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  4. » How to remove Stern side rail with "buried" nut
(Topic ID: 221893)

How to remove Stern side rail with "buried" nut

By parsonsaj

5 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 28 posts
  • 18 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by wdennie
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 5 years ago
OP
 
AJP

parsonsaj

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 75,550 949

I'm sure everyone is familiar with how side rails are attached on modern Stern games. I have an RBION which has the usual wear around the flipper buttons, so I decided to get new lollipop side rails and just cover up the worn paint around the flipper buttons. 2 round head bolts on each side, 2 screws on the outside holding the existing rails in, should be a piece of cake!

HOWEVER...

The right side rail has a bolt that someone tightened so much that the nut is literally embedded into the wood. The top half of the nut is exposed, but it's not enough to be able to grab it with a wrench or pliers or anything.

What's the best way to go about getting this out without extensive cabinet damage? My first instinct was to just gouge the wood around the bottom half of the nut to give me enough room to get a wrench on it to free it up. That could be covered up with a washer under the nut, but obviously it would be damage that I would have incurred willingly (and would render this game incapable of ever being considered imamaculate). Any suggestions for doing this without any damage to the cabinet?

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#2 5 years ago
 
C M

CadillacMusic

Inactive member

US Cleveland, OH

12y 48,650 1,035 44

Does a nut driver not work?

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#3 5 years ago
OP
 
AJP

parsonsaj

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 75,550 949

Quoted from CadillacMusic:

Does a nut driver not work?

No, tried that too... the bottom edge of the nut is just buried in the wood of the cabinet so the nut driver won't grab the nut. It worked great on the one on the left side, though!

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#4 5 years ago
 
MOO

snakesnsparklers

Pinside member

9y 92,800 4,828

Can you thread a screw into the nut and use that for leverage to pull it out?

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#5 5 years ago
 
TJC

MinusWorlds

Inactive member

US Boston, MA

11y 103K 3,502 4

pics?

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#6 5 years ago
OP
 
AJP

parsonsaj

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 75,550 949

Quoted from MinusWorlds:

pics?

It occurred to me after I posted this that a picture would have been REALLY helpful... unfortunately I won't be able to add one for a few more hours. I will post one later, though!

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#7 5 years ago
 
ED

Monk

Pinside member

7y 93,800 1,911 21

You would think there would be enough space to get some sort of tool in it as someone used a tool to tighten it that much. Maybe a set of needle nose pliers could work. Can you get vise grips on the top portion of the nut? Could a socket be tapped lightly over the nut?

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#8 5 years ago
 
JAS

Sinistarrett

Pinside member

US Freeport, FL

8y 81,850 1,623 3 12

Maybe an “ easy out “ tool used for removing stripped and broken screws. Possibly drill into the head of the bolt, thread in the easy out bit and then you should be able to unscrew the bolt.

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#9 5 years ago
OP
 
AJP

parsonsaj

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 75,550 949

Ok here’s a picture... not great at taking them

BC6D2162-82B0-47CA-AA82-147F1D09ED13 (resized).jpegBC6D2162-82B0-47CA-AA82-147F1D09ED13 (resized).jpeg
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#10 5 years ago
 
MJA

Mitch

Pinside member

CA Wellesley, ON

10y 131K 5,030 18 38

Needle nose pliers?

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#11 5 years ago
 
LTG

LTG

Pinside member

US Hopkins, MN

12y 191K 56,940 24 7

Thin nosed vice grips.

LTG : )

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#12 5 years ago
 
ED

Monk

Pinside member

7y 93,800 1,911 21

Quoted from LTG:

Thin nosed vice grips.
LTG : )

For the win!!!

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#13 5 years ago
OP
 
AJP

parsonsaj

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 75,550 949

Quoted from Mitch:

Needle nose pliers?

Tried didn’t work... not enough metal to grip

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#14 5 years ago
OP
 
AJP

parsonsaj

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 75,550 949

Quoted from Monk:

For the win!!!

