3rd Brake Light Stripped

[The Macf]

The two right screws are stripped. Any advice?

Already tried a trim tool and applying pressure. Didn’t work.
Needle nose pliers didn’t work either.
Screws are fine, but I can feel the retainer spinning.

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[A.Bursell]

Hard to tell in these situations without being able to see and feel what's going on. First thing I would probably do is buy replacements screws and clips so you don't end up stuck when you do get it off. Next steps depend on what your goal is; are you changing the whole assembly, just the bulbs, etc.? Sounds like if you have no way of holding the retainer to spend the screw out, you may need to break/cut/drill the screw so you can get the lens off and work on it easier. Not the first I've heard of this, maybe someone else has a trick- but it sounds like you have already tried what I would have done.

 

[wax87]

Have you ever seen an "easy out" ?

 

[cclark]

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...-on-how-to-remove-it.27280/page-2#post-962802



Here's a thread that may help. You're not alone so keep at it - you'll get it!

 

[William Buckman]

You may be able to replace the plastic clips with drywall anchors. I read in another article it's a good solution.

 

[Maverick2023]

what you need to do is remove the good screws then pull the light housing toward you making sure there is some force pulling in opposite direction and slowly unscrew the bad one (one at a time). It will come out slowly.

 

[Tech Tye]

Mine stripped out too, here are the new replacements
https://a.co/d/fIi5JWH

 

[The Macf]

Mine stripped out too, here are the new replacements
https://a.co/d/fIi5JWH

thanks. Ford want $2 per piece.

 

[Jah.]

Take plastic coated metal bread tye and insert into hole and rescrew . cut off excess . problem solved .

 

[Tech Tye]

The square part is turning in the square hole, not the screw in part

 

[MakinDoForNow]

The two right screws are stripped. Any advice?

Already tried a trim tool and applying pressure. Didn’t work.
Needle nose pliers didn’t work either.
Screws are fine, but I can feel the retainer spinning.

Some have reported theirs were stripped from factory and had dealer replace under warranty. Probably stab in dark though. There was several threads that explained how they held the clip while they removed screws.

 

[CurtisB]

The two right screws are stripped. Any advice?

Already tried a trim tool and applying pressure. Didn’t work.
Needle nose pliers didn’t work either.
Screws are fine, but I can feel the retainer spinning.

Completely remove all the other screws
Use a plastic tool to pry the housing loose
While using the pry tool as leverage, and pulling toward yourself, you should now be able to slowly unscrew the bad screw
If the head of the screw is bad, I think an 8mm socket will work.

Good luck!

 

[The Macf]

The square part is turning in the square hole, not the screw in part

yeah, that’s what it felt like with the bit driver.

 

[NJBob]

You may be able to replace the plastic clips with drywall anchors. I read in another article it's a good solution.

I have a MR2 where the holes that hold the sun visor stripped. I used drywall anchors. Worked perfectly

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