How to replace screw that will not engage?

[Coolaholigah]

Hello and thanks in advance

this is a bracket which attaches the door to a pull out pantry unit. There are three brackets in total and this is the top one. The top and middle ones sit on top of a bar of the pull out unit so the door cannot fall any further so it does take quite a bit of strain.

I removed the door (without any difficulty) as the bottom runner was stuck etc. the runner is working again thanks to silicon spray but when I went to screw the bracket back in, the hole to receive this one screw seems to be damaged (it’s quite sharp sticking out) and the screw will not engage.

is there something I can do to help/make it engage? I could file the sharp edge down for example?The damaged hole is to the left. I don’t k ow what the fold out bit is for

I guess the other option is to swap the lower bracket up to where this one is because the lower bracket doesn’t take the starting/weight as much but that would be quite complicated to do

[EricL]

Hello @Coolaholigah 

Thank you for sharing your question about your pull-out pantry bracket. It appears that through long periods of stress the steel has bent upwards which is why the screw will no longer engage the sides of the screw hole. One way to repair the hole is to tap the steel flat again. 

This will shrink the hole back and allow the threads of the screw to engage the sides of the hole. However, the screw will eventually pullout again or the steel will give way. Can you please post extra photos of the same area but at a farther distance? This will give our members a better idea of how things are anchored together.

It is possible to use a larger screw, but it might not fit the brackets hole. Can you use a nut and bolt configuration? Only if there is enough space for the fittings. It might be possible to use a larger bracket and drill a new hole, but only if it is compatible with the drawer system. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @TedBear, @JoeAzza and @Noyade for their recommendations.  

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Evening @Coolaholigah 

I pretty much have thoughts along @EricL's thinking. Tho will wait for some more pics from a little further back.

Some questions

- Is the draw metal or just the hole where the screw goes in.

- is it a screw (pointed end) or bolt (flat end)

- is it possible to have a pic of the other bolts/brackets?

If its a steel draw or steel barrel potentially you could rethread the hole. Effectivly cleaning the hole out and realligning the thread inside tho as Eric says it will be weaker and potentially happen again. If it is metal you coould rethread but at a slighty larger sized bolt keeping in mind the hole of the bracket of course.

Will wait for more pics tho

Dave

[Coolaholigah]

Sorry for delay- it’s at my daughters house so I had to get photos via her.

The screw is flat ended -bolt

i don’t think a bolt and nut would work without going through to the external side of the door which would be unsightly.

[Dave-1]

Morning @Coolaholigah 

Thanks you for the photos And straight up I can see a solution, a resonably easy one even  

Instead of that existing bracket to hold the door in place, you could fashion a new bracket out of a piece of steel or shallow aluminum angle.

Something like this Metal Mate 20 x 12 x 1.4mm 1m Aluminium Unequal Angle - Silver  drill two holes either of the center line and then mark out on the metal horizontal bar where they go and drill a very small pilot hole.

Then using some short self taping screws Zenith 4G x 9mm Sheet Metal Self-Tapping Pan Head Slotted Phillips Drive Screws - 100 Pack  (you may need to uses a small washer or two before the screw goes into the Aluminium bar to stop the screw entering the timber door) that will pretty much only go through the bracket and the metal bar attached to it. You could even paint it white

Dave

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Coolaholigah,

I'd remove the door again (if you've put it back on) and insert an adequately long bolt that can reach the bracket from the front. Adding a washer would be good, too. That way, when you put the door back on, the bolt can travel through the hole in the fixing bracket and be retained with a nut. It's kind of like the opposite of how the bolt is installed in the front mount at the moment. You might need to enlarge the hole in the front mount to accept your new bolt. This will be a much stronger connection than the original, as previously, your bolt was only screwing into the thin wall of the front mount.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Coolaholigah]

Thanks. I think making a new angle thingy is a bit complicated for me - I'm sure its easy for you Dave though...

I will try the simplest - just tapping it flat. If that doesn't work ill have to take the door off again and maybe swap the brackets around or try the nut and bolt solution

[EricL]

Hi @Coolaholigah 

Now that I see what the assembly looks like I feel confident that a nut and bolt assembly will work. However, the bolt will probably need to be cut down in order for it to not to stick out towards the door. 

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your pullout pantry repaired. 

Eric

[DIYGnome]

Hello @Coolaholigah I would have to agree with @MitchellMc, place a flat headed bolt through so that it's head rests within the "cavity" of the folded steel bracket frame (thus hidden from the front fascia), as the nut tightens it will pull the bolt tightly into the bracket and provide far more support than any metal screw ever could IMHO, you will need to remove the door and possibly clean up the bracket a little where the screw had stripped out (maybe enlarge the hole slightly with a drill), easy enough and maybe worth doing to both sides of the bracket 👍

[Coolaholigah]

Love that diagram thank you! Very clear.

if I was taking it off and doing all that anyway it would probably be worth doing the nut and bolt on both sides if it would be that much stronger. Thx