Removing sheet metal screws from side panels

[Hiyu]

Hello All,

We're getting to do a minor wrap on our mini and I would like to remove the screws on the sides where the wrap will be partially laid. My question is this: Can I remove and re-use the the same screws without any damage to the ribs that the metal is attached to? If I need new ones, should they be a size larger?

Thank you in advance.

Don

[Hiyu]

Here's a photo of the aforementioned question. Thanks again for any help.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

are you just wanting to remove the screws for wrap and put them back in through the wrap after?
i dont see a problem because you can i think still feel the holes through the wrap to put them back in.
not necessary to put the same screws back in but if they come out just fine then why not.
while they are out stick them in some cardboard and paint to match the wrap.
i do have a little ocd though about if i pull a bunch of screws then i want newer and better screws to go back in not so much a bigger size but i will also use the blue loc tite on the threads just to make sure they dont back out.
i have re used many of removed screws with confidence.
i keep used coffee cans and anything bolt nut washer wise gets saved for repurpose if in good shape but will probably get dumped after not used.

[Hiyu]

Yes, the area will be cleaned, wrapped, then the screws immediately reinstalled. Loctite would not be a bad idea for a little xtra insurance.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Oldyeller]

I took out and reinstalled hundreds of screws in my inner ceiling with no problem. But it's not something I could have done without my Milwaukee 1/4" impact driver. Only thing I can think to mention is not to over-torque them on reinstallation.

Yea, I guess I CAN think of something else to mention. If you're removing exterior screws be careful if you get ones you can't break loose. If you DO use an impact driver, and I can't imagine NOT using one, sometimes you'll destroy the screw head. I bought a manual impact driver which never failed to remove stuck screws often with no damage to the screw

[Hiyu]

Thank you!

[JA6net]

Pull em, trash em, and put new upsized in after wrap. 6 to 8, 8 to 10...

[Veloc]

I'm gonna go the other way and say, why bother? Wrap over the screws. When they heat the wrap it conforms perfectly over everything underneath plus it keeps water off the screws. I've seen buses with wrap and the screws/rivets really aren't noticeable unless you look for them. Even then, they're no more noticeable than a painted bus. Shiny new screws on top of the wrap, on the other hand, will stand out like a thousand points of light. Pulling them, doing a wrap, then putting them back in is setting you up for a ton of work now, and again later when you remove the wrap and have to pulll them all out all over again to get the vinyl out from underneath them. Not to mention, everything's tight now? May not be when you finish. Every time you remove and add tension to sheet metal it deforms a tiny bit which is why you need larger screws to replace.

[Rock-N-Ruth]

Originally Posted by Veloc

I'm gonna go the other way and say, why bother? Wrap over the screws. When they heat the wrap it conforms perfectly over everything underneath plus it keeps water off the screws. I've seen buses with wrap and the screws/rivets really aren't noticeable unless you look for them. Even then, they're no more noticeable than a painted bus. Shiny new screws on top of the wrap, on the other hand, will stand out like a thousand points of light. Pulling them, doing a wrap, then putting them back in is setting you up for a ton of work now, and again later when you remove the wrap and have to pulll them all out all over again to get the vinyl out from underneath them. Not to mention, everything's tight now? May not be when you finish. Every time you remove and add tension to sheet metal it deforms a tiny bit which is why you need larger screws to replace.

Amen. I couldn't have said it better.