Stainless steel fasteners

I've learned to not to like the older hex screws. Sure as heck, if its not one of our bikes, I'll have to break out old style hand impact tools like it was an old J brand bike with JIS screws or replace a buggered one. Once you've worked on stuff built with torx you really won't want to go back.

Torx are especially helpful when you have to break one of those hard loctited fasteners with minimal heat, especially if you don't have a good adjustable airgun handy to help. Props to BMW for dumping hex- wish more would do it.

Throw a T25 L wrench 71 11 2 347 278 (five bucks) into your toolkit and a T25 driver from Sears (five more bucks) in your toolbox at home. Voila, you're in the modern age.

AntonLargiader said:

Throw a T25 L wrench 71 11 2 347 278 (five bucks) into your toolkit and a T25 driver from Sears (five more bucks) in your toolbox at home. Voila, you're in the modern age.

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I bought a bag o' driver bits - 3mm Allen to go in an electric screwdriver or drill.
Works well in a dedicated screwdriver with minimal torque, or one of the fancier drills with a clutch.
Set for "stun" first.
The bits are softer than the OEM steel screws though.

My normal manual 3mm is a ball-end, which I think strips the screw more easily; less contact area.

I repainted the black steel screws a couple of times, more to slow the rust down than for looks.
It stays on only until the next time a wrench touches it.

And speaking of paint; I have no trouble at all cranking the little beasties down to the point of breaking the body paint, in spite of the washers.
Some of the panels are dark gray under the paint and some have a white (%@#$$) primer underneath.

Personally I wouldn't miss the Allen heads at all if I were to swap out for Torx.