Screwdriver Name?

[Azmodeus]

I was trying to take off the bodywork of my moped to respray it, and I noticed some funny looking screw/bolts.

The hole for them is a hexagon shape, but it has spindles coming off of it.
I tried using an Allen Key, but it didnt fit (tried all sizes). It seems I need a specific screwdriver or something to fit in there.

Does any either:
a) Know the name of the tool I need
b) Know an online shop who sells lots of bike tools, where I can have a look myself?

Thanks.

-Az

[NickD]

Torx.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[TiN]

Sounds like Torx, although I have used normal allen keys to undo Torx bolts before...
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TiN
dotgems.net

[Ninja]

[Azmodeus]

Ok guys, cheers for the info.

Time to go buy me one

-Az

[Mr.Everready]

You'll get them at any hardware shop, I got a set last week for £2.50. I didn't need them for anything I got them just incase.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[Mr.Everready]

https://i11.ebayimg.com/03/i/02/69/34/9b_1_b.JPG
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[Azmodeus]

Yup, just ordered a set very similar to that.
I could have gotten just the 1, but im too lazy to go find what size I would need

-Az

[Milo]

It sounds the same as the ones in my computer tool kit at work contains. Kinda a star type hole yeah?

Maybe you've got some somewhere and don't realise.
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Shaft drives rule.

[WildGoose]

may i just share my hate of the "Torx" shape, means you have to go buy special tools and when turning the bolts, the shape never feels very secure, its hard to round of the head at least, but it just feels like such a dodgy hold

be interested to hear the justification for such tools

security torx heads exempt, as you only find them once in a blue moon, and they are fairly useful

honda loves putting torx heads in annoying and random places tho
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[Azmodeus]

I expect its all a marketing ploy.
They probably copyrighted the bolts and the 'drivers, so nobody could make similar items. How they got the manufacturers to put them on their vehicles is anyone's guess though.

Just money-making in my opinion.

-Az

[Ade067]

I think the general idea of using special fasteners like torx is to stop the general public armed with a Haynes manual and a £5.99 car boot sale tool kit from being able to remove the bolts therefore he/she has to take the car/bike/van etc to a main dealer or a garage who has the correct tools,just another way to get more money out of you basically.

Torx isn't the only 'tamper proof' type of fastener,there are various different types that I came across during my time as a mechanic and each time they produce something else you have to go out and pay gawd knows what for a special tool that you may only use once.

Sometimes they use special bolts in important places like seat mountings and steering components which does make sense as you don't want some clueless idiot farting around with something that could cause an accident but when they are used just to hold on a piece of plastic trim its a bit of a joke really.

[Robby]

Torx bolts.

I assume they give a better grip due to the greater surface area. However, the relatively narrow points mean you need a relatively decent quality tool to undo them.

Well I'll see next week. Mercedes in all of their wordly wisdom chose to use torx head bolts on my car, so I get to wrestle with 14 of them. I'll see if halfords torx bits can take lots of torque + 90 degrees twice.

[Jebus]

they are meant to stop idiots attacking your bike/car to pull bits off well i think thats what they try and put them out as, but its more likely that they just want to take more of our hard earned cash to go and buy tools.