Socket Wrench Philips Head = Less Stripped Screws  By  JerryScript (Read 4,850 times)

I agree with the size and shape, I was trying the crappy reversible screwdriver that came with my scoot (just because I'm stupid enough to try it). It has a long tip, and just a size too small for most of the screws on my scoot. Using other good screwdrivers I had after that just continued to strip the heads. Only thing that worked for me was my buddies suggestion of using the ratchet. I pressed on the ratchet head with my free hand to apply the force necessary to grip the semi-stripped screw heads, then let the extra leverage of the ratchet handle do the breaking.

Maybe I just need to get one of the grip excersize tools so I can grip the screwdriver better?

Chinese metal is so much softer than forged steel made in the USA . I have had screw heads to get marred with out me being rough on em . Yes for screws , bolts and nuts that are super tight I push down hard then turn . I have used a impact driver that looks like a fat screwdriver that I hit with a hammer to break it free and torque it tight . I broke the kick start return spring on my Honda CR125 and got sick of using a super thick rubber band to hold it up . They only lasted a few days at a time . I had to split the casing in order to get to the spring . I could not budge the bolts at all . My dad let me borrow his manual impact and tada it worked like a boss . I had never heard or seen one before as I was just 16 back then .

Yes having the proper size of screwdriver does make a diff . I love my Craftsman tools but I have to say that I am impressed with the wrenches I bought from Harbor Freight as they are not junky as many foreign tools are known to be . To me tools you use for a living should be Craftsman or other good names and its good to have expendables for hobby use . I bought the large metric and some cool ratching box end wrenches that are very handy to have . For sockets I learned in Auto Repair class to use 6 point rather than 12 point since they are as likely to lip or strip the corners off . I got to where I could remove rusted on lug nuts with a 4 way that an impact could not . I had WallyWorld put some tires on my Jeep and a few months later I needed to replace the front brake pads . Well those ( censored ) crossthreaded the lugs on so bad that I broke two 4 ways and a 1/2 Craftsman ratchet . I took it to WW and doofus put on a torque wrench and said " They are at 75 FtLBs " . I said no stupid they are not loose and I told him how I broke three wrenches . Hg comes out with a huge breaker bar the size of a lil leage baseball bat . He could not budge them . I went to a buddies shop who works on bulldozers and other heavy equipment to try his air impact driver . Now we are familiar with the kind that looks like a pistol but his had handles on opposing sides as it could go to a higher level of torque than those used in tire shops . Still could not get em loose . So I tried to break the studs by tightening and no good as well . I had to use a torch to cut off my wheels which scorched the brake calipers and rotors not to mention ruined the wheels . Luckily he had a set of Jeep wheels just like mine . WW would only pay me 350 for new parts out of court . No lawyer wanted the case since it was no big money and WW has many lawyers on their payroll . I also had my buddy press in new studs .

Liquid Wrench has been a super help for me many times to remove rusted or seized nuts and bolts .

On my Echarm they seem to have used a much harder steel than my TaoTao and a pair of eyeglasses I had that the main screw popped out while riding at night . I am almost legally blind so I had to drive home with only one eye open . I gently went to tighten it after I held the frame together and dang it was like warm butter so I Super Glued it together since the threads and top of the screw head were fried . These were expensive frames from a high dollar eye specialist . What was cool to me that I found a frame again at WW that was only 9 dollars ( super cheap in eyeglasses for those who do not have any ) and they are holding up perfectly .

Any two wheeler will have screws , nuts and bolts get loose from riding so its a good idea to make sure all is snug on those that do not have any threadlocker compound on em like on my Jonway Magnum as I can see the yellow stuff . . I did have the muffler bolts come out as I thought I had em tight and was noid not to over tight and damage them . I bought replacement bolts and Oreillys and used washers and they have stayed on tight so far .

I bought some HF screwdrivers too since they may be similar to hardness of China screws since they can not compare against a Craftsman screwdriver or ARP bolts like the use in NASCAR

I just happened to have purchased one of Harbor Freight's emergency 12v impact wrenches. Removed my variator in three quick pulses. I also purchased a 8' cigarette lighter extension, hooked it up to my battery and ran the wires under the floor and up through the front body panels to just below the helmet hook. No worries about road side repairs anymore!

That's still just using a screwdriver as far as this discussion is concerned, but if it works for you, use it!

Its always the last one that is stuck sometimes javascript:%20addSmiley("%20o))")