Loosening screws

[earth]

I've over tightened the screws that fix the plate, beneath my cleats, to my shoes.

Speedplay Zero pedals and cleats.

I put WD40 on overnight and that has not helped. I bought a 4 inch long ratchet that takes screw driver bits so I could get more leverage that a screwdriver but that has not worked and the cross heads are starting to get severely rounded.

Any suggestions?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Drill a small hole into the head of the screw and use a tight fitting Torx bit to turn the screw. They really bite in and I have never known one fail to shift a stubborn bolt.

 

[Sleeping Menace]

Take a cigarrette lighter.. hold the lighter under the cleat, so just the tip of the flame is touching the head of the screw.. keep it there for about 20 seconds.. ..

take the flame away, give it about 2 mins to cool down, and the screw will back right out.. was shown this trick a cpl years ago, and it's worked every time..

good luck


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[snailracer]

Use a file to "sharpen" the edges of the tip on a cross-head screwdriver (not your favourite one, obviously). Insert modified screwdriver into stripped screw and hit with a hammer so it bites into the screw, then turn. The back of the cleat will need to be firmly supported for this to stand a chance of working.

 

[earth]

I tried the cigarette lighter trick but it did not work this time. It might have helped because I can get two of the three screws moving about 1/2 a turn. The third one is stuck fast. I'm not even sure which way is unscrewing, think its clockwise.

The two screws that now move 1/2 a turn do that freely then get stuck when they go beyond that 1/2 turn. Its as if the threads are rusty.

I think the cross head of the screw is just about holding up but the screws seem to be fused.



The thing is I want to move the cleat a bit on the left shoe because I get pins and needles after about 5 miles.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I tried the cigarette lighter trick but it did not work this time. It might have helped because I can get two of the three screws moving about 1/2 a turn. The third one is stuck fast. I'm not even sure which way is unscrewing, think its clockwise.

The two screws that now move 1/2 a turn do that freely then get stuck when they go beyond that 1/2 turn. Its as if the threads are rusty.

I think the cross head of the screw is just about holding up but the screws seem to be fused.



The thing is I want to move the cleat a bit on the left shoe because I get pins and needles after about 5 miles.

Aha, there's your problem. Anti-clockwise to unscrew.

 

[Zoiders]

If the allen key bolt is worn and getting a bit baggy you can try a cheap set of imperial allen keys which fall between metric sizes.

Failing that - take a HSS drill bit bigger than allen key so it removes enough material to make the remains of the counter sunk head drop off, having drill the head off, remove the cleat, use a mole grip to grip the remainig screw and turn it, be sure to clamp it hard so it bites into the screw shank.

 

[earth]

If the allen key bolt is worn and getting a bit baggy you can try a cheap set of imperial allen keys which fall between metric sizes.

Failing that - take a HSS drill bit bigger than allen key so it removes enough material to make the remains of the counter sunk head drop off, having drill the head off, remove the cleat, use a mole grip to grip the remainig screw and turn it, be sure to clamp it hard so it bites into the screw shank.

They are not allen key bolts they are screws with a + head.

 

[Zoiders]

Just drill and mole grip then.