how to install a replacement Heatilator log

[Mjb2001]

Hi,

We have a Heatilator ND4236I gas fireplace. One of the five logs broke. It's the one in the front right. I have the replacement log and saw that there are two holes in the bottom. So I figured that it just slides down onto two prongs.
So I pulled the existing log straight up. It came off the two prongs, but I now see that there were two screws going into the back of the log. (So I guess I just ripped through the log material on the way up.)

So now I'm concluding that I need to first remove those screws, slide the new log down on the two prongs, and put the screws back in. The problem is that the head of the screws is facing toward the back of the fireplace, and there is absolutely no space to put a screwdriver! There's maybe a quarter of an inch between the screw head and the next log behind it.

So how the heck do I remove the screws? Do I have to remove the log that's behind it? But I can't do that because there's no way to get a screwdriver behind THAT log, either. Etc. All the way to the back, there's no way to get a screwdriver behind any of these logs.

Any ideas?

 

[DAKSY]

There were NO screws in the original assembly of the logs, as I remember it.
Each log was individually placed in position, & a certain sequence had to be followed in order to install them correctly.
I would pull ALL of them out & see if those screws were put in there as an afterthought.

 

[Mjb2001]

There were NO screws in the original assembly of the logs, as I remember it.
Each log was individually placed in position, & a certain sequence had to be followed in order to install them correctly.
I would pull ALL of them out & see if those screws were put in there as an afterthought.

Thanks, but a key point of my message was that I can't take the logs out because there's no way (that I can see) to take the screws out because there's no way to get a screwdriver in there. I trust a dealer/installer can do it, but I'm trying to figure out how to do it on my own so I don't have to pay them $100 or $200 to come out and do it.

 

[DAKSY]

Are the logs screwed to the grate that they are sitting on? Generally, there are 2 - 4 screws,
with 1/4" hex heads, holding the grate to the bottom of the firebox. Can you get to THOSE screws?
If so, maybe you can take the entire log/grate assembly out as a unit, then access the log screws.
If not, can you post a pic so we can see what you're up against?