Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How do I remove really tight SuperDrive screws?

cosmokanga2

cosmokanga2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 7, 2008
662
0
Canada, where we live in igloos.
I'm in the process of installing an Optibay in my Macbook Pro and have run into 3 really tight screws. They are the 3.3mm Philips that are used to mount the SuperDrive and Bluetooth board. The one on the Bluetooth came out easy but the other three are really tight. I've used the Philips screw drive that came with the Optibay as well as another screwdriver but none of them budge the screws.

Anyone have any tips or special method of removing those screws?
 
Try using a flathead screwdriver.

I couldn't remove the trackpad screws with the phillips screw drivers I had but I got a flathead screwdriver that fit in the screw and it easily removed them.
 
Use real screwdrivers.

Freebies & radioshack/regular hardware store fare don't get the job done.

Wiha picofinish.

Or cheat and spin them out with Xcelite 175M
 
i ran into the same problem
luckily for me,
it was only one screw instead of three.

what i did to solve the problem is simply patience
and painstaking caution.
first thing first,
you should be very careful NOT to eat the screw with the screwdriver
simply insert a ton of pressure downward and loosen little by little
making sure not to eat the screw at all.
eventually i got it out this way :3
 
Longer screwdriver equals more torque and less physical strength needed to break the screw loose to un-tighten.
 
You said mid-2010 MPB correct?

iFixit says to use a #00 Phillips and a Tri-wing screwdriver.

E D I T

I left a message on the iFixit discussion board asking them the size of the Tri-wing screwdriver being used.
 
tjb1 said:
Please explain this logic, longer means you lose torque over the twisting of the material and would require MORE torque.
Click to expand...

You can get a lot more downward pressure on a screw with a long blade screwdriver. This statement is not as applicable to small screws used in computers as it is for 3" deck screws going into wood.
 
Merkava_4 said:
You said mid-2010 MPB correct?

iFixit says to use a #00 Phillips and a Tri-wing screwdriver.

E D I T

I left a message on the iFixit discussion board asking them the size of the Tri-wing screwdriver being used.
Click to expand...


Wiha picofinish P26 #00. It will get any laptop philips screw out at any angle, even if it's threaded. It won't crack, and you won't lose your grip on it, if you need to turn really hard.

Good tools are more important than the length or any nonsense like that.

iFixit knows nothing of this, they make people open the entire MBP and remove the display assembly, to get to the two screws on the bottom of the display assembly because their tools do not allow them to properly insert or remove screws at an angle.

Once you use good tools, you'll never go back. Your work won't leave marks in the screws anymore. You'll work faster. You won't lose screws.

$5 on a good screwdriver is a good investment. Throw the screwdrivers that come with parts/guides/free promotional things are trash, do more harm than good, and should be disposed of ASAP. Same for just about any generic "electronics kit screwdriver set", they are machined horribly and shed very quickly.
 
I've come across some real buggers in notebook and especially in macbooks. Some of the screws use a kind of adhesive on the threads and the trick is to heat the screw head up with the tip of a soldering iron and loosen the adhesive, good to go.
 
Like what everyone else said, use proper, high quality tools.

This is what I use for my Mac and electronics repairs; usually enough [and quite portable].
mr_wihakit01-090910.png


Other tools, I have for computer repairs include tweezers, picks, spudgers, and a straight-edge razor.
(Just don't fly with this; they ask a lot of questions. :p)
 
alphaod said:
Like what everyone else said, use proper, high quality tools.

This is what I use for my Mac and electronics repairs; usually enough [and quite portable].
mr_wihakit01-090910.png


Other tools, I have for computer repairs include tweezers, picks, spudgers, and a straight-edge razor.
(Just don't fly with this; they ask a lot of questions. :p)
Click to expand...

Very nice, but the tools with separate bits are going to be too thick to get to some stuff. Like the screws on the bottom of a1150/a1211/a1226/a1260 display assembly without taking off the topcase a la chump/ifixit style.

The real reason I stopped using them is I lose all of them. :( :( :(
 
OKay. Going to head off to Home Depot and see if they carry a Phillips #00 screwdriver and I'm pretty sure I don't need a Tri-Wing as the install kit doesn't come with one. You're all probably right in that I just need the proper screwdriver as the ones that I have and that come with it don't fit perfectly.

