Bought a used QD with a wheel on it. Came with 3 "pre-berkeleyed" screws installed. Finessed 1 out, was really hoping I could get a second, which would hopefully just let me turn the wheel about the QD and loosen the third, but a few attempts only seem to be making things worse.
Any tips for dealing with this without any risk of damage to wheel or QD?
In reply to Spearfishin :
Disregard!
I have these: screw extractors, and they've come in clutch many times! I'd expect that it would work here, but those screws may be fused to the part if they're galvanically bonded. In which case, drill the head off and twist them out the studs with channel locks?
Spearfishin said:In reply to Spearfishin :
Disregard!
Nice!!!
In reply to WonkoTheSane :
Not sure why I was nervous to use them in this instance. Feel like they've never worked when something is stuck good, but these didn't appear to be super stuck so much as probably previously tightened with the wrong tool, or maybe very ham-fistedly with the right tool.
I've Dremeled a slot in them before for a blade screwdriver. I've also used a drill bit to drill the head off and was able to use vice grips to extract the stud that was left. I almost want to say it was for removing a steering wheel as well.
Nice job with the extractor!
I have two sets of metric Allen extractors. They look like regular Allen sockets but with bitey corners. They've never done me wrong. They'll even be able to remove completely rounded out bolts.
If you don't have those available, you could try hammering the next size up Torx in there.
Or hammer a slightly too large torx bit into it. The hammering also helps break it loose.
but nice work regardless!
I've had good luck using torx screw bits as extractors for stripped allen heads or broken off bolts that I've drilled out. Just grab your favourite hammer and tap them in and grab a 1/4" wrench and see if it gives.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
I was coming here to recommend this. I have not tried it but a mountain bike YouTube channel I follow shows it working on a lot of thr bikes he fixes up.
Feels like a good time for an impact driver
I usually take a drill bit that is slightly larger than the diameter of the threads and just drill the head off kinda like drilling out a rivet. That will leave the top little bit of threads showing which usually spin right out once the tension is off. In fact, I did that exact thing yesterday
My goto for screws like that is to start with an impact driver (The kind you whack with a hammer) and whatever bit locks in the best (allen , torx, straight...) and if that doesn't work then I go the the drill bit Like Curtis described. If I have a left hand bit of the correct size I'll use that.
You had to threaten those fasteners with GRM knowledge, and they loosened up because they would lose anyway.
Noddaz said:You had to threaten those fasteners with GRM knowledge, and they loosened up because they would lose anyway.
Greater than zero chance that that is exactly what happened.
Got my new hardware from McMaster yesterday, installed 6 appropriate length, non-rounded-out-head screws and all is well.
It does always seem like a minor miracle when an easy out actually works. 
I discovered Grip Edge sockets a couple of years ago. Have a set for torx and hex. They are amazing in their ability to extract rounded fasteners.
Pricey and professional but so so good. I decided to try them when I had a hex head corroded intake bolt that looked sketchy. Gripedge took it out like it was a new bolt. I was hooked.
stuart in mn said:It does always seem like a minor miracle when an easy out actually works.
When used properly in the correct application they work every time! 
When I transferred to our sister plant they had a press that would run a few hundred thousand parts and they could never get the core rod bolt out. It was a flat socket cap screw like that but I think 3/4" thread, and about 10 inches long. It was always a huge production and they usually ended up drilling the head off after they completely destroyed the socket, which was no fun because there was no room for a decent drill.
The first time I got the call I grabbed the torches, heated the head up cherry red, put the torches away as it cooled, grabbed an Allen key and took it out with my fingers.
Automotive work taught me the value of heat
MAC RBRT is your #1 great go-to.
Failing those, drill the head. Those heads are pretty soft and easy to drill and you wont mess up anything that can be seen once the fasteners are back in place.
glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:I discovered Grip Edge sockets a couple of years ago. Have a set for torx and hex. They are amazing in their ability to extract rounded fasteners.
Pricey and professional but so so good. I decided to try them when I had a hex head corroded intake bolt that looked sketchy. Gripedge took it out like it was a new bolt. I was hooked.
'Tis the answer... One of the few pro level tools that the layperson should pony up for.
In reply to Byrneon27 :
At around $100, it makes a great birthday or Christmas gift from family that has no idea what to get for you. And available through their store on Amazon to make the gift part even easier for those not used to purchasing tools.
Buy a cheap set of left-hand drill bits from somewhere. (I bought mine from HF.). Start drilling a hole in the head and almost always the action of just drilling will catch the bolt and unscrew it. If it doesn't, you've got a hole to use some other extractor tool.
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