Taillight screw won't come off

[junooni176]

So in my infinite wisdom, I screwed in the screw that holds the taillight too much and now it keeps spinning without actually tightening or loosening.
Is my only option now drilling through the screw and using screw extractor?
It's the bottom left screw in the picture

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[jayy_swish]

How tight did you screw it in???? Lol, you just have to screw it till it’s snug. If the threads on it are dead you will have to drill it out. Try pulling the trunk liner back see if you can see the screws. If you can try applying outward pressure on the screw end while you try unscrewing it, see if the threads re-engage

 

[junooni176]

How tight did you screw it in???? Lol, you just have to screw it till it’s snug. If the threads on it are dead you will have to drill it out. Try pulling the trunk liner back see if you can see the screws. If you can try applying outward pressure on the screw end while you try unscrewing it, see if the threads re-engage

Too much, lol. Yeah I learned it the hard way. I couldn't access the screws from behind the trunk liner. I guess I will drill it out and see what happens.

Thanks!

 

[shoegazer]

I second the idea of trying to re-engage the threads via pulling on the thing while turning counter-clockwise. I'd just grab it with some needle nosed pliers and see if I could get a bite. Sure... drilling it out is an option. But I'd try the less messy and destructive methods first.

However ya' do it; good luck with it.

 

[junooni176]

I second the idea of trying to re-engage the threads via pulling on the thing while turning counter-clockwise. I'd just grab it with some needle nosed pliers and see if I could get a bite. Sure... drilling it out is an option. But I'd try the less messy and destructive methods first.

However ya' do it; good luck with it.

Thanks, I tried it with pliers yesterday and couldn't get enough grip to pull it out while turning. I will try it again though before drilling it.

lesson learnt the hard way

 

[Rustlinjimmies]

try to get a flat head and pry behind it to apply pressure to it and unscrew it at the same time but just be careful not to break the light lol had that happen to interior screws sometimes but with a good amount of pressure it usually zips right off

 

[Rickmeister 48]

Try pulling on the taillight as you turn it.
Edit: if it's that very bottom screw , i see you can't do that. But you could try some small locking pliars , put them on tight and pull back as your turning it.

 

[junooni176]

Thanks for the help guys. Ended up having to drill through it.

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