Torx...why?

[Drago]

Torx plus is clever. Back compatible with standard Torx tools.

 

[Drago]

Aye, I use Torx too for smaller fasteners on the motorbikes.

 

[bpsmith]

Torx heads always let you get more purchase on a bolt. In saying that, my Silca hex wrenches have never stripped a head yet.

 

[Old jon]

Hmmm, progress . . .

 

[Tim Hall]

You can still use an Allen Key in a torx ... if you are a ruff assed pipe wrangler ...

Us refined engineers use the correct tool for the hole...

Conversely you can hammer a torx driver into a rounded allen bolt for emergency removal.

 

[slowmotion]

They're not "allen bolts" the proper term is "socket head cap screws".

Also known as unbrakos.

http://www.unbrako.com/socket-screws

 

[subaqua]

Conversely you can hammer a torx driver into a rounded allen bolt for emergency removal.

I couldn’t possibly comment on that particular fix ..... on a 250A MCCB in an LV panel that we had less than an hour to replace . And discovered rounded out. Securing screws

 

[Cycleops]

Just tightened a torx on a frying pan handle.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Torx look better too..in titanium

 

[Smokin Joe]

Conversely you can hammer a torx driver into a rounded allen bolt for emergency removal.

Done that a few times.

 

[pplpilot]

Everything should be 1/4 or 3/8 whitworth bolts. 3/8 for mountain bikes and 1/4 for the weight weenies.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I get that there is a lot of "Allen's have always been good enough for me" feeling but there are a lot of applications where they suck:

- very small screws
- screws with shallow heads i.e. sexy looking dome heads (not enough engagement)
- screws not made of steel
- screws that are likely to corrode (helps them round out)
- screws exposed to a lot of dirt/mud (they fill up and it effectively makes them shallower if you don't pick the dirt out)

The absolute worst offenders are motorcycle sump bolts. They are typically large diameter (19mm or so) but have a relatively small allen socket in the middle, usually 8mm. They are usually made of aluminium. They are exposed to all the salty road crap which, along with the hot/cold cycling of the engine, helps seize them in good. Access to them is often quite terrible too which makes it hard to remove buggered ones without dropping the engine. Just use a standard bolt!

Given the faults it makes the most sense for everything to switch over to torx. The original patent expired ages ago so I'm not sure why they haven't.

 

[gbb]

Torx is only as good as the quality of the screw itself. I've cream crackered just as many torx screws as hexagon head.
Ironically poor quality or worn Allen keys cause most damage to hexagon heads, but poor quality screws themselves are worse with torx, the bits are generally ok. (IME )

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Torx is only as good as the quality of the screw itself. I've cream crackered just as many torx screws as hexagon head.
Ironically poor quality or worn Allen keys cause most damage to hexagon heads, but poor quality screws themselves are worse with torx, the bits are generally ok. (IME )

Which is why we should scrap socket screws altogether. External torx anyone?

 

[Profpointy]

Regarding t bar torx drivers: I'm struggling to find a good name brand set at even a semi acceptable price. I've got a set of superb facom allen keys at a buttock clenching £70+ which were just about worth it and get used a fair bit but the equivalent torx set was nearly £200 which really is a bit much - and facom (for instance) don't even seem to do a set.

Regarding those pooh poohing allen bolts - traditionally socket cap screws tended to be a higher grade than normal bolts, although that isn't per se a feature of the design