Interior door handle screws

I'm trying to take off my door panel and the screws behind the door handle will not budge, either side is really stuck. Has anyone had to deal w/ this or might have a solution on how to remove them?

 

Screws arent stripped or anything, just can't seem to get them to budge at all.

 

Kroil, penetrating oil, and let it set, and do its job!

 

Will do, thank you!

 

Remember, patience is the key. Sometimes we can get anxious with a project, and rush using the wrong tool, that might work, so we think, but not like the right one! Think it out, plan your moves. Little tricks when something is tight, and won't loosen. Their are many good penetrating oils on the market, with so called creeping abilities: meaning that it will find it's way in between two tight surfaces, and help lubricate, to loosen the screw, and or bolt! Heat , naturally, depending on the situation, which doesn't seem to apply in this one. The head of the fastener, is everything! Is it worn, rusted, rounded off to make it difficult to remove? I've cut grooves, slits, and other, so called notches in fasteners to remove them, after exhausting all other possibilities! Depending, how bad the situation is, preserving the original fastener is the first consideration! Otherwise, you'll have to find a replacement! Many times I will tap on a screw or bolt from different angles, mainly from the top of the head,(first choice), and that will help! Remember, tap not pound, and it's all depending on the size, strength of the fastener! Again using the proper tapper,(hammer), is very important here! You wouldn't use a 20 lb. sledge on a small screw! In this application, I'm sure your access is limited. so again, patience! Let the penetrante do it's job, coming back once in a while and tapping it! It's not magic! I think you get my point! Good Luck!
Limestone

 

penetrating oil, wait, and then use a Manual Hand Impact Driver Set https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-2905-...ords=Impact+Screwdriver&qid=1601126228&sr=8-5
Setting the driver, placing it, striking with a hammer.

 

make sure you have the correct screw driver. On my Hijet, the door handle are #3 Phillips. If you try to apply much torque with the common #2 Phillips, you will bugger them up.

 

Shogun,
He's working on his door handle!!!

 

I know he is working on his door handle bolts, the vid was just to explain how a manual hand impact driver works. ;-)

 

shogun,
All's good, great video, for future reference!
Limestone

 

all good advice, one more thing, I sometime flatten the head of a worn screw head with a punch, to push the metal back into the screw head, most of the time it completely fill the head , then using the impact driver you make "new" Phillip slots and break it loose at same time. This is just adding a step to the , hitting at a angle, like mention above. and usually works for me. The thing here is, that it is the door, and you really can't hit it. As a last resort , drill with a reverse twist. start small and work out. screw might come out. If you are centered really well, you will take the head off before damage to surrounding parts. You can disassemble door, and then work at this from all side.

 

Bert,
Yeah, great point! Those little tricks, that we pick up over the yrs.!
Limestone

 

would have been Great to have the WWW in the 70's and all the tech toys Makers have today. to be 15 again.

 

I agree! Can you even imagine what kind of trouble we might have gotten into, buying all those mini's at a younger age! LOL!
Limestone

 

I’d be hesitant to use one of the hammer type impact drivers on those screws only because like a lot of stuff on our trucks, the metal is thin, and pounding on it with a hammer will most probably just bend things, you don’t really want bent.

I’d be more inclined to use my rotary impact gun after being sure I had the correct driver tip in it.

 

Exactly! That was my whole point, making sure it was understood, that we were talking about a door handle! I would not use the impact type, in this installation! Most of the door handles, especially today are made of cheap pot metal!!!
Limestone

 

I came back to mention ... I bought a cordless impact driver a year ago, for building house. Today I realized how prefect it would be for that door handle screw. BUT I see Jigs beat me too it. Another fine tool we didn't have in the 70's. Has he got his door apart yet?

 

Good point! I was wondering the same thing. It's appreciated when, comments, and situations are responded to, simply as a reference down the road for others, and it's just the right thing to do! I'm sure will hear something soon. Look at all the, portable, and improved tools we have today, compared to back then!
Limestone