Removing a screw from an abloy

[kwoswalt99-]

Hello,
I've been trying to disassemble an old Abloy, and haven't been having any luck. This particular lock has been used outside for a long time and the allen screw inside was frozen up. When I tried to remove it the first time, I broke the ball off my allen wrench, so I used a little penetrating oil and let it sit overnight. I didn't have an allen wrench strong enough, so I made a little tool. With the tool I was able to get the screw part of the way out, but then the tip of the tool broke off, and I cannot get it out of the screw. The tip is too hard to drill. Any suggestions?
Kyle

[Squelchtone]

Hello,
I've been trying to disassemble an old Abloy, and haven't been having any luck. This particular lock has been used outside for a long time and the allen screw inside was frozen up. When I tried to remove it the first time, I broke the ball off my allen wrench, so I used a little penetrating oil and let it sit overnight. I didn't have an allen wrench strong enough, so I made a little tool. With the tool I was able to get the screw part of the way out, but then the tip of the tool broke off, and I cannot get it out of the screw. The tip is too hard to drill. Any suggestions?
Kyle

a photo of your padlock and the location of the screw would help. (upload to imgur.com or tinypic.com and Copy/Paste into here.) This is the screw that you can only get to once the shackle is open, right? in order to unscrew the ring that keeps the core inside the bottom of the lock?

Thanks
Squelchtone

[kwoswalt99-]

I can't get a good picture of it, but yes, that is the screw I'm talking about. I think it's a model 350 enforcer with a profile keyway.
Kyle

[Squelchtone]

I can't get a good picture of it, but yes, that is the screw I'm talking about. I think it's a model 350 enforcer with a profile keyway.
Kyle

You need not remove that set screw all the way to get the retainer to start turning, it only goes into it 1/8" or something around that. Try putting a slotted screw driver into one of the 4 slots and tapping it gently with a mallet to see if it will unscrew yet.

[kwoswalt99-]

The screw is not quite out far enough to allow the retainer to turn. I forgot to mention I tried to use strong magnets to pull the broken piece out, and got a lot of little magnets stuck inside of the shackle hole. It took a while to get them all out.
Kyle

[Squelchtone]

The screw is not quite out far enough to allow the retainer to turn. I forgot to mention I tried to use strong magnets to pull the broken piece out, and got a lot of little magnets stuck inside of the shackle hole. It took a while to get them all out.
Kyle

You are no doubt learning that this is a very well made and heavy duty padlock. Are you just looking to see what the mechanism looks like inside, or trying to hand file a key by removing the discs?

Can you chisel a slot into the allen head which is also occupied by other stuff now and use a slotted screw driver and some pliers to back the set screw out some more?

wear eye protection and watch your fingers!
Squelchtone

[billdeserthills]

If enough of the set-screw is sticking out an automatic center punch can be your best friend in these circumstances. I use mine often to free up stuck screws
and my clients often think I am quite the magician. Maybe using a bent icepick or shrum type tool will allow you to pick out the stuck piece inside your set screw?
One nice thing about metal that is hard enough to break off is it is usually hard enough to fracture, if You can hit it directly with a punch. A bit of lube can often
work wonders

[kwoswalt99-]

Thanks for the advice. I've mangled up the screw a bit. If I get it out I'll probably have to replace it. I hope I can get it apart to clean it. Already managed to smash my fingers, the hammer I was using wasn't a big one though.
Kyle

[billdeserthills]

I have had similar troubles with ball-driver hex wrenches myself, in the past. Now I won't try the ball driver hex wrench unless the allen screw
is already loose. Smashing Your fingers is just part of the fun, wheee!

[Raymond]

Soak the lock for a couple of days in coca-cola just where it will keep the screw wet. Clean out. Then try tapping an icepick at the edges of the broken allen driver to try to dislodge it. Soak in penetrating oil. PBBlaster works really great. If the broken allen driver comes out turn the screw back in deeper with another tool and retap the thread hole with a flat bottom tap before trying to remove the screw.