Stripped screw on cooling system

[JustAguest]

Hi,

I was trying to re-paste my Asus ROG GL553V and I couldn't take the last screw out, I tried all the bits available in my kit, nothing really worked.
It's in a very sensitive place above the motherboard and the GPU, any help would be appreciated.

Before:

After:

Original screw location:

P.S.: I tried super glue for about 10 minutes, didn't really work.

 

[robot zombie]

Easy out? Just dont use a drill! Its basically a screwdriver bit with reverse threaded spiral that cuts into the head... so you turn it in backwards until it grabs and hopefully turns the screw loose. Also known as a screw extractor. You want the ones with the 1/4 inch hex shaft, same as impact driver bits. There are others that are square shaped that are bigger, but those are for drills and tap wrenches.

If you have a little electric screwdriver an easy out would fit that and probably get the job done easy enough.

Probably best last ditch though. Takes pressure. Looks like you could get around it with a small pair of needle nose. Probably what I would try first.

Another trick is to jam a piece of rubber or similar between driver and screw. Adds grip.

Or get creative and get some epoxy putty. Jb weld steel stick or something. Push a dot into the head, press screwdriver into putty. Let it set overnight and then try to turn it.

 

[MIRTAZAPINE]

Do you have an big oversized Philip screw driver bit? It may work sometimes. Look like the screw is badly stripped, laptop screws are very soft steel.

Your only option might be pliers or cable cut plier to grab the screw to turn it.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Heat up the head with soldering gun thus it will expand and break thr bond...

The try...

 

[Cranky5150]

Banged that screw up pretty good there.....needle nose vice grip pliers would work a treat tbh..

 

[XL-R8R]

Use a pair of needle nose pliers and turn the screw - dont be banging or thrashing at it with any tools and certainly dont warm it up beforehand to break any bond; the plier method will do this job perfectly fine.


Order a new screw on eBay.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I want to recommend drillin it out with a small drill bit but thats probably not a good idea if you dont have the hands of a surgeon

 

[Bill_Bright]

I was trying to re-paste my Asus ROG GL553V

Why? It should be noted TIM (thermal interface material) never, as in NEVER EVER needs to be replaced just because it is X number of years old. TIM will easily last 5, 10, 15 years or longer AS LONG AS the cured bond between the two mating surfaces is not broken. Yes, you can often get a few degrees improvement by replacing old TIM with newer, better TIM. But the facts are, if you need those few degrees to keep from crossing over thermal protection thresholds, you have other cooling issues that need to be addressed first, like case cooling, or correct clocks/voltages.

I say, if the cured bond is not broken, put the other screws back in and leave it.

Other wise, I agree with Ferrum Master - only in reverse. It seems to me if you heat up the screw head, it will expand making it even tighter in the screw hole. I might try instead to super cool it by tilting a can of dusting gas (or butane lighter fluid) and squirting super cold liquid on it, then, with a brand new screwdriver (new because the edges will still be sharp), try to back it out.

If you can get a grip with vice grips, that might work.

If all that fails, then I agree with robot zombie and use an EZ-Out screw extractor. The advantage of the EZ-Out is it will not damage the threads of the screw hole - if done properly.

HOWEVER - because you have already chewed up the screw head, and because vice grips or an EZ-Out will chew it up even more, you need to be ESPECIALLY CAREFUL now to ensure there are no metal filings anywhere that might cause a short.

 

[thesmokingman]

As mentioned, you can use a fine pair of needle nose pliers to get that off.

 

[JustAguest]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll try them and report back.

Why? It should be noted TIM (thermal interface material) never, as in NEVER EVER needs to be replaced just because it is X number of years old. TIM will easily last 5, 10, 15 years or longer AS LONG AS the cured bond between the two mating surfaces is not broken. Yes, you can often get a few degrees improvement by replacing old TIM with newer, better TIM. But the facts are, if you need those few degrees to keep from crossing over thermal protection thresholds, you have other cooling issues that need to be addressed first, like case cooling, or correct clocks/voltages.

I say, if the cured bond is not broken, put the other screws back in and leave it.

I undervolted the CPU and the laptop still thermal throttles, so I'm going for the next best thing I could do. Some other folks reported a major improvement over that.

 

[AsRock]

Dremel or alike to allow a screw driiver to work and maybe a second screw driver that you can fit between the to metals ( not the PCB ), as you turn the screw driver try twisting the other and with some luck it will lift it passed the cross thread.

 

[hat]

With care, you can cut a slot into it with a dremel to allow a flathead screwdriver to turn it. As previously mentioned, this will undoubtedly throw electrically conductive shavings everywhere. If you try this or some other destructive method, I hope you have an air compressor or some other powerful source of air that can easily remove most of the debris.

 

[8BitZ80]

I was going to suggest cutting a large slot for a screwdriver, but it's not a good idea to get any metal shavings inside a computer.
The easiest solution is to superglue a nut onto the head of the bolt. Should be able to wrench it out after it cures.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

Robot Zombie suggested a screw extractor. If you want cheap and cheerful tools that you don't need to last forever, Harbor Freight's got 'em. https://www.harborfreight.com/screw-extractor-and-left-hand-drill-bit-combo-set-10-pc-61981.html

If you're shopping for tools that you're going to use every day and that you want to last, you should look at better brands.

 

[xtreemchaos]

small mole grips, thay will clamp onto that screw like a treehugger in a treehugging contest.

 

[delshay]

As mentioned, you can use a fine pair of needle nose pliers to get that off.

