Torxification!
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 2:38 pm
Every two years or so, there seems to be a need to do seasonal maintenance. This includes going over the torsion bar fastening. There are usually a few that are loose in one or both ends. Loosening the grub screws is a scary thing, since they are tightened as hard as you dare and if the key slips when undoing, then what? There are Allen head screws all over that can get stuck and cause all kinds of trouble.
For this reason, I have realized that I should replace them all with Torx screws! You can certainly break them, but there is no way the screwdriver will ever slip and make the hole in the screw round.
Here, the fixed end have had the grub screws replaced (this is my rebuild to adjustable suspension): I will do the moving end as well, but need some screws the proper size (these were a tad too long)...
With these, there is no worry disassembling and reassembling. They can be tightened properly to torque specifications and there is no need to glue for permanent fixation. The moving end may get their screw heads pointing down. On those axles, the fixed end would need to be loosened, the swing arm turned to expose the moving screw heads for tightening and then swung back and retightened at the fixed end. With reliable screws that don't get rounded, that's no problem!
There are lots of other places as well, such as this battery holder profile: I have already done the deck holding screws and will do the wheel holding screws as well. The electric screw driver already has a torque clutch that will do, but a small handle with a scale might be a good thing if going close to the limit, like on the torsion bars.
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For this reason, I have realized that I should replace them all with Torx screws! You can certainly break them, but there is no way the screwdriver will ever slip and make the hole in the screw round.
Here, the fixed end have had the grub screws replaced (this is my rebuild to adjustable suspension): I will do the moving end as well, but need some screws the proper size (these were a tad too long)...
With these, there is no worry disassembling and reassembling. They can be tightened properly to torque specifications and there is no need to glue for permanent fixation. The moving end may get their screw heads pointing down. On those axles, the fixed end would need to be loosened, the swing arm turned to expose the moving screw heads for tightening and then swung back and retightened at the fixed end. With reliable screws that don't get rounded, that's no problem!
There are lots of other places as well, such as this battery holder profile: I have already done the deck holding screws and will do the wheel holding screws as well. The electric screw driver already has a torque clutch that will do, but a small handle with a scale might be a good thing if going close to the limit, like on the torsion bars.
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