Quick Torx rant..any suggestions?

I've always had to struggle with these idiotic Torx bolts Jeep uses. Today I was trying to put mirror relo brackets on...I was warned before that the retards at the factory had lathered lots of Loctite on these particular ones when they installed them. It is now not physically possible to exert enough force on these cheap bolts to loosen them before they strip. No matter how I line them up or how hard I keep the bit pressed in (even hammering the bit in doesn't work enough), these pieces of shit just grind apart when I try to turn them. What can I do? They're not totally stripped out yet-I think I might just pay someone to spot weld a bar onto them and hammer them out. What other options do I have? It's a '99 TJ with no rust or anything in the holes. The Jeep is a great vehicle in the whole of its parts, but the details like this (and how cheap the black plastic on the interior is) are where it sucks!

Matt

Reply to
Matt
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Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

if it's not too late already....make sure your torx bit is in good shape and fits tight!

heat and hammers (watch the glass!). gotta break that loctite hold...nothing will get in there so you better get a propane torch and ya....

good luck!

Reply to
SB

Bill's got a good tip here. I call these things "hammer impact wrenches" and they work great on stubborn torx bolts. My set's from Snap-On, just used it on Friday to remove some torx bolts on my YJs inside windshield supports.

Reply to
Jerry McG

SB did pass the time by typing:

Acording to the folks at loctite you can use a little bit of threadlocker on the bolt, it will wick down like PB blaster does on rust and loosen the grip. That or apply the hotwrench.

Reply to
DougW

DougW did pass the time by typing:

Adding one more thing. (blame the brain addled beer cell). ::)

Don't use cheap ass torx bits! Use a precision made one, either SnapOn/Craftsman or in a pinch, CalHawlk. The el-cheapo ones are pressed or cast and just don't fit right.

Reply to
DougW

Matt ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) wrote on Saturday 08 May 2004 07:30 pm:

Matt,

If you haven't yet, buy a quality torx bit from Sears or Snap-on (if you can find them). The cheapies that come in the set are a sure way to destroy a torx bolt. I've never had a torx strip out on my 82. I was only able to find decent torx bits at Sears in the last few years, so check again if you haven't looked lately.

Another tip is to try tightening it first, especially if you've stripped things out in the loosening direction. Take it slow and make sure it's seated as best you can. You just need to break it loose.

Good luck!

Reply to
Michael White

Get a dremel and "convert" them so that you can use a large flat bladed screwdriver to remove them, then throw them away and replace them with something that makes sense?

Reply to
Shaggie

I recently put mirror relo brackets on my '00 TJ and all but one of the screws came out easily. The last stripped just like yours. I drilled about

5/8" into the center of the screw with a 3/16" drill (you'll see why in a second), then with a 5/16" drill in the same hole drilled until the screw head came off (they are 5/16 screws, so this size drill will pop the head off when iit drills deep enough to get through the head). That left the screw body in the hole, with about 3/8" of a 3/16" hole left in it (see why I did that one first?). I then used an ez-out, and backed the screw right out. The screw itself was loose, it was the head that was binding (from the paint, I'd guess)

In the fall when I remove the brackets I'll replace the screws with Allen-head stainless screws from my local hardware store.

Reply to
Jeff Scherb

A little known fact is that Loctite makes a adhesive remover & you can put this stuff on & it will soak down the threads to get the job done. I've used this stuff in work with some success. If you go to the Loctite page it's advertised as:

X-NMS® CleanUp Solvent for Instant Adhesives

You might run into some problem with paint covering the bolt head in the area your talking about. I had to remove the bolts on the windshield brackets on my TJ when I installed a Garvin Wilderness expedition rack & I made sure I had a new torx bit & it was the CORRECT SIZE. It seems that especially with torx bolts that a smaller size bit will feel like its the right size but there will be just enough slop to mess up the bolt head. I know that on one of the Harleys that I had that they had their own size torx for something or other & I had to go & buy the torx bit from Harley

L8r - Jersey

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Reply to
Jersey

What will the adhesive dissolver do the the paint in general?

Reply to
SB

I have only gotten them out two ways.

One is to drill the heads out and punch them through into the tub then replace them and the other is to heat them with a torch to melt the 'loctite'.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Matt wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

punching them through would mean you'd need to retap the hole, no??

Reply to
SB

Thanks for all the advice, guys! My Torx bits are pretty good...they're Lisle, made in USA. I'll run out today and look for a Craftsman impact socket, and take the thing to Pep Boys so they can mess with it if that doesn't work out. I did see the similar thread on this from a few days back, too... I tried the methods on there short of the torch, and will get back at it now that my patience and temper have returned!

Matt

Reply to
Matt

The body side ones have nuts on the inside.

Mike

SB wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Matt did pass the time by typing:

Try this.

Put a cheater bar on the end and turn the bolt back and forth. When it starts to come out, put a little PB blaster on it then run it back in and out again. That helps get the stuff broken up and worked wonders on several bolts that were giving me grief.

Reply to
DougW

I can't remember having any problems with this stuff removing paint BUT it is a solvent so like they say you might want to try it in a inconspicuous spot first. Besides ain't that why they make those touch up sticks?

L8r - Jersey

Reply to
Jersey

Another thing I forgot to mention, There is Torx & Torx Plus & they look the same & I have broken Lisle bits using a impact socket.

L8r - Jersey

Reply to
Jersey

touch up sticks?? You mean you cover the scratches on your jeep? haha

Sorry....I baby'd my jeep for a while when I first bought it. But I always said....it gets pampered until I get the first scratch. I opened the door in a parking lot that was off camber and my door flew open and hit their mirror. But a knick on the edge of my door. SO...that was it...no more baby'ing!! haha

Reply to
SB

THANKS! Great advice, everybody! I got a 200 ft.-lb. Craftsman impact socket, put my Torx bit in that, and one monster whack with a 28 oz. hammer brought these things FLYING out in a white cloud of Loctite and old wax! Now the brackets are on, and I won't have my stones broken anymore by the cops for having no mirrors!!

Matt

Reply to
Matt

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