stripped hex top

[Akane]

So, I kept hearing these fatlace and stance and shit lately, about how much more bitches I'll pick up if I do the whole stance shit, so I decided to give it a go. And I ended up with this on my top right hand hex bolt:



What are my choices? Not handy with the drill (I'm hopeless with drilling out bolts, can't keep it steady to save my life).

Trying to avoid autolign if I could help it.

Need solution, gotta go stance before it goes out of fashion!

[bzrspeed]

Usually drilling would be a good idea but in this case I think it won't work because the danger of drilling too far and ruining the coil over spring setup you have.
What I recommend doing is heat up the bolt head with a propane torch. Then get the next size Allan key and hammer it in hard while the bolt is hot. Let it cool down for like 20mins and then is should be stuck in there enough to unscrew the bolt.

Or maybe
Find a screwdriver attachment (square), bigger than the stripped hex hole, find a drill bit just a little smaller than the hex hole;
drill about 1/8 " deeper, take the attachment, and insert in with a hammer
Get your ratchet set, attach to the screwdriver attachment, and slowly undo the bolt. If it strips again, you'll have to drill it out, then tap and die it.

Sorry this all advise I can give. hope this helpful.

[sergei]

try hammering in slightly larger imperial hex. or file bolt sides so they can accept normal 6 point socket.

[Rick]

Well looks like you are going to have to remove the strut from the car anyway as the screw won't wind out from its current position, I would try if possible with the strut out of the car is to remove the other three screws and try and rotate the green top hat by hand to loosen the last screw.

[1I1]

What Sergei said is what I'd recomend too. Going to be easier than drilling for sure

[bzrspeed]

What Sergei said is what I'd recomend too. Going to be easier than drilling for sure

Heat up hex bolt would be easiest option, takes only short time and works very well. done it many times when fixing cars back home.

[Dell'Orto]

Yup, heating it will make the next allen key more of an interference fit, works well

[allencr]

Chisel, CCW, after a few good wallops with a pin/drift punch.
I prefer a drill.

[Lloyd]

As above, next size up key or imperial next size up (since metric probably wont fit even with a hammer). Or the punch method for something quicker.

[kim0663]

heat and hammer in a decent but cheap torx key if fitting a hex doesnt work. torx key will get raped and abused but will work as long as u dont break it :p
hate those tein top bolts...

[tim_blair]

use a hammer and a center punch to hit it on the edge at a bit of an angle so that it turns counter-clockwise out

[Bling]

I'd try that before getting all angry with a blow torch

[DexGT]

Hammer and center punch first as above , if that doesn't work drill it out , i mean come on , there's a guide hole there already use a drill slightly bigger than the allen key size , you will only need to drill 3 to 5 mm below the allen key hole and the head will come off. you can then remove it from the car for easier removal of the remaining thread which may well unscrew by hand once pressure is removed.
A blowtorch will probably work too but it will $&#$% the paint and / or the green anodizing
And copper slip it when reassembling.

[Akane]

That's true the blow torch idea ain't tickling my fancy.

I'll try the torx key approach, sounds easy enough.

I just realised... I have to go crawling back to Autolign for a replacement bolt...

[Bling]

Just get an engineer to weld a nut on the top if you want to avoid that

[evil_si]

Get a 10-12mm punch and give it a good couple of hits dead center
Then either use a center punch and tap it around or an imperial allen key

Cap screws etc often loosen easier with a good hit with a large punch first, unless there has been loctite used then you need to head with gas.

[evil_si]

That's true the blow torch idea ain't tickling my fancy.

I'll try the torx key approach, sounds easy enough.

I just realised... I have to go crawling back to Autolign for a replacement bolt...

Just go somewere like anzor or atom fasteners in east tamaki for a new bolt, bound to be a metric grade 8, wont be anything special

[Akane]

They're tapered bolts. Is there a "standard" as such for the taperness?

[Lloyd]

Everything is pretty much the same. You have 3 others there to take in as a sample anyway

[Rookie]

You mean like this?


Because that's not tapered, that's a counter sunk cap screw.