Trim fastener removal question Update - solved

[Wolford678]

I’m installing a curt wiring harness. I need to remove the trim to access my taillights. There are 4 Phillips trim fastener screws that need to be removed initially.

they just spin and won’t pop out with force. How do I remove them please?
Thanks.

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[sabasigh]

Sometimes i've had to apply upward pressure on the whole faster (pry up) to get the screw to back out.

 

[V1Rotate]

Apply upward pressure to the underside of the whole collar while using a Phillips with almost zero pressure to unscrew the center plug. Just have to distort the channel enough for the plastic threads of the center plug to gain traction. Worst case just pry it out with your trim tool

 

[Wolford678]

I had already tried applied pressure to the screws and collar but it did NOT work. I’ll try that again later and maybe it will magically work. Thanks

 

[SeptuagenerianSasquatch]

Consider popping them out and replacing them. This is not SpaceX level engineering. I find this kit has pretty much everything I need. For example, I snapped a plastic tab which keeps the air feed to the air filter in place. This kit had a replacement that fit perfectly.

 

[Wolford678]

Consider popping them out and replacing them. This is not SpaceX level engineering. I find this kit has pretty much everything I need. For example, I snapped a plastic tab which keeps the air feed to the air filter in place. This kit had a replacement that fit perfectly.

That’s probably what I’ll end up doing. It’s weird that there are videos of several people simply and easily unscrewing the Phillips screw from the fastener. It’s making me crazy. Thanks.

 

[Brian_B]

It's not really a screw in the center - it's flimsy plastic. It's more like a drywall anchor, or the old push-pin style fender brackets. They just thought for some stupid reason that being able to unscrew the post rather than pop it out was better... Except the inner threads don't hold worth a crap and they just sit there and spin in a stripped out hole.

Take a small screwdriver or knife to get an edge of the inner screw head lifted up a bit. Use pliers or a prybar (the metal red-handled one in the kit @Wolford678 linked is perfect for this and exactly what I use) and pry the screw out of the inside of the fastener. You won't break it.

Do not try to just pry the entire fastener out of the hole without removing the inner screw part first - some of those posts they are installed on behind there are just flimsy aluminum tags and you can bend the crap out of them.

Once the screw is out of the center (or at least halfway out), the outer piece pops right out.

If you get one that's really really stuck - I have heated up a Phillips head screwdriver with a lighter, pushed and melted it into the plastic head, and got them out that way too - but that's kind of a last resort type thing.

When installing them, you don't need to screw them in at all - just push the screw down in.

The Phillips heads on those things are maddening and I have been replacing them with regular push-pin style every chance I get.

 

[Wolford678]

It's not really a screw in the center - it's flimsy plastic. It's more like a drywall anchor, or the old push-pin style fender brackets. They just thought for some stupid reason that being able to unscrew the post rather than pop it out was better... Except the inner threads don't hold worth a crap and they just sit there and spin in a stripped out hole.

Take a small screwdriver or knife to get an edge of the inner screw head lifted up a bit. Use pliers or a prybar (the metal red-handled one in the kit @Wolford678 linked is perfect for this and exactly what I use) and pry the screw out of the inside of the fastener. You won't break it.

Do not try to just pry the entire fastener out of the hole without removing the inner screw part first - some of those posts they are installed on behind there are just flimsy aluminum tags and you can bend the crap out of them.

Once the screw is out of the center (or at least halfway out), the outer piece pops right out.

If you get one that's really really stuck - I have heated up a Phillips head screwdriver with a lighter, pushed and melted it into the plastic head, and got them out that way too - but that's kind of a last resort type thing.

When installing them, you don't need to screw them in at all - just push the screw down in.

The Phillips heads on those things are maddening and I have been replacing them with regular push-pin style every chance I get.

The heating tip is genius for the one I striped the Phillips part. I’m going try to lift the anchor with a knife and rip it out with pliers right now.

Using a small pen knife to lift the screws and up and a screw driver to rip it out worked! Thank you so much man. I was seriously loosing it.

 

[SuperDave150]

It's not really a screw in the center - it's flimsy plastic. It's more like a drywall anchor, or the old push-pin style fender brackets. They just thought for some stupid reason that being able to unscrew the post rather than pop it out was better... Except the inner threads don't hold worth a crap and they just sit there and spin in a stripped out hole.

Take a small screwdriver or knife to get an edge of the inner screw head lifted up a bit. Use pliers or a prybar (the metal red-handled one in the kit @Wolford678 linked is perfect for this and exactly what I use) and pry the screw out of the inside of the fastener. You won't break it.

