air filter right off, and then you can use a good pair of pliers to turn the screw bodies and get them to come out.

[X1Ryan]

ok

ok i will try that. Thanks for the advice. But has anyone had these problems? I mean i know a lot of people chage their filters so.?

[SurfRider]

do what he said, but after u get them out, take a dremel and instead of using pliers to get them out, try cutting a groove into the screws and use a screwdriver to get them out

[X1Ryan]

Hey what kind of drill would i use to get these screws off? I have like an automatic drilling gun thing, but i'm not sure what kind of head to use.

[Freddie]

Any type of drill will do the trick, of course except for a hammer drill...

[Buster]

do what he said, but after u get them out, take a dremel and instead of using pliers to get them out, try cutting a groove into the screws and use a screwdriver to get them out

Your never going to cut slots into a screws shaft and be able to apply pressure to it. You could do this if you do not drill the head off though, but the heads on these particular screws are not thick enough, expecially if they are already stripped.

[Synister]

Mine did this also. so i figured What the heck Im replacing the Air filter anyhow so I broke the back plastic A/F plate enough to get a good set of visegrips on those screws and took them off that way.

[heavyarmscustom]

same thing happened to me, after the cheap screwdriver that it came with broke, the screws stripped, and i also used a vice grip and turned the head of the screw

[GopedRicer]

ok cut the head of the screw off and use vice grips or sumthing and clamp it onto the stud that is still there and unscrew it, it will come out!! just like taking the studs out of the cylinder for the exhaust on a stock sport!!! well thats how i did it ne way!! hope this helped!!!