Screws that are not screws...

[DirtyD1833]

I remember reading on here about some of you having the plywood walls that were fastened from the factory with what looked like Philips head screws, but were not. My question is, how did you go about removing them? I am gathering materials now to start working on my new 7x16 and have the same screw/not screws fasteners holding my walls on.

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[Pmullen503]

You need a special bit. I believe they are called clutch bits.

[Philip]

They are clutch head bits. Sears shows them cheaper than Amazon does.

[MtnDon]

Two different things being talked about here. .....

Clutch head screws used to be used in automotive work and travel trailers. Those do use a special screwdriver and can be removed. Vintage Trailer sells the bits.

Today many cargo trailers used a special fastener for their interior plywood. They are not easily removed. They are used because the interior plywood is a part of the structure and if removed the trailer will self destruct as it is towed over the road. Removal of those fasteners, which do have a phillips head often involves some destruction. They will not unscrew. They spin if you try. Some folks rip the plywood off pulling the heads through, more or less. Others have used small hole saw cutters to cut a circular plug out of the plywood at each screw. Then reposition the plywood if reattaching the same plywood.

I removed most of ours by prying the screwout of the metal wall rib forcibly using vice grips and/or a prybay and a wood block. It tore a hole in the rib with each removal. Itgot the job done. The plywood was repositioned and resecured after insulation using self drilling metal screws.

[DirtyD1833]

Thanks Don, that was what I thought, I was just hoping to be wrong!

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[DirtyD1833]

Seems to me that an appropriately sized plug cutter bit might be a simple solution. Rather than risk damaging the frame of the trailer you could basically cut around the head of the fasteners, and have a loose guide to rehang the panels.

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[MtnDon]

PLUG CUTTER!!! Yes, that was what I was trying to recall when I stated hole saw.... that didn't sound right but I could not remember plug cutter. I wonder how easy that would be with a hand held drill. I use a drill press to cut plugs.