I am trying to install a rack on my Sportster. The trouble is that I can't for the life of me remove the Fricken screws on the sissy bar!
Any Ideas? Each time, I strip one just a hair more. Working on just the one screw for now.

 

Screws or Bolts?

 

I accidentally put loctit red on my once, but if you apply some heat with a $20 heat gun from Home depot or the like, that should loosen em' up to where you and get em' off. Good Luck and let us know how it turns out for ya.

 

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. The bike came this way, so we shall see. Thanks again.

 

Not saying that you aren't, but make sure you are using the correct size driver/socket for the job. I've stripped the heads of bolts too many times to count and had to pay for it(financially and time wise) from using the incorrect size/tool.

 

I've got a dyna fat bob and the screws on my sissy bar were T27's. What are you using?

 

quit stripping and drill them out and replace with new.

 

Yeah this. That's why god made extractors.

You say the bike came that way so do you really know if loctite was used? They may be just over torqued, which is just as bad. If heat doesn't loosen them up you are gonna have to drill.

 

I suggest that before drilling it out you first get a cheap manual impact driver with the correct size bit and try that. You can probably find one at the hardware store for $20, and you can certainly buy a Craftsman for more like $35 (I think).

You set it to loosen, install an impact bit (probably comes with the driver), hold it in the screw, and hit the other end with a hammer. I have used it on old bikes where there was absolutely no way the screw (a countersunk No. 2 Phillips) was coming out without it, and it worked great.

If/when you re-install the sissy bar, make sure to use Loctite. I learned that lesson the hard way with my sissy bar on my Sportster. No damage done, but I lost two countersunk Allen heads, and only discovered that by chance before the other remaining two had a chance to work their way out.

 

Going to H-Depot tomorrow to get a full set of Torx drivers and bits. My last resort will be to drill them out. I have only "slightly" striped one screw. Will see how it goes. Thanks to all for the help.