Stripped E-torx?

[plinker]

Ran into this last week, belt tensioner bolt on a BMW that the owner tried changing themselves and somehow screwed up the head on the bolt. For whatever reason I thought to try the Matco non slip sockets, the 10mm fit loose, but the 3/8 was a tight fit and removed the bolt easily. IIRC it was an E-12.

Using the regular e-torx wasnt happening as the points were flat and it would not fit. The non slips have a different/thinner engagement that did fit.

 

[dchawk81]

Maybe they tried a regular socket on it.

 

[71firebird400]

I just did a wheel bearing where the hub was held in with E14 bolts. With the condition of the bolts I was worried something would let loose, but I was able to get them out in one piece. I was wondering about this exact situation as I was not feeling confident they'd survive.

 

[iamhomeless]

Torx and Etorx have slowly been taking over a lot of the fasteners in the stuff I work on, and while everyone should be able to see and/or look up what the right size is, I still run into a bunch of stripped or worn etorx.

12point sockets have saved me more times that I can count. Find the one that fits the best but only goes 2/3s of the way down on the fastener, hammer it on and it will usually spin right out.

 

[superspec]

I remember my first experience with Etorx. The flywheel bolts in my sentra has them. I was baffled but me and a friend made a torx work that night. One of I took it to the tool house in town and the nice lady broke a set to sale me the socket I needed. I couldn’t afford the set at that time. I still have that socket today along with a set of them.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Matco non-slip are a great tool.

 

[plinker]

I've run into E-torx more lately, some Jeeps in particular, plus GM engine. I'm waiting to see corrosion issues (head half rotted off) but they actually have not been a problem thus far.

What I've found is the non slips are pretty good at odd ball stripped/rounded stuff, & trying them before grabbing an extractor socket can pay off. Not cheap, but worth it.

The other thing with this job was you had no room to tap a socket/extractor on with a hammer due to the radiator fan being 2.5" away.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I've run into E-torx more lately, some Jeeps in particular, plus GM engine. I'm waiting to see corrosion issues (head half rotted off) but they actually have not been a problem thus far.

What I've found is the non slips are pretty good at odd ball stripped/rounded stuff, & trying them before grabbing an extractor socket can pay off. Not cheap, but worth it.

The other thing with this job was you had no room to tap a socket/extractor on with a hammer due to the radiator fan being 2.5" away.

The only downside with the matco non-slips is the lead-in taper. If something is both rounded and rotten, there isn't enough height sticking out for them to grab. Flank drive xtra are superior on 6 points. But being that snap on doesn't make Xtra sockets for etorx, matco spline is the clear winner. They were my rusted fastener socket of choice for a long time.

 

[pbon]

It is pretty common for someone to put the wrong size on and strip the etorx. Every now and then I have one in an awkward place and use a flex head ratcheting 12 point wrench — there are a few sizes that cross over pretty well.

 

[Al Borland]

Did someone say "Pipe Wrench?"

 

[joel_400]

Sometimes you just have to bust out the welder and weld a nut to that stripped head or broken bolt. One of the best welders I know showed me his trick with broken bolts which was to weld a flat washer to it first then a nut. I will say that took my success rate from about 75 percent to at least 95 percent. I very rarely drill out broken bolts anymore!
Joel