Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have a haul master trailer. The door hinges and latch assemblies are held on with what I think is a carriage bolt and torx nut. The torx nut is on the inside and appears to be a t55. The problem is that the end of the bolt is flush with the nut so you cannot get a torx bit to grab. Even the security torx (with a hole) won't grab. Am I using the wrong bit? has anyone else run into this?

Can you post a picture ?

Picture would help. The torx nuts I have used all have a bolt thread limit, a depth limit to how far the nut can thread over the bolt. There's an actual stop or shelf the bolt end butts up against. And being a nut there is no security post as there is with a security torx bolt head. There is an odd ball size in use; T47. Most increment in units of 5 in the larger sizes, but GM introduced the T47 for reasons of their own. Took me a while to find a bit for that as my sets skipped that one.

Check out McMaster Carr.... http://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-screws/=ru9qmo

They have all sorts of security screws and the bits that are for them.

Wow! Never seen one like that. That does appear to be the end of a bolt in the center. To me it does not seem likely that there could be a bit with a recess large enough for the narrow space between nut wall and the center (bolt?)


Something like the bit second up from the bottom right might work to undo those. If you can find one to fit, or cut/grind one from an old tool

Nasty!

Looks like they tightened it down until it popped their tool out. Possibly drill some of the center out of a regular torx bit? Or it might come down to repeatedly tapping each corner with a flat screw driver (or small punch) and hammer to work it out enough to get a torx bit in it.

You could try drilling out the end of the center bolt. If you are lucky the head of the carriage bolt will have sufficient grip to prevent spinning of the CB. That would also need being careful to center the bit properly to prevent the drill bit from hogging into the spline area of the nut.

Another method would be to grind the head of the CB off? Then punch the whole works out.

Could you also consider taking a Dremel tool with a grinding disc and like a surgeon, very carefully cut two opposite flat spots on the nut so you can grab them with a wrench. If you are careful and still cut too deep and mare the white paint, if you keep it withing the diameter of the nut, when you replace it, you could in theory cover the small nick or scratch.

Or is there a possibility that this would work?
https://www.buyspeedout.com/iispout/13. ... id=4455184

Bob

Looks like this might be what it is.
maybe you can find a bit to match, knowing what they are called.

http://parts.mirageinc.com/516-torx-cam ... 2qQ0PlSZHQ

Sam

desertmoose wrote:Looks like this might be what it is.
maybe you can find a bit to match, knowing what they are called.

http://parts.mirageinc.com/516-torx-cam ... 2qQ0PlSZHQ

Sam

Note this image. Using Sam's post link I found this image. Mabye the problem bolt was extended too far. This image shows it stopping just short of where the torix bit would rest.

http://www.infastech.com/en/Products/By ... amtainer-R
Bob

I have the same nuts and bolts on my ct. But none of mine (that I have removed so far) were screwed down so far that the bolt blocked the torx pattern on the nut. Some were a little bit too much, but I was still able to get enough of a grip with the torx bit to get them off.

I have a pair of these Channel Lock pliers from back in the days when I worked as a mechanic. They work much like a pipe wrench and will grab the edge of the nut and will not slip until you let off the pressure. I have removed countless fasteners using these and they should work on yours if you can get the slightest bite on the shoulder of those nuts.
https://www.channellock.com/410-NUTBUSTER-Plier.aspx Another option that may be simpler is to take a punch or chisel and hammer and simply hammer the inside around the edge to spin the nut loose enough to turn by hand or get a torx driver in there finally. Should turn very easily with just some light tapping since the punch will get a good bite in the existing grooves of the torx cut out.

Al Swope wrote:

They look accessible, what ever size the bolt is use that size drill bit and knock it back until you can get the torx bit to engage.

Grab a cheap flat blade screwdriver and grind the middle out until it fits is my recommendation.