How best to remove rusty rear bumper screws

Ed3 · 2nd February 2024, 08:39

My face lift saloon has one owner before me but it lived for a decade in the very wetest and harshest of conditions and so anything low down on the car is rusted to the very worst. Any tips for how to remove the rear bumper screws (one each side) that are by the wheel arch? The bumper moves when the screw is pressed and so that makes it more difficult Is the best a drill, angle grinder, small saw, big saw, pliers and screw driver? And which part is best to cut away?

Martin Butler · 2nd February 2024, 09:55

Sounds like there's no easy answer, if the screw head is rusted, its odds on it's going to be seized, give them a good soaking in releasing fluid, you can try a well-fitting screwdriver first, see if it moves, otherwise you might have to cut the head, then try to drill out the rest of the screw, or mole grips, if you can grip whats left,

Matt_75 · 2nd February 2024, 09:59

I've found that when the screws are rusted like that, a Phillips head screwdriver just chews it up. I use a Dremel with a small cutting disc to cut a groove in the screw head and then use a flat bladed screwdriver to get it out. So far, it's worked everytime.

Arctic · 2nd February 2024, 10:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed3

My face lift saloon has one owner before me but it lived for a decade in the very wetest and harshest of conditions and so anything low down on the car is rusted to the very worst. Any tips for how to remove the rear bumper screws (one each side) that are by the wheel arch? The bumper moves when the screw is pressed and so that makes it more difficult Is4
the best a drill, angle grinder, small saw, big saw, pliers and screw driver? And which part is best to cut away?

Hi Edd.
See if you can get a pair of pliers or flat blade screw driver to hold the spire clip which the screw goes into.

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Mole grips maybe.

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replace with screw bolt

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And replace the top one with a stainless steel screw.

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2nd February 2024, 08:39	#1
Ed3 Loves to post Rover 75 CDTi saloon Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: UK Posts: 307 Thanks: 88 Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts	How best to remove rusty rear bumper screws My face lift saloon has one owner before me but it lived for a decade in the very wetest and harshest of conditions and so anything low down on the car is rusted to the very worst. Any tips for how to remove the rear bumper screws (one each side) that are by the wheel arch? The bumper moves when the screw is pressed and so that makes it more difficult Is the best a drill, angle grinder, small saw, big saw, pliers and screw driver? And which part is best to cut away?

2nd February 2024, 09:59	#3
Matt_75 Gets stuck in 75 Saloon Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: North Somerset Posts: 562 Thanks: 13 Thanked 20 Times in 8 Posts	I've found that when the screws are rusted like that, a Phillips head screwdriver just chews it up. I use a Dremel with a small cutting disc to cut a groove in the screw head and then use a flat bladed screwdriver to get it out. So far, it's worked everytime. __________________ Matt 2001 Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2.5 (BRG) 1999 Rover 75 Club 2.5 (Dorchester Red) 1973 Triumph Dolomite (Honeysuckle)

2nd February 2024, 09:55	#2
Martin Butler Loves to post Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: St Leonards Posts: 360 Thanks: 46 Thanked 72 Times in 49 Posts	Sounds like there's no easy answer, if the screw head is rusted, its odds on it's going to be seized, give them a good soaking in releasing fluid, you can try a well-fitting screwdriver first, see if it moves, otherwise you might have to cut the head, then try to drill out the rest of the screw, or mole grips, if you can grip whats left,