[ZLAiN]

:suicide: So I bought Rennel Metal brackets to replace my latches, but when I was taking them out two out of three broke in half on the drivers side ( top latches ) I tried drill extracting methods, and still wouldn't budge, so now I have a huge hole in one of the screws that's stuck in there! Has anyone gone through this bs??? lol I don't want to have to take it to a shop and burn more money on this top if I don't have to :cry2: I already put a bit of money into the top. Any help will be much appreciated!! Thanks!!hillyb:

 

[Squidy!]

Heat them up with a blow torch first, then try the doing it again, I did this a couple days ago and it worked for me. hope this helps.

 

[ZLAiN]

I heated them up like crazy with a heat gun, and didn't help much, though wouldn't heating them up too much ruin the top? thanks for the input!

 

[Squidy!]

I heated them up like crazy with a heat gun, and didn't help much, though wouldn't heating them up too much ruin the top? thanks for the input!

I don't think a heat gun will get it hot enough, I had to use the torch for around three to four minutes. They have loctite on them, that's why it's a bitch to remove. just make sure you don't get it directly on the hardtop and you should be good. again, this is personal experience, the latches got burned somewhat but that shouldn't matter unless you're going to sell them.

I've also heard that other people just thread it out to a bigger size bolt. if you want to go in that direction.

 

[ZLAiN]

I don't have a torch, I may make the thread bigger if I have to, I got the latch off because two bolts broke off lol its just theyre way in there and I can't remove them now. Where in Glendale do you live btw? i'm right next to westgate

 

[Squidy!]

i'm by GCC, 59th and Olive. ima be working on my car this sat, you can swing over and borrow my torch gun if you want.

 

[Canipete]

my buddy had the same problem. He cut his losses after attempting to take the broken screws out himself. he took it to a machine shop and got them removed for like 250 bucks. The guy who did it told my friend that it would have been a lot cheaper if he took the top to the shop right after the screws broke

 

[ZLAiN]

@squidy, sweet I go to school there at GCC. I used to live in the KB homes across from it also. shoot me a msg man. @Canipete, HOLY **** I would not pay 250 for that lol atm I only have two broken, I didn't attempt to mess with the passanger side, i'm going to see if a friend of mine can get them out tomorrow :S 250 to take them out that's crazy! I've spent enough on this top, I vinyl wrapped my self and got a project G vented window on it and got these brackets for it lol I don't want to spend more on the top haha

 

[RedemPhex]

get a hex wrench you don't want. Epoxy it into the hole you have made. twist. Make sure its as big as will fit in the hole (ie don't put some puny **** in there that will break). Hopefully they are not cross threaded in and will not **** up your threads.

 

[mboldt]

I just did this to mine.. Gonna dremel it to a flat head and torch it once my Garagestar brackets show up.

 

[ZLAiN]

that's not a bad idea, thanks! I read some people weld them to other bolts but they're too deep for that lol

 

[RedemPhex]

that's not a bad idea, thanks! I read some people weld them to other bolts but they're too deep for that lol

welding works too, but I assumed you don't have one of those if you don't have a torch.

 

[ZLAiN]

welding works too, but I assumed you don't have one of those if you don't have a torch.

yeah I don't lol :cry2: I thought about maybe trying to get a slit in it by smashing a flat head in it so I can get it to turn but that might damage it