Jammed door lock set screw

[WarbirdPhotog]

Hey everyone, I've got a bit of a hiccup right now trying to change out the passenger door lock on my 1940 Ford I purchased. While I've got the passenger door upholstery panel off, the handles off, and the door handle mechanism out... my next project to tackle (so I can actually lock the car) is the door lock. I have a new one, as the previous owners did not have a key for the door (it's stuck anyway) and the long square rod had snapped long ago so even with a key, it wouldn't work. Anyway, as I was trying to remove it, I noticed the set screw that secures the cylinder to the door is jammed with something broken inside it. A screwdriver bit end? Screw extractor end? Part of an Allen wrench? Drill bit? I don't know. But I can't get it out.

My next thought was to drill out whatever is in there, and then jam a torque bit in there and try turning to free the set screw. But whatever is broken in there will NOT drill, even with a cobalt drill bit. Has anyone else had this issue or have a solution to get this out without cutting into the door brace?

Photo:

[kurt v]

I would start soaking real good with P B blaster, then with a very very fine tip with O-A torch heat it up and then a left hand bit, try with a pick to get that piece out of the hole.
Or the torex bit.

good luck kurt

[ndnchf]

Following. I have a similar situation with my '35s door lock.

[deuce lover]

It appears that an attempt was made at one time and the drill bit used broke off .

[Kube]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

It appears that an attempt was made at one time and the drill bit used broke off .

Spot on!

Warbird, good luck! There are extractors for this purpose. However, their success rate is not high.

[19Fordy]

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Could you use a Dremel tool grinding bit and slowly grind down whatever is stuck in there and then retap the threads?

[Newc]

May have to remove entire lock and bench work the problem- very common problem. Newc

[deuce_roadster]

Dale, the part needed to be worked Is part of the door, not the latch I believe.

[19Fordy]

Find a machine shop that has a portable EDM machine made for removing broken taps, bolts, etc. Your local vocational tech. school might have one also.
https://www.amazon.com/Remover-Machi...01LMYQEX4?th=1

Years ago, I took a convertable top piece to a machine shop and they used an EDM machine top remove a broken bolt. Cost was $35.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by WarbirdPhotog

Hey everyone, I've got a bit of a hiccup right now trying to change out the passenger door lock on my 1940 Ford I purchased. While I've got the passenger door upholstery panel off, the handles off, and the door handle mechanism out... my next project to tackle (so I can actually lock the car) is the door lock. I have a new one, as the previous owners did not have a key for the door (it's stuck anyway) and the long square rod had snapped long ago so even with a key, it wouldn't work. Anyway, as I was trying to remove it, I noticed the set screw that secures the cylinder to the door is jammed with something broken inside it. A screwdriver bit end? Screw extractor end? Part of an Allen wrench? Drill bit? I don't know. But I can't get it out.

My next thought was to drill out whatever is in there, and then jam a torque bit in there and try turning to free the set screw. But whatever is broken in there will NOT drill, even with a cobalt drill bit. Has anyone else had this issue or have a solution to get this out without cutting into the door brace?

Photo:

Yeah. That looks like a nightmare.
Similar to what the #2 post says, Liguid Wrench spray and heat and a left hand drill.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Find a machine shop that has a portable EDM machine made for removing broken taps, bolts, etc. Your local vocational tech. school might have one also.
https://www.amazon.com/Remover-Machi...01LMYQEX4?th=1

Years ago, I took a convertable top piece to a machine shop and they used an EDM machine top remove a broken bolt. Cost was $35.

Metal disintegrator..... we had them in the Navy.
Don't know if you could get inside something confined like where that door lock is.

[19Fordy]

I wonder if there is an induction heater with a needle point that would work if inserted inside the hole where broken tap/drill is jammed?

Would a conventional coil induction heater work if you rested the coil on the surface of the hole where the broken tap or drill is located or touching the coil to the broken tap or drill to heat it up?

Watch this video showing how to use a special diamond tipped drill to remove broken tap.
It actually grinds away the broken tap or drill bit.
https://www.jcb-tools.com/diamondtech/

Have you tried using a very hard prick punch to manually chip away the tap or drill bit?
Wear safety goggles or safety glasses that have big side shields.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Mini-ductor venom is the smallest one I know of....
The coils get as small as 3/4" ID.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 1948F-1Pickup

Mini-ductor venom is the smallest one I know of....
The coils get as small as 3/4" ID.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Dale, the part needed to be worked Is part of the door, not the latch I believe.

You are correct. I have found it necessary in the past to cut the welds and rework on the bench. Not a fun project at all.
To make matters worse, the entire "assembly" is sheet metal. Virtually no room for error.
When I have had these on the bench, I cut away the old "barrel" and tack in a new one.

[WarbirdPhotog]

Originally Posted by kurt v

I would start soaking real good with P B blaster, then with a very very fine tip with O-A torch heat it up and then a left hand bit, try with a pick to get that piece out of the hole.
Or the torex bit.

good luck kurt

I have shot it with PB Blaster and it's soaked for a while. The problem with a torch is the small location of the hole to access it, and since it's not centered on the hole in the door, that makes things a bit more tough.

Originally Posted by deuce lover

It appears that an attempt was made at one time and the drill bit used broke off .

