Rusty screws...any more ideas?

[Ldub]

So on my awesome 99 Astral that the previous owners (Bimati and grantCO) took such great care of, I am trying to take care of a few little issue before tackling bigger stuff (like...has the timing belt been changed ever? does it need to be now?).

I noticed one of my rear license plate lights is burned out, but the screws holding the lenses on both of them are rusted to hell, and all the WD40, elbow grease, and careful non-stripping force I can apply will not budge them.

They are too recessed to get vice grips on...I could try to dremel flats on but it's a very hard location to get to with the dremel, and I don't want to crack the lenses (I think they are glass).

Any other ideas I can try? I have the replacement bulbs. I need to get a torx wrench big enough for the cladding (my largest is a T20) if that enables me to get to the back side of the screws.

It's not an unheard of problem...http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...ear+door+light

Maybe drill the heads off, disassemble, & follow the instructions above?...

[twalker920]

Thanks for the link Ldub.

I need to get that torx wrench and take a look inside. Kind of surprising if everything in there is rusty...we don't get that much here in CO. The screws I can believe just from splashing and washing...but we shall see.

I would definitely go with a plastic bracket. I have some Delrin lying around from my product design days I can cut and hog to an L-shape pretty easily.

Don't have time now today to do it so I guess I know what is on next weekend's to-do list. At least there's plenty of room to fit different lenses in there if I need to.

[Ldub]

No worries...glad to help.

I think a combination of snow & road chem gets packed up in there during the winter, with who knows how many pack/thaw/pack/thaw cycles.

I've noticed a bit of rust back there too, so I'm in line behind you for this fix.