Thanks for the replies. What was needed was a T-47 "star socket," I think
3/8 is the right size.
The Chilton Manual I was borrowing said I needed "Tork Park Number xxx-xxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx" or something like that. I'm like--wouldn't T-47 Star Socket make the point?
The other thing, too--pardon me for sounding like the rank weekend warrior I admit to being, but why in the world can't they decide ONE single type of screw--be it bolt, single-slot screw, philips-head screw, allen, star-socket--whatever--and have every single last thing in the world be assembled with that one type and absolutely NOTHING else at all? Why all the types? It clearly isn't necessary.
Sure, the different SIZES are; after all, you're talking about applications that could range from eyeglasses to bridges, obviously you're going to have a huge running of the gamut with sizes, makes sense. But with all these different TYPES, I'm thinking--standardize already. For crying out loud, you have to own like $1000 worth of tools to work on anything, and that is just ridiculous.
On the other hand, my computer basically only needs 2-philips head screwdrivers in TOTAL for everything. I can use my Philips head screwdriver and ratchet set and work on 99 1/2% of everything around my house--including all the furniture & any appliances. Why do cars have to have such a HUGE running of the gamut? It just makes no sense to me.
Frankly, their ought to be a law mandating that car makers can use only ONE type, total, for everything right down to the sun visors and the engine bolts. You are allowed to use EITHER a bolt, an allen, a star socket, a slotted screw, or a Phililps head screw for every last thing--size-variations obviously would be allowed (no way the same screw that holds up the sun visor could be the same one that holds the engine in place), but as for types--it would be forbidden BY LAW to have ANY and I mean ANY variations in "type" of screws. No variations allowed, none, whatsoever. Period. That way, a car owner could simply own the various sizes of ONE TYPE and fix every last thing on his/her car.
LRH