Correct, that's the same conclusion I came to. I thought a Cobalt drill bit might drill out a broken drill bit, but whatever metal that is made of (maybe Cobalt as well?) it will not drill.

Originally Posted by Kube

Spot on!
Warbird, good luck! There are extractors for this purpose. However, their success rate is not high.

Yes, the problem here is whatever is in the screw won't drill, which renders those pretty much ineffective sadly! And I wouldn't want to risk another one of them breaking and getting more jammed in there.

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Could you use a Dremel tool grinding bit and slowly grind down whatever is stuck in there and then retap the threads?

That's actually what I'm thinking of doing. Getting a thin grinding tool and trying to grind it out. It's going to be really tricky (and time consuming).

Originally Posted by Newc

May have to remove entire lock and bench work the problem- very common problem. Newc

That's what I'm trying to avoid. That means not only cutting off the 'sleeve' from the door but also cutting the brace of the door to get to it.

Originally Posted by 1948F-1Pickup

Metal disintegrator..... we had them in the Navy.
Don't know if you could get inside something confined like where that door lock is.

Yeah, I think it's too small of a spot, and I'd be worried it would damage the shaft the set screw goes into meaning I'd have to cut it all out to replace/repair.

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

I wonder if there is an induction heater with a needle point that would work if inserted inside the hole where broken tap/drill is jammed? Would a conventional coil induction heater work if you rested the coil on the surface of the hole where the broken tap or drill is located or touching the coil to the broken tap or drill to heat it up?

Because the shaft for the set screw is not centered in the hole (and the hole is so small), I don't think I could get the induction rings around it at all without cutting into the door.

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Watch this video showing how to use a special diamond tipped drill to remove broken tap. It actually grinds away the broken tap or drill bit.

I might need to get one of those special diamond-tipped drills.

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Have you tried using a very hard prick punch to manually chip away the tap or drill bit?

I've tried that, nothing happens. Whatever that metal is (Adamantium or Vibranium? kidding...) it will not drill or chip away.

Originally Posted by Kube

You are correct. I have found it necessary in the past to cut the welds and rework on the bench. Not a fun project at all.
To make matters worse, the entire "assembly" is sheet metal. Virtually no room for error. When I have had these on the bench, I cut away the old "barrel" and tack in a new one.

I'm hoping to avoid that until I have no other choice! To access all of that, I'd have to cut a section of the door brace off to access all that.

[deuce lover]

Dremel tool with the right tip?
The thing is that the original set screw was a slotted head.Due to corrosion the set screw is rusted in place .Trying to unscrew it causes 1/2 the screw head to break off.Now its a real mess.That's what happened to me on a 35 sedan I had.

[Randy in ca]

Here's a link to an old thread and a picture of what Drake sells for left door, to give you an idea of what you're up against:

LINK: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20473

PICTURE:

[Kube]

Originally Posted by WarbirdPhotog

I have shot it with PB Blaster and it's soaked for a while. The problem with a torch is the small location of the hole to access it, and since it's not centered on the hole in the door, that makes things a bit more tough.
Correct, that's the same conclusion I came to. I thought a Cobalt drill bit might drill out a broken drill bit, but whatever metal that is made of (maybe Cobalt as well?) it will not drill. Yes, the problem here is whatever is in the screw won't drill, which renders those pretty much ineffective sadly! And I wouldn't want to risk another one of them breaking and getting more jammed in there.
That's actually what I'm thinking of doing. Getting a thin grinding tool and trying to grind it out. It's going to be really tricky (and time consuming).
That's what I'm trying to avoid. That means not only cutting off the 'sleeve' from the door but also cutting the brace of the door to get to it.
Yeah, I think it's too small of a spot, and I'd be worried it would damage the shaft the set screw goes into meaning I'd have to cut it all out to replace/repair.
Because the shaft for the set screw is not centered in the hole (and the hole is so small), I don't think I could get the induction rings around it at all without cutting into the door.
I might need to get one of those special diamond-tipped drills.
I've tried that, nothing happens. Whatever that metal is (Adamantium or Vibranium? kidding...) it will not drill or chip away.
I'm hoping to avoid that until I have no other choice! To access all of that, I'd have to cut a section of the door brace off to access all that.

This is not an easy task whatsoever. That thing Drake sells is a lot beefier than the Ford OEM piece.
Removing a broken drill bit is never fun. This one? Even less fun than most. I'm not a naysayer but would give you success rate at less than 1%.
A drill bit is fairly hard, even a cheap one. The fact that you can't center a diamond bit on the end of the broken one compounds the issue.

[WarbirdPhotog]

Originally Posted by Randy in ca

Here's a link to an old thread and a picture of what Drake sells for left door, to give you an idea of what you're up against:

Thanks for the forum link. I think my best bet, at this point, is to try and dremel it out and then tap at a larger side. I like the idea of using a screw rather than the set screw, as long as it fits. So I'll see what I can do with that. Otherwise, if I have to cut off the whole sleeve, it might be easier to just buy that Bob Drake driver's door set (I've been looking at it last two days), cut that sleeve off the plate it comes with, and then weld it on mine. But let's hope it doesn't come to that.