I did notice in the iFixit guide that they remove the battery when they replace the SuperDrive. I'm guessing this is to stop there from being a electrical charge in the computer however the Optibay guide doesn't say to remove it. Should I?

Finally, I know it's a kit, but would this OWC kit be of good enough quality?
 
iphone1 said:
Longer screwdriver equals more torque and less physical strength needed to break the screw loose to un-tighten.
Click to expand...

Huh? Longer screwdriver has no impact on torque.

Use a good quality screwdriver of the right size and be careful and patient.

You should not need to remove the battery. If you do you need a 00 triwing like on a Gameboy. Be careful as it has a battery cable attached to the bottom.

Whoever suggested taking a soldering iron to the screw already has a screw loose. Apple uses thread locking compound, commonly called Locktite, on screws. I have never had an issue removing them and pit a tiny drop of blue Locktite on them when I reinsert them.


If the tip is slipping out you probably have the wrong size or type screwdriver.

You should not need a triwing but if you do it's a 00 like used in Game Boys etc.

Whoever said to heat the screw already has a screw loose. Apple does use loctite on screws, and from the color left on them it looks like blue loctite. I have never had an issue removing loctited screw and put a tiny drop of blue loctite back on to keep themfrom loosening.
 
Blue is medium strength loctite, recommended for 1/4-3/4" fasteners...it is not the permanent loctite...thus not needing heat to be removed.
 
cosmokanga2 said:
OKay. Going to head off to Home Depot and see if they carry a Phillips #00 screwdriver and I'm pretty sure I don't need a Tri-Wing as the install kit doesn't come with one.
Click to expand...

I doubt you'll find a #00 Phillips at Home Depot. Try to find
you an electronics supply store or an industrial supply store.
 
l.a.rossmann said:
Very nice, but the tools with separate bits are going to be too thick to get to some stuff. Like the screws on the bottom of a1150/a1211/a1226/a1260 display assembly without taking off the topcase a la chump/ifixit style.

The real reason I stopped using them is I lose all of them. :( :( :(
Click to expand...

Oh I have the Wiha Precision tools as well that are separate heads on each screwdriver. The problem is there are a lot of them and are not every portable, so opted for these. If I really need I cal pull those out. :D

cosmokanga2 said:
OKay. Going to head off to Home Depot and see if they carry a Phillips #00 screwdriver and I'm pretty sure I don't need a Tri-Wing as the install kit doesn't come with one. You're all probably right in that I just need the proper screwdriver as the ones that I have and that come with it don't fit perfectly.

I did notice in the iFixit guide that they remove the battery when they replace the SuperDrive. I'm guessing this is to stop there from being a electrical charge in the computer however the Optibay guide doesn't say to remove it. Should I?

Finally, I know it's a kit, but would this OWC kit be of good enough quality?
Click to expand...

Just get the iFixIt kit:
http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/54-Piece-Bit-Driver-Kit/IF145-022

Pretty good kit and it's a good price.
 
If anybody would like the 302 page Wiha catalog PDF, PM me your
email address and I'll send it to you. They've got real tools in there.
 
alphaod said:
Just get the iFixIt kit:
http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/54-Piece-Bit-Driver-Kit/IF145-022

Pretty good kit and it's a good price.
Click to expand...

After 2 hours and 6 different stores I found a bit set with #00 bits, got it from The Source by Circuit City for $19.95 and sure enough the screws came out no problem! The Optibay and 500GB HDD are installed and working like a charm. It has a slight purr which I think is from the sound of it spinning escaping through the DVD slot but otherwise it's great. Thanks all!
 
cosmokanga2 said:
After 2 hours and 6 different stores I found a bit set with #00 bits, got it from The Source by Circuit City for $19.95 and sure enough the screws came out no problem! The Optibay and 500GB HDD are installed and working like a charm. It has a slight purr which I think is from the sound of it spinning escaping through the DVD slot but otherwise it's great. Thanks all!
Click to expand...

congrats!

now i'm in the "know" if i ever come across this
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back