[Stupendous Man]

Last night I installed my new SLX cranks. Installation went a-ok until I tried to remove the outer ring and replace it with my bash guard. I grabbed my trusty 5mm hex wrench and noticed it did not fit? Huh. No worries, the 4mm fit. I successfully removed 3 of the 4 chainring bolts but that 4th one was stuck good. After I cranked down on it, I heard it pop loose - or so I thought. I popped it a couple more times and finally noticed that it was not loosening at all, it was stripping the bolt head! Upon closer investigation, I see that they are NOT hex heads, they are TORX. WTF!?! Since when and why the switch?? :madman:

The T25 spun freely now, it was so stripped. I was finally able to remove it by hammering in a T30, which gave enough bite to loosen the bolt. Since that bolt was destroyed, I replaced them all with the 5mm hex bolts from my old set. Anyway, bashguard is now on and Im ready to roll. Just thought I would pass along the warning.

 

[rockyuphill]

Shimano went to Torx in the last series of cranksets 4 years ago, all the 970 XTR and 770 XT were Torx. T-30 on the bolt and T-40 on the nut.

 

[Stupendous Man]

4 years ago? I know Im a little behind on bike technology, but dayam! I guess I wont take anything for granted anymore - Lesson learned.

 

[PissedOffCil]

Don't you look before using an allen??? Seriously!

 

[Stupendous Man]

No, man, why should I? I am so good with an allen I can blindly poke it around and fix anything. TORX screws, door knobs, light sockets...doesn't matter! An allen wrench can do it all.

C'mon down to earth. You will like it down here with we mere mortals, although we will occasionally make a mistake. Seriously!

 

[agabriel]

You should also think about loosening all the bolts just a hair before you pop them off - same as when your tightening things up. Its just a bit less stress on the bolts.

 

[Agent666]

FYI the latest saint also use torx, T-30 I believe with the standard nut with slot.

Not sure why they changed, seems to me like a case of fixing something that wasn't broken....

 

[Harry Zimmermann]

Aren't most chainring bolts now made of aluminum? Torx would be the only sensible way to do that. I can't imagine the weight saving is worth it though.

I would have thought when the 5mm didn't fit, you'd actually look at the bolt before reaching for another wrench. I just tried a 4mm allen wrench in an SLX chainring bolt, and the "fit" is very sloppy. I guess we all learn some things the hard way. You were lucky, since no serious damage was done. Agabriel's advice is sound, too. When you don't loosen those things gradually and in succession, the last one will usually be hard to get loose.

 

[boomn]

Not sure why they changed, seems to me like a case of fixing something that wasn't broken....

Torx are a lot harder to round out (provided you are actually using a Torx wrench ) which, as Harry pointed out, is even more important with slightly softer aluminum bolts

 

[Stupendous Man]

I think its a way the bike manufacturers are working with the component manufacturers and tool manufacturers to keep people buying stuff. In this case, a full set of torx wrenches, just to continue working on your own bike. Its a conspiracy I tell ya!! :rant:

Anyhoo...I just returned from a SWEET A$$ mountain bike road trip to Brown County IN. They have some AWESOME trails there!!! I will definitely be going back there. And by the way, my new drivetrain worked perfectly

 

[alexrex20]

I am so good with an allen I can blindly poke it around and fix anything. TORX screws, door knobs, light sockets...doesn't matter! An allen wrench can do it all.

apparently, you're not so good. stripping a Torx head bolt because you used an Allen because you're too lazy to use the right tool is a stupid mistake and you deserve the hassle.

but thanks for warning us to not be stupid.

 

[Stupendous Man]

Why do you assume I am too lazy to use the right tool? Have you ever put the wrong key into a lock? Did you do so because you were too lazy to use the correct one?

And for being so smart, how did you miss the sarcasm in my post your quoted?
Smart people make mistakes. I admitted to making one and no harm was done.

 

[alexrex20]

a better metaphor would be to use the wrong key in the lock, realize it is the wrong key, but still force it to turn anyway. most of us aren't that dumb.

 

[Stupendous Man]

Ah, but what if you broke the key before realizing you used the wrong one?

But anyway I digress. I concede to the whole internet that I am stupid.

 

[trhoppe]

:lol: @ the OP. Sometimes we all have to admit when we do something dumb.

 

[Bubba74]

most of us aren't that dumb.

I don't know about that......How many people live in Texas?

 

[ziscwg]

OP, I almost made the same mistake on my XTs. I noticed the allen didnt fit "normal." Upon further inspection I noticed the torx. Detail, details details.........................

 

[TraumaARNP]

I can understand mishaps, and the frailties of the human condition, but how on earth does one confuse one with the other???

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[tussery]

I can understand mishaps, and the frailties of the human condition, but how on earth does one confuse one with the other???

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In low light with the way torx bolts chamfer into the actual torx pattern it can be misidentified as a hex bolt. I can see how someone could make that mistake.

 

[boomn]

In low light with the way torx bolts chamfer into the actual torx pattern it can be misidentified as a hex bolt. I can see how someone could make that mistake.

exactly. We don't live in a world of vector graphics like those examples.

Also a T30 size Torx bolt has a lot larger opening in the center than that example, so it looks even more similar to a Hex in poor lighting and quick glances. It doesn't help that they share the same number of points so a Hex wrench will fit in and turn it