Torque-ing of Torx!

[slabberman]

G'day Guys,

Well it had to happen. Ive lost my Torx spanner (?) for my Stihl 038. Now herein lies the problem. Torx are not a huge item round these parts, and not many places sell them. So before I head off to my dealer, does anyone know the size or number for the replacement I need? A long web search was no help to me, and the sizing (eg T-20 or #01) means nothing to me!
How to measure them to get a size etc?
Can anybody give me a lesson?

Cheers
Charlie.

 

[DDM]

what do you need a Stihl part#?
Later,
David

 

[slabberman]

G'day David,

Yeah, a Part # would be good. Also if anyone has any background info on the tool, as per my original post would be great!
Cheers
Charlie.

 

[rupedoggy]

I believe it is a T-27. Mike

 

[DDM]

yanno thats a good question i always just went down to the auto parts store and bought a pack of them when needed. >Shoulder shrugg<

Later,
David

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy Slabberman,

Yeh, I believe that T-27 is the standard Torx for Stihl equipment. Be sure you get it with a long enough shank to be able to reach down through those cylinder fins and get to the cylinder bolts, in otherwords, not the replaceable tips!

As with Allen bolts, you have to be very sure to clean out the bolt head before trying to break loose the locktite! I'm sure you are aware of this.

Regards,
Walt Galer

 

[Rotax Robert]

yup T-27

 

[Walkerized]

you guys where close its a 364 / T25 Torx
We use a 200mm long t wrench type for the head bolts.
We do not like them as thay usuallt strip very easily and it must be a german invention.

John W

 

[Walkerized]

Hey rotax robert I tried to e-mail you back but it came back to me.
Anyways that gypo called me on the 090 even before i had finished typing, hes some kind of chainsaw claravoient LOL

John W

 

[slabberman]

G'day Guys,

Thanks for the replies. Great help as always.
John W, you mention them stripping easily. I see they have a "Torx-Plus" now, with a different shape, more rounded. I wonder if its any better, or just another ploy to get us all buying another set of tools........!
Cheers
Charlie

 

[Fish]

John W.
Try a T-27, it will cause less problems stripping and rounding
out the fasteners. I have both, aftermarket suppliers also sell
both, but a T-27 is what you need.
Fish

 

[WRW]

Camcar Screw & Manufacturing recommends Torx drivers only, because of the close tolerances to their fasteners. T-27 is a kind of oddball size, but it is the correct size.

 

[Walkerized]

I will try the t-27 and see what difference it makes.
Well maybe some one can tell the germans that there is allen socket head bolts and they are alot easier.
John W

 

[WRW]

Yeah, I hated 'em too first time I had to buy a new tool to complete a repair on a car, but they do have plenty of surface area to prevent gouging. Working with wood I prefer square drive fasteners, now that drill drivers are available. Gettin' lazy, I guess.

 

[Tony Snyder]

Torx

Torx fasteners really have no pluses for the product customer or the mechanic. They are a manufacturing expedient, because they engage the driving bit of automated assembly equipment with less stripping (more driving/shear surface) and less driver downforce. Torx is the very best choice for the manufacture if thread forming is involved as with putting trilobular fasteners into unthreaded holes in diecast or plastic.

I have overseen the developement, and everyday maintenence of equipment, to install literally millions of these fasteners into automotive airbag modules. Good for the manufacturer, very little advantage for the consumer.

No one asked for an engineering dissertation, but I thought I would shine some light on why Torx drive fasteners are as prevalent as they are.

 

[tundraotto]

yes i would have to agree once again - torx fasteners are an automotive disease - carried on mainly by GM.

 

[Walkerized]

Thanks for the industry reasoning. I will let my mechanics know and will be buying a T-27 as we go threw a few 25 usually taking the cylinder bolts off. Stihl uses a gallon of loctite on every screw it seems like.

John W

 

[Methoss084]

The most popular Torx size for Stihl is the T-27. Stihl sells a nice T-handled Torx wrench in their tool cataloge. I think it was about $9 or 10 bucks dealer cost. Nice thing about it is it's long enough to get to the cylinder base bolts.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi There, heres a list of all the fasteners that came with stihl saws.
John

 

[buckwheat]

I have a T-27 bit that came with a $9 ratchet screwdriver that my son gave me last Christmas - the type with the hollow plastic handles. I didn't think twice about it until I was cleaning out my tool cabinet, and discovered that it fits Stihls perfectly.
It's funny, just last night I noticed that one of the torx bolts holding a dog had fallen out, and that the hole was stripped into the casing. I ended up cutting the tip off of a sheet metal screw and "rethreaded" it. Not pretty - but effective.