Jeep painted over torx bolts

[kehyler]

Hi Guys,

I need the advice of someone smarter than me, my TJ jeeps doors don’t fit right so I’m attempting (and failing) to loosen the exterior brackets that hold the doors in place. They are t40 painted over.

So far I’ve snapped an impact t40, and stripped two other t40s (also ruining those holes in the process).

Any ideas?

Example:

-kehyler

 

[Chris142]

Get a good tool. Tap the tool on till it seats. Pull it out and blow the paint chips out as well as the paint at the bottom of the hole

 

[Astro14]

Get a good tool. Tap the tool on till it seats. Pull it out and blow the paint chips out as well as the paint at the bottom of the hole

Exactly. Perhaps do that twice, blowing the chips out each time, so that you get good engagement of the tool all the way to the bottom.

 

[kehyler]

The one that broke was a Sunnex, although I didn't remove the paint down in the torx slots. It's on pretty good...

 

[RooflessVW]

Scratch all the paint out that you can and then pound in the bit. Valve grinding compound help the bit bite.

Or, since you've already hooped it pretty good, get a LH twist drills and some new fasteners.

 

[Chris142]

The one that broke was a Sunnex, although I didn't remove the paint down in the torx slots. It's on pretty good...

Sunnex is usually an ok tool you may need to move up to a good American or German made tool.

 

[Trav]

You may have better luck with one of these at least on the top one.

https://www.gripedgetools.com/produ...1DedHnElRSN-EVs-Xc-1UgHO1VvnUQ0G_HvZjPzhrEDKE

 

[Cujet]

Always dig all the paint out first. Failure to do so prevents full depth engagement. Imagine a long row of $100ea titanium screws on an aircraft. After 30 or 40 of them strip out from poor maintenance practices, the customer starts to get really angry.

I've found that the 'all one piece' Torx and Allen sockets are often substandard and will strip, round off or break in the middle. It seems the hardening is concentrated on the tip, and may or may not be done properly. I can't tell you how many I've destroyed. Even in the same kit, one size will fail and it's neighbor will hold up well.

 

[RooflessVW]

Always dig all the paint out first. Failure to do so prevents full depth engagement. Imagine a long row of $100ea titanium screws on an aircraft. After 30 or 40 of them strip out from poor maintenance practices, the customer starts to get really angry.

Ain't it grand?

I just replaced $6k in hardware because someone used the wrong grease and it all corroded.

 

[GON]

Make sure your Jeep requirements are for standard torx and not torx plus

Ford uses torx plus to secure many years of their pickup truck beds to the frame. A regular torx will work, but are very easy to strip.

 

[GON]

Here is a 11 page thread on the subject:
Omg help messed up my door hinge torx bolt | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) -- Rubicon, 4xe, 392, Sahara, Sport - JLwranglerforums.com
Omg help messed up my door hinge torx bolt | Jeep Wrangler Forums (JL / JLU) -- Rubicon, 4xe, 392, Sahara, Sport - JLwranglerforums.com https://share.google/8e3OZQKn6nIPEOlQJ

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Looks like a swivel/universal in the picture also. Get the paint cleaned out especially from bottom as stated. Get as solid a connection as possible to impact gun like direct to anvil. Old school days we also learned to try and tighten slightly to break the rust etc if it started having that issue. Maybe something to heat the threads from inside.

Spray dust can upside down on the nut will make it really cold quickly and may help crack the bolt loose combined with other things listed.

Can you see the inside? is it rusted up a lot? Spray the threads inside fender with some Gibbs penetrant.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Use one of these and a 2lb hammer.
https://www.amazon.com/KAIFNT-Manual-Impact-Driver-24-Piece/dp/B08LYSHNCW?gQT=1

 

[kehyler]

https://share.google/8e3OZQKn6nIPEOlQJ

Oh, that reminds me -- I have one of these that I should try, it even has t40: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IKTTH8?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1

How old do you have to be to claim a senior moment? If it's older than me, I'll just claim I had a junior moment.

 

[kehyler]

SK tools perhaps? Amazon link.

 

[CheezWhiz]

Use one of these and a 2lb hammer.
https://www.amazon.com/KAIFNT-Manual-Impact-Driver-24-Piece/dp/B08LYSHNCW?gQT=1

This was my first thought as well. Maybe also trim the paint around the bolt with an exacto knife to see if you can get some penetrating fluid behind it?

 

[kehyler]

Well, I've got the bolt cleaned out fully, & paint scored around the edge -- I tried with my $100 Koken attack driver. T40 bit twisted. T45 bit does not fit at all, so I think I'm using the right size. Felt the Koken bit giving way.

Maybe to melt the loctite, apply heat to just the head bolt through an appropriately sized socket?

 

[kehyler]

Images attached:

 

[Astro14]

Well, you used a good tool…and it didn’t work. The hole looks reasonably clean.

So, clearly, tool alone isn’t enough. clearly tool engagement depth is decent.

1. See if a Torx plus fits in there - it looks like it might be a torx plus.
2. You need some penetrating oil to help
3. You need some heat to help

 

[Kira]

W.W.A.D.D.?
(What Would A Dealership Do?)