Best Screw-Out Solution for License Plate Bulb Covers?

[vt_maverick]

I've been replacing all my bulbs with LEDs and I discovered on Saturday that I have the dreaded rusty license plate bulb cover screw issue. The heads are still there but my screwdriver chewed them up pretty good, so now I need some sort of screw-out solution to get them out.

Suggestions? Also, does anyone know the thread/pitch/length offhand? I'm thinking of buying stainless steel replacements to keep this from happening again.

[Scott Larson]

Had the same problem with mine and I used a hand impact driver to get out the buggerd screws. (The kind you smack with a hammer!) One was too messed up for a phillips bit to work and I used a small, sharp cold-chisel to cut a slot for a flat blade bit to get a hold of with the impact driver. Patience was a virtue with this project! :_brickwal

[Scott Larson]

And yes, stainless is THE way to go! I took the old screws to my local hardware store and got allen-head stainless replacements, don't recall the size though...

[etlsport]

I ground the heads off of mine with a dremel, installed LED light strips in there easy as pie. I even got a 194 base for the lights so the factory sockets are in place if I want to revert

[vt_maverick]

So you left the screws in place?

[Scott Larson]

Ya know, I've made pie before and it's really not that easy...:noo:

[etlsport]

Actually 3/4 came out with vice grips after removing the head to get the lens off. I wouldnt count on that though. But yes I left everything factory but the lens, installed (2) 6" led strips over the sockets and turned the wire end into a 194 connector. I sealed the connector with clear silicon and used di electric grease to make the plug in connection to keep the water out.


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/220867_799765346776_10501646_39704910_3473749_o.jp g

[FenderBender]

I have a set of these and they worked good for me. http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00952157000P?keyword=screw+extractor&prdNo=12

My plate lights are both rusted out. One was tucked in the cladding when I bought it and the other started to fold when I tried to remove the screw. So I installed a led light bar that attaches to the plate bolts. I will get a pic of it and post it.

[MSHardeman]

I know this doesn't totally apply, but since this has come up again Mark (deermagnet) did a complete replacement of his license plate lights and bracket:
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=17533&highlight=replace+license+plate+lights

I'm watching this thread with interest because after 12 years, as far as I know, I still have the original lights above the license plate and I'm sure that I will need to replace them at some point in the near future. Haven't tried to remove the screws yet, but the norm seems to point to them being rusted in there.

[vt_maverick]

Well I finally threw in the towel when it became obvious that I'd need to remove the rear cladding and bracket to get the screws out. I let my mechanic do it for me today and once he had the bracket on his workbench he was able to get them out with some heat. What a PITA.