Screw lock is stuck (threaded?)

[Knight01]

I have a lock that appear to have gotten threaded. I have tried the pipe on the end of the Allen wrench for more leverage and managed to break the Allen. Other options? I presume trying to drill it would require a special bit, if anyone knows what size and type it would be appreciated. But I hope that is a last option. Other things to try?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

The bolt diameter is most likely 1/2", so you would want a bit a little bigger than that. Problem is that the end of the lock barrel will probably not let the bit through. Even if it did, you would have to deal with it constantly hanging and breaking the bit. Maybe you could grind off the exposed part of the barrel. Other than that, I got nuthin.

 

[Randy]

That’s pretty hard to believe that you’d get a Grade A ½” bolt locked up inside the coin box. A hardened ½” bolt is going to be a bitch to drill out. Does the bolt turn at all? You’ve probably galled the treads on the bolt so it now locked to the nut on the backside. You could try spraying the crap out of it with penetrating oil, Kroil and Blaster are the 2 I like to use, they probably won’t work but you never know. The only thing you can do is drill out the head of the bolt, since it’s a Grade A bolt it’s going to be hard. Start with a ½” Drill bit and work your way up until you get the bolt head off, you’re only going have to go down about 3/8” or so. You’re probably going to ruin the outer lock barrel. Have fun and good luck. The real fun starts when yo get it open! Now you have to deal with the drilled out bolt. Get some Anti-Seize Stainless Steel Lubricant and give all of the other bolts a generous helping

 

[David Rolf]

I'd do what Randy mentioned on the penetrating oil and go buy the right tools. A good impact gun with the right size allen socket setup would probably do it. I've found cheap allens and cheater pipes just don't work. Keep us posted.

 

[Randy]

I'd do what Randy mentioned on the penetrating oil and go buy the right tools. A good impact gun with the right size allen socket setup would probably do it. I've found cheap allens and cheater pipes just don't work. Keep us posted.

I forgot all about using an impact driver, I'd spray the crap out of the bolt and try a impact driver like what David suggested.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Sometimes to break something loose you can try tapping whatever wrench you are using with a hammer in the direction of tightening it before loosening it.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Not trying to be a wise ass, I've seen it before - always check the cheapest/easiest thing first: righty tighty lefty loosey.
I like the impact driver suggestion.

 

[Knight01]

To update this, I managed to break the screw lock with a better quality allen and a slightly longer pipe to lever it as suggested by David Rolf. My next stop had that not working would have been an impact, but luckily, that wasn't needed.

 

[Randy]

To update this, I managed to break the screw lock with a better quality allen and a slightly longer pipe to lever it as suggested by David Rolf. My next stop had that not working would have been an impact, but luckily, that wasn't needed.

So you got it open, that's great. Thanks for coming back with a report.