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Torx rant


wallisek
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Just picked up a new TPS for my recently rebuilt 91 2.5L MJ, old one was way out of spec. I go to remove the old one, and low and behold.....torx screws. So first I try my screwdriver...no dice. :dunno:

 

Then I try using a small 1/4" drive socket wrench and destroy two torx bits trying to get it off. So off comes the whole throttle body. :(

 

At this point, I figured "no problem, just get out my trusty screw extractors". Drill a small hole, tap the extractor in, begin to put some torque on the extractor and off pops the screw head. :fs1:

 

Now it's time to get down to serious business. Using the precision of a watchmaker, I then promptly remove the problem screws (along with the TPS) using my 10lb calibrating hammer. Now we are getting somewhere... :D

 

I then start to drill out the broken screws only to destroy two drill bits. Apparently torx screws are made out of Adamantium :headpop:

 

At this point, I remove the IAC and bin the damn thing. I figured the only good thing to come out of this is a new bored-out throttle body I just bought off ebay.

 

I don't know who in their right mind would *EVER* use a torx screw in an automobile, let alone anything else. People who knowingly uses torx screws should be horse-whipped naked down main street. :yes:

 

soapbox.gif

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Just a thought maybe everyone should just bite the bullet, run down to their local parts store and buy a set of torx bits along with the external sets for the bell housing bolts. I just removed my trans the other night and I was prepared to go to the store to get the proper socket, after digging through my tool box I already had a set of external torx sockets. :D

 

I feel for everyone out there. I was a mechanic for a few years and have accumulated a number of specialty tools. From my experience nothing can touch the right tool for the job. Period. :wrench:

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Been working on countless Jeeps for over ten years. The only 2 cases where the torx pisses me off are the front bumper bolts, and the door mount bolts.

 

I will say one thing though, I am sorely lacking in the torx 27 size because I use it so much!

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They were quality torx bits, the screw head became rounded. I also failed to mention I did exactly as Jeepco suggested. After I whacked the bad TPS off, I removed what was left of the heads and tried two different sets of vice grips along with my bench vice. After 20 years, I think the screws weren't coming out.

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What's the benefit of a torx type drive?

Doesn't strip out as easily as a Phillips screw or Allen bolt. But I still take a good old fashioned 6 point or 12 point bolt over a Torx any day if there's enough space to get a socket over the head.

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buy a set of torx bits along with the external sets for the bell housing bolts.:wrench:

I wish whoever worked on my truck before I got it knew about this, they must have used a 6 or 12 point and rounded the hell out of the upper bell housing bolts.

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impact torx. full set, 1/4 drive up to 1/2 drive. won't use a torx unless it's impact quality steel...period. same goes for e-torx.

 

 

torx type sockets comprise roughly $250 of my socket drawer...which is around $2k in sockets. expensive, yes. but the right tools are well worth it any day of the week.

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The only 2 cases where the torx pisses me off are the front bumper bolts, and the door mount bolts.

 

The lower seatbelt mounting bolts in my MJ managed to turn my torx bit into a twisted piece of garbage. About to break the T40 bit on the last remaining door bolt on my '99XJ donor - go figure...

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I got lucky and got a brand new set of snap-on torx bits in a tool box that I got for $50 bucks. They have been used alot but I always replace Torx bolts, the only ones I have not replaced is the seat belt ones and thos are so beefy I don't see me stipping thm any time soon.

 

Brandon

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The only 2 cases where the torx pisses me off are the front bumper bolts, and the door mount bolts.

 

The lower seatbelt mounting bolts in my MJ managed to turn my torx bit into a twisted piece of garbage. About to break the T40 bit on the last remaining door bolt on my '99XJ donor - go figure...

 

Must be a rust belt issue there.

 

I thought of another, the upper control arm bolts on the axle side(some years have a welded on keeper that keeps them from spinning, others don't), and the swaybar end link on the axle, both of those torx piss me off, generally though I don't deal with those too much.

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