Stripped screw on the brake reservoir?

[Racin Jason]

I find it works well to give the srewdriver a little tap with a hammer when undoing reserviour srews. ensures good seating of the head and helps crack the corrosion seal vifferman was taking about. sometimes a small bar and phillips bit works better than a srewdriver too.

[vifferman]

I find it works well to give the srewdriver a little tap with a hammer when undoing reserviour srews.

True!
I forgot about that! Push down hard on the screwdriver, and give it a twist at the same time you whack it. Usually works for me!

[Max Preload]

Pozidrive aren't generally used on bikes.
It's more likely the screw head and/or screwdriver tip were a bit munted. The trouble with Phillips is that if either item isn't in pristine condition, and/or they're not mated properly, slippage occurs.

They're used, they're just not often marked correctly. In any case, using a pozidrive screwdriver in a phillips head will mean that you don't have to dig all the shit out of the head first so it seats properly.

Wonder if you can replace them with s/steel allen headed ones?

The absolute last thing you want to put in an aluminium thread is a stainless steel fastener for reasons not limited to galvanic corrosion.

[vifferman]

The absolute last thing you want to put in an aluminium thread is a stainless steel fastener for reasons not limited to galvanic corrosion.

It was just an idle wondering...
Wouldn't look right in any case.

[elevenhundred]

Get an impact driver!
They are worth their weight in gold. Especially if you own an older bike.
I got mine 2nd hand for $25
Even on rounded out heads they can usually get them undone (as long as you haven't rounded it too much).
Once you get them out though make sure you replace them with new screws/bolts and grease em (saves the same thing occurring in future).

[vifferman]

Get an impact driver!

I've had one for years (20? 25?).
Not really the sort of thing to use on a brake reservoir however - a bit too brutal. The screwdriver and hammer does the same job quite well, and you can modulate how hard you tap the screwdriver, and how much torque you put on it, whereas the impact driver needs a fair whack to work properly.

[Racin Jason]

I've had one for years (20? 25?).
Not really the sort of thing to use on a brake reservoir however - a bit too brutal. The screwdriver and hammer does the same job quite well, and you can modulate how hard you tap the screwdriver, and how much torque you put on it, whereas the impact driver needs a fair whack to work properly.

Yes. An impact driver is a must have.(for phillips) But i dont use mine that often. Often they do more damage that good. I prefer a good power bar and a hammer, So that you can controll the tourqe better. Works really good for siezed allen head bolts

[The Pastor]

why oh why cant they just use 8mm bolts instead of screws. or hav the entire lid screw on like a jar.

life is never simple

[FROSTY:Me]

one tool currently missing from my kit is a stubby hex headed screwdriver.
In eesence its a normal pz screwdriver but its High tensile and the shaft goes right through and out the top and ends in a 10mm hex
You can give it a tap into those screws no worries

Screws wise I use M4x16 countersunk HT hex to replace the buggered ones. word of warning though,definitely use coppercoat on the threads -if they corro0de you are in big trouble

[Kungfaux]

Just wanna say thanks to everyone for all the advice here, I had 2 stripped screws on my clutch fluid reservoir and the drill technique worked a treat. Cheers KBers! =D