Ditch your Torx bolts?

[oxoman]

We used to find assembly ops who did 1000s of them a day would just the bits every day to stop rounding out. We used to have to set up different torque drivers up with different sizes to stop them being used incorrectly. My job was to set these systems up to stop mistakes happening. I have in various roles since those long ago days been forced to use hex head and torx bits on each other in order to remove worn fasteners or because I didn't have the correct bit. Torx bits hammered into old allen bolts have got me out of numerous situations at work. PS titanium is great but soft when used on fasteners.

 

[Milzy]

One thing I find difficult is to fathom the @Milzy logic🤣

I might leave them, I found a new torx set in the garage.

 

[EckyH]

Torx bits hammered into old allen bolts have got me out of numerous situations at work.

Frank Klausz comes to mind:

If it's too tight, don't force it. Just get a bigger hammer.

E.

 

[YMFB]

Ive swapped the Torx on my disc brake calipers for hex socket heads. I don’t mind Torx, but button heads are far more likely to be a problem than socket heads.

 

[Milzy]

Ive swapped the Torx on my disc brake calipers for hex socket heads. I don’t mind Torx, but button heads are far more likely to be a problem than socket heads.

It’s not just me in that thinking. It’s great to use quality parts, tools & be careful as hell it’s all the way in until it goes wrong.
I’ve seen Allen heads start to rust though, I think if you’re looking after things and want a fresh shiny look no matter what system you’re using sometimes it’s nice to fit replacements.

 

[fossyant]

It’s not just me in that thinking. It’s great to use quality parts, tools & be careful as hell it’s all the way in until it goes wrong.
I’ve seen Allen heads start to rust though, I think if you’re looking after things and want a fresh shiny look no matter what system you’re using sometimes it’s nice to fit replacements.

I bought a used CX bike about 3 years ago. Great condition, except the owner hadn't paid much attention to the bolts (rusty/corroded), so I bought a large pack of assorted stainless hex bolts off Amazon, and some specific stem bolts - made a huge difference to the appearance.

Torx is a Campag thing and it's also on some SRAM brake components.

I suppose it stops the spanner monkey with his cheap multi tool wrecking the parts. !!

 

[hobo]

Torx fasteners were made for use with high speed assembly tools.

 

[Milzy]

Ultra torque crankset is 42 to 60 NM.
To me that is VERY tight even at minimum. So tight you’d think around 60 would cause some damage.

 

[silva]

Silva is back talking bollix !

fossyant is back talking trollix !

 

[silva]

I bought a used CX bike about 3 years ago. Great condition, except the owner hadn't paid much attention to the bolts (rusty/corroded), so I bought a large pack of assorted stainless hex bolts off Amazon, and some specific stem bolts - made a huge difference to the appearance.

Torx is a Campag thing and it's also on some SRAM brake components.

I suppose it stops the spanner monkey with his cheap multi tool wrecking the parts. !!

On my avatar I bought about 9 years ago I did the opposite - replaced Nice Looking stainless hex bolts with non stainless bolts, because the former dissolved aluminium from the bikes stand and frame holes, causing it to keep coming loose and need for retension, more frequent with time passing, until I decided to dismount (it also had a kinda mechanical in-between / adapter piece to make it fit on the frame tube) to find out, to then see a whole bunch of white powder falling out on the floor, most aluminium from the adapter piece, but also the thread in the frame had lost material.

I reported the bad choice to the company, that answered that they would look into it and considered zinc plated bolts.
I replaced the original A2-70 marked M5 bolts with longer non stainless M6 bolts (since alot of the alu thread was gone and the holes in the adapter block bigger) with nuts on the other side, some silicone washed over them to block water from reaching the steel, and problem Gone for Good.
And when I built the bicycle back up with the replacement frame, I had to tap out the back to original M5 to M6, to allow using my steel bolts again.