Do not try to just pry the entire fastener out of the hole without removing the inner screw part first - some of those posts they are installed on behind there are just flimsy aluminum tags and you can bend the crap out of them.

Once the screw is out of the center (or at least halfway out), the outer piece pops right out.

If you get one that's really really stuck - I have heated up a Phillips head screwdriver with a lighter, pushed and melted it into the plastic head, and got them out that way too - but that's kind of a last resort type thing.

When installing them, you don't need to screw them in at all - just push the screw down in.

The Phillips heads on those things are maddening and I have been replacing them with regular push-pin style every chance I get.

@Brian_B good points!

I have been replacing the plastic screws with black metal screws from the auto parts store.

@Wolford678 don’t fret about these. Be as gentle as you can but as forceful as necessary. And check your local auto parts store - most of them have lots of replacements available in small quantities so you don’t have to invest in a big mega kit from amazon.

 

[SeptuagenerianSasquatch]

That’s probably what I’ll end up doing. It’s weird that there are videos of several people simply and easily unscrewing the Phillips screw from the fastener. It’s making me crazy. Thanks.

Most of these videos are by people, often professionals, who've done it several times. Often it's on a new truck in a professional shop; installing on a truck with 25K miles in your driveway is a different matter. If they botch a process or part, they can re-do it and edit out the mistake. They also edit out the washer that disappeared and the nut that didn't loosen. How-to videos are helpful, but not regular-guy experience.

 

[Wolford678]

I’m installing a curt wiring harness. I need to remove the trim to access my taillights. There are 4 Phillips trim fastener screws that need to be removed initially.

they just spin and won’t pop out with force. How do I remove them please?
Thanks.

UPDATE - problem solved
Using a small pen knife I was able to lift up the head of the screw which released the whole fastener allowing me to pull it out.

Now the trailer light wiring harness is installed. Big thanks to everyone who helped me out. Only there is a new issue of course. the rear right break light of the trailer and rear right turn signal on the trailer do not operate at all. The same functions properly on the driver’s side.

Everything else on the vehicle and trailer are working fine. The rear right (passenger side) trailer tail light DOES illuminate red though. The trailer side marker lights work as well.

I'm not sure if it’s the new curt harness compatibility, my trailer’s pin connector which I left exposed to the elements for a year or what. Maybe it will magically start working.

 

[Bschurr]

UPDATE - problem solved
Using a small pen knife I was able to lift up the head of the screw which released the whole fastener allowing me to pull it out.

Now the trailer light wiring harness is installed. Big thanks to everyone who helped me out. Only there is a new issue of course. the rear right break light of the trailer and rear right turn signal on the trailer do not operate at all. The same functions properly on the driver’s side.

Everything else on the vehicle and trailer are working fine. The rear right (passenger side) trailer tail light DOES illuminate red though. The trailer side marker lights work as well.

I'm not sure if it’s the new curt harness compatibility, my trailer’s pin connector which I left exposed to the elements for a year or what. Maybe it will magically start working.

Glad you figured out those pesky screw-in style panel connectors. I just ended up pulling them out with a pry tool.

Did you push the plastic wire connectors together until they clicked (i.e. you heard an audible confirmation of full engagement)?

 

[Brian_B]

Sounds like an issue with the trailer wiring maybe. Can always bypass and hook a 12v garden battery or something directly up to the trailer harness with a pigtail and see what lights up

Multimeter on your trailer harness just for sanity wouldn’t hurt either to check the wiring works. Should see 12v there when it wants the lights on

 

[Wolford678]

Glad you figured out those pesky screw-in style panel connectors. I just ended up pulling them out with a pry tool.

Did you push the plastic wire connectors together until they clicked (i.e. you heard an audible confirmation of full engagement)?

I think so. But I didn’t disconnect the battery during the instal maybe the issue. Also my fuse didn’t want to go in so I kept flipping it and jamming it. Maybe it’s not in properly or defective. I may try disconnecting the battery and removing the fuse. Maybe I have to ground the red wire I read something about. I may need to relocate my white wire ground from the rear quarter Pannel trim bolt I screwed it on. Perhaps it’s no bueno. IDK.

There’s the possibility it’s my trailer’s light too. Or the trailer’s harness.

 

[Wolford678]

Sounds like an issue with the trailer wiring maybe. Can always bypass and hook a 12v garden battery or something directly up to the trailer harness with a pigtail and see what lights up

Multimeter on your trailer harness just for sanity wouldn’t hurt either to check the wiring works. Should see 12v there when it wants the lights on

good idea. Thanks. I look up how to do that on YouTube if they have something like that. “Trailer light test”

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