That's correct, no drilling as suggested by other users. You don't want fragments of metal getting everywhere because if it get trapped under a BGA component you may have a very hard time getting it out, if at all. Pliers should work with no problems whatsoever.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Ummm, you are suggesting pliers can't chew up the screw head and leave metal filings in the electronics - that's clearly not true. Even with extreme care, metal filings can shed off. Regardless the method used, as seen in the images shown above it should be assumed there already are metal filings in there.

 

[delshay]

Ummm, you are suggesting pliers can't chew up the screw head and leave metal filings in the electronics - that's clearly not true. Even with extreme care, metal filings can shed off. Regardless the method used, as seen in the images shown above it should be assumed there already are metal filings in there. t

That depends on the user. For someone that always work with tools it would be easy. I can get that out first time with no slip-up's. Judging by what the OP has already done, I don't think it's possible the OP will get that out first time, there will be slip-up's, but it's better than trusting the OP with a drill. Pliers option will produce less fragmented bits that won't go flying everywhere. You need needle nose's bottom left, but I can get it out with any the three bottom adapter as I'm familiar with using tools.

To tell you the truth, I recommend OP take it to a repair shop, just because you should be damaging screw heads that way. Normally when I see something like that means OP did not have the correct screw driver head or not using the tool correctly.

Needle nose pliers required or similar to bottom left adaptor head.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I can get that out first time with no slip-up's.

LOL Of course you can.

That depends on the user.

It does, but the user is not the only factor. Just because you are so talented and can remove any screw every time, first time, without ever leaving even a single filing, that does not mean everyone is so capable. That said, I doubt even delshay is perfect 100% of the time.

I did say they pliers "can" shed filings. I did not say they "will". I also said by the pictures, it looks like that ship has sailed.

 

[delshay]

LOL Of course you can.
It does, but the user is not the only factor. Just because you are so talented and can remove any screw every time, first time, without ever leaving even a single filing, that does not mean everyone is so capable. That said, I doubt even delshay is perfect 100% of the time.

I did say they pliers "can" shed filings. I did not say they "will". I also said by the pictures, it looks like that ship has sailed.

I would not let it get that far. I have an assortment of screw driver heads & I always pick the one that sits deep & snug so that the screw head does not get damage. I would not call myself that talented, it's just that if you use the same tool let's say most of your life, it becomes second nature & you learn all the tricks, pros & cons. This goes for everyone, you learn faster smarter ways if you do the same thing over & over every week. There's an art to getting that out first time.

You mention not everyone is not capable, well I would say leave it alone if you think it's a little beyond you.
It's just a screw, ok, but make sure you have the correct head that fits deep & tight in the hole at the very lease. This is "key" to not shredding screw heads.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I would not let it get that far.

And yet you just declared you could get that screw out "first time with no slip-up's" just by looking at a picture.

The point is, if a person has all the necessary tools, has done this task most of their life, knows "all" the tricks, and has it down to the point it has become second nature, it is not likely they would come to a forum seeking advice on how to remove that screw. So it just makes no sense to assume or even suggest our own talents automatically apply to all.

Swapping out power supplies is undoubtedly one of the easiest maintenance tasks anyone who knows how to use a #2 Phillips screwdriver can do with a computer. That does not mean even the most seasoned technician can't "slip up" - especially when there is already something apparently damaged in the first place. Nor does it mean that task cannot be intimidating to someone who has never done it before, even if handy with a screwdriver.

 

[bonehead123]

Been there, done that, use a screw extractor, no question in my mind ....

Glad that was what I used instead of any of the other suggestions listed so far

 

[Bones]

I have to agree with the superglue method in this case.

Just set a small nut on it with some super glue and spin it off once it sets - No metal filings or anything to worry about over it.
DO NOT apply it to the screw or the nut directly.

Instead set the nut on the head of the screw and then apply a drop in the hole of the nut while it's sitting on the screw.
Let that set and spin the bad screw out.

Then take the old screw and go to a hardware store, match up the screw by size, thread pitch and length to what they have (Which would be better quality metal anyway) and get a complete set instead of just the one.
Remove all the old screws and replace them with the new screws when you remount the cooler.
Done.

 

[delshay]

And yet you just declared you could get that screw out "first time with no slip-up's" just by looking at a picture.

The point is, if a person has all the necessary tools, has done this task most of their life, knows "all" the tricks, and has it down to the point it has become second nature, it is not likely they would come to a forum seeking advice on how to remove that screw. So it just makes no sense to assume or even suggest our own talents automatically apply to all.

Swapping out power supplies is undoubtedly one of the easiest maintenance tasks anyone who knows how to use a #2 Phillips screwdriver can do with a computer. That does not mean even the most seasoned technician can't "slip up" - especially when there is already something apparently damaged in the first place. Nor does it mean that task cannot be intimidating to someone who has never done it before, even if handy with a screwdriver.

I can get it out first time with no slip-up, ultra easy, because I have a assortment of pliers that can grab & grip tightly around the side of the screw head. It's also about the user what they used to. I can get that completely out in under 20 seconds.

 

[Bill_Bright]

LOL and Gee whiz, delshay. Don't be so ate up with your own talents.

Go back and look at the warning in the last paragraph of my post #8 above. I don't care how remarkable you think you are, you cannot be certain the pliers won't slip or perhaps break off the screw head leaving filings behind - which was my whole point of that warning. And for certain, if using an Ez-out, which involves drilling a hole, then "cutting" into what is left of the screw, filings will be created. So one must be ESPECIALLY CAREFUL about those filings.

I have to agree with the superglue method in this case.

FTR, while worth a try, I don't think superglue will work. Superglue is great at resisting pulling forces (remember the commercial with the construction worker hanging down from his helmet superglued to the I-Beam?), but this is about sideways/twisting forces. I think it will snap off with little force at all. Even a properly cured epoxy bond will have problems with a twisting force.