When I told this to the head mechanic of the dealer (that wasn't yet there at bike purchase time) I bought the bike from, he said he had already done that on other customers bikes suffering same problem as me, and also, that M5 was abit too small to cope with the force.
While his then-boss earlier acted to me like We Don't Know Nothing.
Then-boss, because the dealer ceased the shop, took another job, and the mechanic took the business over on another location.

Similar situation, BUT (just luck, didn't realize back then) prevented before disaster struck were the 6 bolts of the rear cog. Original stainless steel, with externally low rounded heads with torx tool inserts, in alu thread of the IS disc mount of the Surly Ultra hub. For reasons I mentioned earlier here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ditch-your-torx-bolts.310467/post-7608607

Both stories just to illustrate: sometimes one has to Think Twice when considering Nice Looking stainless in aluminium situations, that have quite a presence in bicycles.
Rust removes material from non stainless steel bolts but stainless steel bolts can (water suffices) remove material of what they mount, it comes loose by itself, no stainless steel monkey with his expensive bolts and dedicated tool needed.

 

[fossyant]

On my avatar I bought about 9 years ago I did the opposite - replaced Nice Looking stainless hex bolts with non stainless bolts, because the former dissolved aluminium from the bikes stand and frame holes, causing it to keep coming loose and need for retension, more frequent with time passing, until I decided to dismount (it also had a kinda mechanical in-between / adapter piece to make it fit on the frame tube) to find out, to then see a whole bunch of white powder falling out on the floor, most aluminium from the adapter piece, but also the thread in the frame had lost material.

I reported the bad choice to the company, that answered that they would look into it and considered zinc plated bolts.
I replaced the original A2-70 marked M5 bolts with longer non stainless M6 bolts (since alot of the alu thread was gone and the holes in the adapter block bigger) with nuts on the other side, some silicone washed over them to block water from reaching the steel, and problem Gone for Good.
And when I built the bicycle back up with the replacement frame, I had to tap out the back to original M5 to M6, to allow using my steel bolts again.

When I told this to the head mechanic of the dealer (that wasn't yet there at bike purchase time) I bought the bike from, he said he had already done that on other customers bikes suffering same problem as me, and also, that M5 was abit too small to cope with the force.
While his then-boss earlier acted to me like We Don't Know Nothing.
Then-boss, because the dealer ceased the shop, took another job, and the mechanic took the business over on another location.

Similar situation, BUT (just luck, didn't realize back then) prevented before disaster struck were the 6 bolts of the rear cog. Original stainless steel, with externally low rounded heads with torx tool inserts, in alu thread of the IS disc mount of the Surly Ultra hub. For reasons I mentioned earlier here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ditch-your-torx-bolts.310467/post-7608607

Both stories just to illustrate: sometimes one has to Think Twice when considering Nice Looking stainless in aluminium situations, that have quite a presence in bicycles.
Rust removes material from non stainless steel bolts but stainless steel bolts can (water suffices) remove material of what they mount, it comes loose by itself, no stainless steel monkey with his expensive bolts and dedicated tool needed.

Do your own bike fixing.... and maintenance.....
I hope you don't own and drive a car..... you've never answered this question.

 

[silva]

Do your own bike fixing.... and maintenance.....
I hope you don't own and drive a car..... you've never answered this question.

I do what I want to do... and let do what I don't want to do... by people that don't hide fails, tell me the truth, and do the job well, like that mechanic I referenced in the post you quote here, and unlike the dealer / his then-boss.
Your discussion derailing question attempt went trashbin (as before), I hope one day you get used to it.

 

[Keezx]

CUT
I hope you don't own and drive a car..... you've never answered this question.

I did, some time ago....

 

[Milzy]

I found a snide 10mm nut in my record crankset. The previous owner will have used non OEM to save money as it’s about £20-£25 with delivery. He didn’t even put a washer on it.
He’s probably got an Aston Martin with some budget part worns on. I can’t do with people who cow boy parts on quality gear.