Hmmm I don’t have these.... will check at the hardware store

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#15 5 years ago
 
BAM

bam10

Pinside member

US Raleigh, NC

10y 46,800 513 27

I think needle-nosed vice grips will be the ticket.

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#16 5 years ago
 
DAD

OCD_pinball

Pinside member

US Shorewood, IL

12y 51,050 255 12

Sometimes I'll take a small drill bit and ride along the outside of the nut and make room for a socket or a nut driver. A little black paint and done. You'll have the same problem putting it back on unless you're going to washer it up.

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#17 5 years ago
 
SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,784

A "quality" six point socket would grab that. At least it would have before it started getting chewed up trying other methods.

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#18 5 years ago
 
BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

YE Sana'a

12y 164K 40,201 18

Take a deep well socket, put it over the nut, hit it with a dead blow hammer to "seat" it around the nut (this will compress the wood fibers), put the socket wrench on the socket and remove as usual.

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#19 5 years ago
 
???

Marvin

Blocked

7y 966

Use dremel to cut into nut, not too deep. Put flat blade screwdriver into notch. Use hammer on the screwdriver to turn nut.

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#20 5 years ago
 
TSS

fxdwg

Pinside+ Frequent

US North Canton, OH

8y 76,900 1,245 11 7

Quoted from vid1900:

Take a deep well socket, put it over the nut, hit it with a dead blow hammer to "seat" it around the nut (this will compress the wood fibers), put the socket wrench on the socket and remove as usual.

My Spider-Man ve was just like your picture. I did what VID suggested and it worked perfectly. When I reinstalled I used a washer that would keep the nut from sinking back into the wood!!

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#21 5 years ago
 
CV

TechnicalSteam

Pinside+ Frequent

8y 88,050 1,733

I had this same issue awhile back. I advise Patience and walking away from it when you get frustrated.
Needle nose vice grips didn't do it for me. I approached this by working my socket to have thiner walls on the grinder.
Think Vid's method will work with caution.
I have to tackle this same issue with my LE and you can be assured i'll take my time.

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#22 5 years ago
 
SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,784

I use a chisel and a hammer to turn nuts that are too chewed up to use a socket.

I'm not sure I'd recommend that to someone that is already having a difficult time with something like this though.

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#23 5 years ago
 
LKD

Luckydogg420

Pinside member

CA Kitchener, ON

11y 115K 5,860 14

Quoted from vid1900:

Take a deep well socket, put it over the nut, hit it with a dead blow hammer to "seat" it around the nut (this will compress the wood fibers), put the socket wrench on the socket and remove as usual.

Get a dead blow hammer. Not a rubber mallet
E03DE9C2-75D0-45D4-8E6A-24E33F556262 (resized).jpegE03DE9C2-75D0-45D4-8E6A-24E33F556262 (resized).jpeg

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#24 5 years ago
 
SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,784

Impact driver.

Never failed me yet.

PIT160 (resized).jpgPIT160 (resized).jpg

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#25 5 years ago
 
TJC

MinusWorlds

Inactive member

US Boston, MA

11y 103K 3,502 4

Dynamite

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#26 5 years ago
 
BLY

MrBally

Pinside member

US Paradise, NV

12y 141K 13,929 22 1

It's interior wood that will never be seen. Drive a socket over the nut with a big-ass hammer and remove the nut. Or, chop the wood out with a small chisel. Cover with a washer if necessary. On both sides of the cabinet if it bugs you.

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#27 5 years ago
 
???

Marvin

Blocked

7y 966

Quoted from o-din:

I use a chisel and a hammer to turn nuts that are too chewed up to use a socket.
I'm not sure I'd recommend that to someone that is already having a difficult time with something like this though.

same idea slightly different methodology as I said

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#28 5 years ago
 
???

wdennie

Inactive member

US Canandaigua, NY

8y 37,350 1,321 17

Your lucky, try getting one off like that on the bottom side of the rail.

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