Allen wrench bolts

[chewy012]

Anyone else hate Allen wrench bolts?

Just had to drill two out, I always strip these things.

Anyway haha, anyone else?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Mark_88]

I have a wheelchair that was built in California...special order...because I'm special...but when I got out of the hospital I had problems with the brakes not holding...so I tried to tighten the brakes.

At first...due to the drugs I was taking and other factors...lighting et al...I thought the heads were torx...so I went through trying to find my torx..and managed to almost strip the heads....then I recently discovered that they were, in fact, Allen Key heads...

So...I tried to find the right one...looked very much like a 4.5 so I went out to buy one...but nobody actually carried that one as a stand alone...

Finally I took one of the bolts out and brought it to the store...and...it turns out that these bolts are all 3/16" because the chair was made in California...

What a PITA...but, fortunately, most stores still carry the SAE sizes and I was able to buy a cheap set...that I will use maybe once every two years...or so...

I don't mind them usually...my Mountain bike had all Allen Key bolts and it held together pretty good over the years I was riding it...

Easy enough to strip the heads...especially if you try using a torx wrench on them...

 

[BLOODBANE]

Make sure you have a good quality set allen wrenches/bits. The cheaper ones will round off and destroy your bolts (strip them/round the edges off). I used to do quite a bit of RC's and a good set of allen wrenches made all the difference (the kits usually came with one, but they were mass produced low, quality wrenches).

 

[4x4junkie]

Anyone else hate Allen wrench bolts?

Just had to drill two out, I always strip these things.

Anyway haha, anyone else?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Yep.

Would love to kick this "allen" dip---- right in the nuts for such a stupid invention.
Doesn't matter how good your wrenches are either when the bolt head itself deforms.

And another swift kick to anyone else who puts those bolts in locations where they aren't even absolutely necessary for "cosmetic" reasons.

Torx bolts get overused sometimes too, though at least as long as the tip of your wrench doesn't bust off, you'll actually have some chance of success unscrewing a Torx bolt.

 

[chewy012]

I bought these pretty handy "Irvin" extractor bits. Drilled it out and popped the bolts out....

It's on a Chevy btw, go figure haha

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[pjtoledo]

make sure bolt head is cleaned out.
if rounding of bolt starts, get chart that shows decimal/mm/sae and pick an allen bit a few thousands larger.
use dremel or other small cutoff wheel to cut new tool to very sharp end.
pound new sharp tool into bolt, it will cut a new hole in the bolt.
when turning apply force in rotational direction only, no side force!

 

[Andy D]

Make sure the socket is clean. Alen key must bottom in socket. If you round it out, peen the metal back into the hole. Drive in key whack end of key with the hammer. If the allen head moved the slightest bit. You've won.

 

[JAMMAN]

I personally like socket head cap screws, I use them everywhere I can when putting anything back together. For low torque applications and adjustment screws there is nothing easier than a ball driver allen wrench to reach at angles that even a socket with a swivel won't reach if it were a hex head.

When I re did my dodge 4.7 motor (what a piece of crap) I put socket heads intentionally in the exhaust manifolds.

For hard to loosen socket head cap screws they make an impact driver that also works well on large phillips heads. Looks like a fat screwdriver, made so when you whack it on the end it turns the bit.

I have like 99% success with socket head cap screws and a LOT LESS with hex heads for one big reason... except for the stainless steel variety SHCS's are all hardened equivalent to a grade 8 where a hex you can get grade 8, 5 or 2 and you never know which one was used till it ends up rounded.

This is not an opinion this is based on "what I really done" LOL.

 

[Andy D]

Having the same model for 20 yrs. I have my own private BMW junkyard. The rear axles are held in with 12 8mm X 45 ~mm. in hex heads. 8mm = 5/16. I had lots of them. I used 2 to hold the starter in. This allowed me to use the starter bolts elsewhere. I had to destroy several bolts to get the trans out. There are others used here and there. They were a learning experience. How ever, after R+Ring a few, I now fear no allen head. I use 3 tools now. A little screwdriver to dig out the dirt. A regular old Craftsman 8mm allen key with a 5 inch no ball hex. Last, a 1 LB ball peen hammer. Hasn't failed yet.

Chewy 12, yah they work great until you shear one

My 15 yr old Husqa is held together with 4mm, 5/32 allen heads. Living large with a 1/4 nut driver and a 4mm socket hex.