How do I remove a stripped hex screw on my mavic pro

[Kywon McCain]

I am taking my mavic pro apart to replace something
But a screw is stripped
Now it only spins not moving the screw
Any ideas?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Can you show a photo of the screw and its location?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I think you have the special screwdriver for that (from past threads).
They way I do this for motor cars when stripping down panels etc for repair work, is get an angle grinder with a 1mm (very thin) flat cutting wheel and cut a slot across the head to take a flat screwdriver.
A bit hard for the tiny M1P heads, but depending where it is and access, a dremel with fine small cutting wheel would do the job similarly if you can access that safely.

Another idea that might work, is use some steel epoxy and spot a heavy wire onto / into the stripped head, leave to cure really well, then use a pair of pliers to turn the wire to remove.
The screws should not be tight enough to resist that.
You could leave the wire in place on to screw it back in, then break it off with a little leverage.

 

[old man mavic]

@Kywon McCain unfortunately if you are on about the screws that hold the drones plastic body panels together ,sometimes its not that the screw is stripped, but that the plastic sleeve moulded onto the inside of the structure that the screw actually goes into, which are not threaded to start with, break off and then the whole thing spins when you try to remove the screw

 

[Kywon McCain]

@Kywon McCain unfortunately if you are on about the screws that hold the drones plastic body panels together ,sometimes its not that the screw is stripped, but that the plastic sleeve moulded onto the inside of the structure that the screw actually goes into, which are not threaded to start with, break off and then the whole thing spins when you try to remove the screw

Its not the whole thing that spins thank god
Just the screw driver

 

[Kywon McCain]

Can you show a photo of the screw and its location?

 

[Mavic Merrick]

How did you even manage to get a rusty screw? I would recommend a very strong magnet to pull it out if the plastic is stripped (unless the magnet would screw up the electronics). If it is the screw and not the plastic, I would recommend just finding some way to cut a slit for a flat head in the screw.
Best of luck!

 

[Kywon McCain]

How did you even manage to get a rusty screw? I would recommend a very strong magnet to pull it out if the plastic is stripped (unless the magnet would screw up the electronics). If it is the screw and not the plastic, I would recommend just finding some way to cut a slit for a flat head in the screw.
Best of luck!

Its not rusty I tried that rubber band trick and it didn't work

 

[Mavic Merrick]

Its not rusty I tried that rubber band trick and it didn't work

Oh, just looks like it I the pic then

 

[retiredNH]

Pretty hard to strip a hex (or torx etc. but not phillips) head screw IF you use the proper size tool.
Regardless, try the epoxy method first. Least likely to do damage. Problem with grinding a slot is that you can easily strip the slot too.

 

[LoudThunder]

You say the screw is stripped. Then there really is nothing to hold it in place, just not enough material to back the screw out.

I suggest you pull it out. Buy a cheap pair of forceps, the Link below is from Harbor Freight for less than $4.00.

If the jaw is small enough to fit into the hole, then clamp the jaws, one inside the hole and one on the outside of the screw and gently pull. If you jerk it, the jaw will probably just slip off.

If the jaw is too large to fit into the hole, you might have to grind it a bit, go slowly, if you heat it up, it will lose its hardness and just bend when you clamp it.

3-1/2 in. Locking Clamp Pliers

Perhaps, depending on how much room is on the outside of the screw, and depending on how small your forceps are, you might be able to grab it on the outside of the screw.

 

[LoudThunder]

Pretty hard to strip a hex (or torx etc. but not phillips) head screw IF you use the proper size tool.
Regardless, try the epoxy method first. Least likely to do damage. Problem with grinding a slot is that you can easily strip the slot too.

What do you mean I have to use the proper size tool? Darn that Metric stuff, it should be the same size as American Standard...

 

[retiredNH]

What do you mean I have to use the proper size tool? Darn that Metric stuff, it should be the same size as American Standard...

Ironically, this problem of proper tool is getting worse. Used to be slotted or philips. Then along came allen/hex. Now we have torx, square, posidrive, apple's cursed pentalobe and some others. I have a bit set that must have 50 pieces to accommodate the most common types in their various sizes. Worst are the look-alikes, like the ones that look like philips but aren't.

 

[LoudThunder]

Ironically, this problem of proper tool is getting worse.

I know what you mean, luckily I have not had to go to that extreme yet. Remember the "Good Old Days" when manufacturers only protected their equipment with a label that said, "Warranty Void If Removed"?

 

[Jakke Pedal]

Its not rusty I tried that rubber band trick and it didn't work

The rubber band trick is not easy on such a small hex, you better try a small piece of paper, it creates more friction between screw & hex-bit

 

[Jakke Pedal]

 

[Jakke Pedal]

or you can try to use a (1 size bigger) torx instead of the hex and force(press) it in the screw (give it a few taps with a little hammer). once it's in as far as possible you can start to try to turn.

This works on bigger screws but is not easy on these small-ones

 

[Kywon McCain]

or you can try to use a (1 size bigger) torx instead of the hex and force(press) it in the screw (give it a few taps with a little hammer). once it's in as far as possible you can start to try to turn.

This works on bigger screws but is not easy on these small-ones

Or get very upset like me that none of these are are working and get so upset you take your soldering iron and just...

*It actually worked and later I got the top off and did my work*

 

[LoudThunder]

Then along came allen/hex. Now we have torx, square, posidrive, apple's cursed pentalobe and some others.

Are you sure it's a Torx and not some Look-a-like? What about the other screws visible in the photo. If you have not taken them out yet, you might as well use Dynamite... It looks like you already did on the one you did get out...

A friend bought what he thought were Torx head screws for his deck and after stripping several Torx heads and lots of screws, he found out the the screw manufacturer had developed its own version of Torx-like screw heads and he had to buy their driver head to drive the screws in.

 

[Kywon McCain]

Are you sure it's a Torx and not some Look-a-like? What about the other screws visible in the photo. If you have not taken them out yet, you might as well use Dynamite... It looks like you already did on the one you did get out...

A friend bought what he thought were Torx head screws for his deck and after stripping several Torx heads and lots of screws, he found out the the screw manufacturer had developed its own version of Torx-like screw heads and he had to buy their driver head to drive the screws in.

Yep
I was very upset and agitated
I took my soldering iron and rammed it in there angry
It melted the screw seemingly and destroyed the connection so I can pull it off