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Repair information and guides for the fifth generation of iPhone. Model: A1387

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screws that hold battery in

The ifixit installation manual shows two screws holding the iphone 4S battery: one, a 1.7 mm phillips screw, the other, a 1.5 mm phillips screw.

Nobody in town has phillips screwdriver bits to fit or precision driver kits, for that matter. Ifixit's "liberation kit" includes a pentalobe driver (which I now have) and another driver, a #00 Phillips head which is not otherwise specified as to bit size, but I wonder if it is supposed to fit both the 1.7 mm and 1.5 mm screws? What is the true bit specification for that seemingly "dual purpose" screwdriver?

I see the following declaration for the ifixdit #00 driver.

"Also indispensable for bridging the divide between squabbling materials, the screwdriver helps keep a healthy perspective on petty conflicts. Screw the differences today with our Phillips #00 screwdriver."

My impression is that the ifixit Phillips #00 screwdriver is meant to be used to replace the pentalobe screws with appropriate Phillips head screws...that it has nothing to do with the two different Phillips head screws that secure the battery inside the case.

Or, does the ifixit declaration mean an ifixit #00 phillips screwdriver will "bridge the divide" between 1.7 mm and an 1.5 mm screws and not strip their tiny little heads?

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Nicholas, I "felt" the bit seat on the first screw and it turned out OK. I did not feel that seating / mating when I tried to unscrew the second screw.

After you last comment, I put more pressure on the driver and the screw did not turn. The bit is not biting. Have I done something wrong? Is there a backup plan?

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No need to panic just yet. We just need to check on a few things first. Since I'm not sitting there with you with the device in front of me I need to be sure of what you are seeing. I have a theory but I need more information before we can act on it.

This is the fixture in question, correct?

http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/tAZJS...

The Orange circled screw is the 1.5 mm and the Red the 1.7 mm.

Can you verify for me that the screws are laid out and look exactly like this?

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Nicholas, here's what I see.

Yes, the screw that won't unscrew is circled in orange.

Furthermore, I looked around the case and found ten other phillips head screws, 6 with larger heads, 4 with smaller heads. The larger screw head slots (+) are more distinct; the smaller, less distinct. The orange circled screw looks like a small one, and it looked dfferent, perceptibly smaller, than the red circled screw that turned out easily under the #00 bit.

Now, after I tried to press the orange-circled screw to turn it out, the (+) looks more like this:

(o).

:-(

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Really, it sounds to me like you had an irregular screw in the 1.5 mm slot. There is no reason why the #00 Phillips driver would not easily pull the 1.5 mm Phillips head screw. I'm sorry for your troubles. What seems most likely to me is that the 1.5 mm Phillips head that was meant to be in that slot was somehow replaced with a smaller 5-point pentalobe screw from somewhere else on the phone. Either that, or the screw itself was irregular and prevented the driver from setting properly. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, man.

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If you've managed to strip the head you either had a bad screwdriver or were being a bit dainty with it.

With a bit more force and a screwdriver with a bigger head you may be able to get it out still - would be good to see some pictures.

The 2 battery screws are standard - nothing a #00 screwdriver can't handle.

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For a simple, straight forward answer: Yes.

The iFixit #00 Phillips Screwdriver will work with both the 1.7 mm and the 1.5 mm screws without stripping their heads.

You didn't miss anything.

The meaning is simply fogged by their use of rhetoric in the product description.

Rest assured that the iFixit #00 Phillips Screwdriver is made to fit both the 1.7 mm and the 1.5 mm screws that fix the battery in place and is used for that purpose.

Here is the documented step regarding the two screws in question and their associated tool:

iPhone 4S Screen Replacement

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5 Comments:

Thank you, Sir.

I will proceed.

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Happy hunting.

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Hi Nicholas,

I used the #00 phillips head driver bit to unscrew the 1.7 mm screw, no problem.

I tried to used the #00 driver bit to unscrew the 1.5 mm screw. Now, I have a problem, or may have a problem.

When I seated the bit in the 1.7 mm screw head, I "felt" a little click when the driver bit fit the screw +. The screw came out easily. Neither the screw nor the driver bit were damaged in any way.

When I tried to do the same wth the 1.5 mm screw, the bit would not mate to the screw head. Instead, I could slowly and very lightly w/ no downward pressure, turn the bit in search of the 1.5 mm +. No click in that case.

I have inspected the 1.5 mm screw head and the #00 driver bit for damage. They both appear to be undamaged. Therefore, something is wrong.

What should I do next? Try to use a #000 driver bit?

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Franklin, I have to say that I am confused by your problem. The #00 Phillips head does fit both the 1.7 mm and the 1.5 mm screw heads. I've successfully used it on both without damage. And I'm not entirely sure where you're being held up. The 0.2 mm difference between the screws is a measurement of the length of the screw and should not effect the bit's fit at all.

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Nicholas, when I used the #00 bit on the first screw, what I thought to be the 1.7 mm phillips head screw...because it looked larger under my magnifying glass...I "felt" the bit seat in the screw +. I turned it out with no problem.

I thought the second screw was a 1.5 mm screw because the screw head looked slighly smaller. Different, in any case.

After reading your last comment, I put more pressure on the second screw head, notwithstanding I felt no seating in its +. I tried to turn it out, but nothing much happened. It is still in place.

If the head is stripped, is there a way to drill it out or get it out by any other means?

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Had the exact same problem. I filed down the point of the screwdriver on the cement in my garage (didn't take much), and it was able to grab the smaller screw.

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