How do I get the screws off the ride plate

[armpit]

I damn near stripped the phillips head screws getting the ride plate off the bottom of my ski. Any ideas? is this a specially pitched phillips driver you order from seadoo? I fear attempting to put anymore torque on these as it will strip them past the point of no return.

FYI, once I get the ride plate off I will get a better view of the impeller and wear ring. I can already see 1/8 to 1/4 chunks missing out of the impeller so I know I have an impeller and wear ring replacement coming up. I don't think this stuff has been changed since the ski left the sales floor in 96.

 

[gravitydrno]

Had the same problem with the ride plate and intake grates on my 1996 Speedster I resorted to drilling a small hole about 1/4" deep in the stuck screw and used an EZ Out to remove the screw.

 

[d!face]

try an impact screw driver

 

[needforspeed]

I tried all those methods before the head of the screw broke off. Now what?

 

[armpit]

I stopped before the heads broke off, I was shearing the phillips bits into tiny pieces using the impact action on my drill. these suckers are froze on. I can't get lok-ease into it becuase it's upside down. Any ideas anyone?

 

[jhjesse]

My guess is that they were installed with red loctite.
Get a propane torch used for soldering copper lines. put a little heat directly on the head of the bolt. Then quench it immediately with WD-40 and try. This will break the loctite hold and let the lubricant enter because of heat expansion.
The bolts are more that likely 300 series stainless. If you get it moving...keep it moving and don't stop until it is out, otherwise it will gall up on you. Good luck