Springy door hinge fail - advice needed

[HelloPetey]

Dear all,
I have made a big fail of trying to unscrew the spring-y hinge from my door. I managed to get 3 of the screws out, then the 4th was too tight to turn so I only succeed in ruining the screwhead to keep it stuck forever. In this state the door would no longer latch. I then compounded my fail by trying to put the other screws back in, but the spring was so strong I couldn't get the angle right and now, as you can see, the screws are only partially in with further damage to screwheads. I can now no longer move any of the screws further in or out, and the door is closing even less successfully than before.
I've tried getting a friend to hold while I screw, but the spring is SO strong, and the angle is so awkward, we couldn't do anything but make it worse.
Does anyone have any advice please??!!
Thank you,
xxx

 

[footprints]

Open the door as far as possible. slip a screwdriver through the chain to stop it pulling the door closed, then drill out the screw.
Once the plate is off use mole grips to turn the screw.

This sort of tool

Self Locking Soft Grip Pliers Set

Curved jaw, self-locking, nickel-plated pliers with adjustable jaw opening and soft-grip handles with quick release lever.Sizes: 130mm, 170mm, 210mm

www.toolstation.com

 

[opps]

As above, the door closers are often referred to a Perkos.

The section on the door is the bit with the "spring". It is not in the door frame.

Open the door as far as you can and then, as per @footprints advice, clamp the chain as far as far as you can to the door edge. then close the door very slightly. The chain will no longer be under stress, and you may be able to use a manual screwdriver to remove the screw.

If push comes to shove, use a bolt cutter or hacksaw to cut through the chain. It will immediately snap back into the door (rapidly). You can then remove the Perko without it being under stress.

If the screws in the frame are completely chuffed, you can lever the door frame side off.

 

[HelloPetey]

Thank you so much - that's really helpful.
I now have a further question.
You can't quite see from the picture, and I didn't realise at first, but in trying to screw those bottom screws in at an angle I have actually bent them, as well as mangled the screwhead. This is why I can no longer even close the door.
Do you have any advice for removing completely mangled screws??

 

[footprints]

Mole grips or pliers, but pliers you will need a very strong grip!
Brute force, assuming you are permanently removing the device, crowbar and simply drag them out, then make good the damage.

Don't forget to lock off the chain when working on it!

Always a useful tool to have handy.



blue-spot-tools-15-flat-pry-bar/5028734255355_BQ.prd

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Perkos are only ever fitted for a reason, typically in a domestic setting to close a fire door so it should be refitted/replaced or an other suitable closing device fitted.

 

[footprints]

Perkos are only ever fitted for a reason, typically in a domestic setting to close a fire door so it should be refitted/replaced or an other suitable closing device fitted.

Quite true, but often a pain with children getting fingers caught or disabled folks getting through them with walking aids or wheelchairs.

 

[sales@interior-doors]

Hi -
It sounds like you're dealing with an extremely strong spring hinge or door closer mechanism that’s causing issues with installation or adjustment. Here are some steps and advice to help resolve the problem:

---

1. Loosen the Tension on the Spring​

Spring hinges or closers typically have a tension adjustment mechanism. If the spring is too tight, it will make screws hard to move and cause the door to malfunction.

• Find the tension pin hole (often on the side or top of the hinge).
• Use an Allen key or the provided tension tool to slowly turn and release the tension. Hold the hinge securely as you do this to avoid sudden movement.
• Once the tension is lower, you’ll have more flexibility to realign the screws and make proper adjustments.

---

2. Check the Door Alignment​

If the screws are stuck, it might be because the hinge or door is slightly misaligned.

• Use a spirit level to check the door alignment and hinge position.
• If the door is not aligned, you may need to loosen the screws slightly on all hinges, reposition the door, and retighten evenly.

If you need any new hinges you can check us out here - https://www.interior-doors.co.uk/

 

[big-all]

my thoughts
if the screws are bent you have zero chance off removing them until the face plate is at or as near as damn it fully flush with the surface to sit behind the bend or pivot point as the screws can only ever rotate individually without load or connection effecting how the screw rotates in connection to others

 

[robinbanks]

Agree with all the advice of others; open the door as far as possible, stick a slim screwdriver right the way through a hole in the chain. Get the screwdriver as close to the body of the door as you can.

Close the door as far as possible without it contacting the screws you're trying to undo (you'll see the chain go slack) to give yourself the most wiggle room then push the plate you were unscrewing back against the door frame and use pliers to turn the screws. Start with the pliers on the screw heads nearest to you to get them out of the way so you can then access the ones deeper into the gap

If you're going to remove any more of these, put the slim screwdriver into the chain first and close the door slightly, to take the stress off the chain. Remove the screws on the door frame side and set them aside. Remove the screws from the door unit and remove the entire assembly from the door. With strong shoes on, set the whole lot on a floor you don't care about so the screwdriver is pointing up, step on it firmly and pull the screwdriver out