Im doing the 82s U-joints.

The halfshafts look like they match my Torx T50 male socket peice. I have some old info that says they might be a Torx E10 bolt ?? Anyone know for sure on this?

The drive shaft look like that are small little 12 point nubs. Anyone know what type of socket is used on these? Couild it be standard 12 point sockets?

The C3-Sharktank 80-82 Rear Suspension Rebuild says to use 1/4 inch 12 point sockets?

Any wisdom would be great.

Best Regards, Brent...


[Modified by MN-Brent, 10:10 PM 3/1/2004]

 

don't know from the top of my head but I think they were 1/4 12 pnt indeed. I didn't use a socket, just a small spanner. Just make sure you get the socket on properly, maybe even give it a few taps with a hammer to put it on.


[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 5:05 AM 3/2/2004]

 

TT is right........12pnt 1/4''..... And if they are old, expect them to strip. I suggest hitting a driveline shop and getting some new ones. Retorque to 15lbs.

 

Exactly as TT said. Use some penetrating oil & let it soak overnight (with the exposed thread under the strap you should be able to coat the threads easily). I used a 12 point 1/4" socket to remove/replace the bolts, but I used a 12 point ring wrench (is that what you call them?) to free them up. Tap the wrench securely onto the bolt head & hold it under tension so that the bolt would undo if it was loose. Then give the end of the wrench some sharp taps with a hammer. This often frees up the bolt so that it can be removed with the socket. Just be careful not to whack your finger! All mine came apart this way without any problems. If you get a particularly stubborn one then try tapping it in the other direction ie. as if you were tightening it up (believe it or not, this really does work on seized nuts/bolts).
All mine were 12 point bolts but I know that some late C3's (certainly a manual shift '81) used male Torx fastners for some of the straps. My shop manual gave 2 different torque values for auto/manual.
:cheers:

 

My 82 was one of the last ones made OCT 82, black motor, and it still uses 12 pnt 1/4" bolts

 

Suggest you get some 12pnt NAS (aircraft quality) replacements. I have those too. Also have a qhole lot of them in black oxide finish. Can never have too many of those little bolts. The 12pnts strip easily so it's best to not reuse them.

 

What is a ring wrench? I have several stripped bolts on the inner U joints, that I can't get
off as they are stripped. I got the rest off and replaced then with black anodized allen
head bolts.

 

ring wrench (well.... spanner eh paul :) ) is what you guys call box end wrench

 

Ah! Right, thanks Marck :) We have spanners :) Two sorts, open end(ed) & ring, so I guessed that it'd be a ring wrench (if I told anybody that I'd been using a ring wrench they'd have me arrested for gross indecency!). Actually, we have 3 types of spanner, the third being a mildly stupid person - the kind who'd go into a hardware store & ask for a ring wrench! But it's perfectly OK to ask for a King Dick ring spanner :crazy:
To make it even more confusing is that it can't be translated easily. A box wrench translates to a box spanner, which is a hollow tube with the ends crimped into a hex, each end being a different size eg 3/8" & 7/16". A "Tommy bar" is used to apply force through a box spanner. What's a box spanner called in the US?
Marck, ever considered swapping out those 12 point bolts for high tensile st/st cap head screws?
:cheers:
edit: Just seen Adams' post. I thought allen head bolts were called cap heads in the US :lol:
Adam, unless somebody has a better idea, what I'd do is either cut/grind the tops of the bolts off to get it all apart & then removing the shanks (is that the right word?!) is a lot easier. With things like that I find that lots of penetrating oil & gently tapping the shank from side to side (VERY gently on that size) is enough to free the threads up. An alternative method will need somebody that's very accurate at welding. "Just" weld a larger bolt to the head of the chewed up bolt/screw &, once it's cooled, use a wrench on the bolt just welded on to undo it. Obviously the bolt has to be welded on pretty much in line with the axis of the damaged one, but very often the heat of welding is enough to "break the seal" on the threads. The snag to this method is that you need somebody who's really accurate at welding to do it. Which counts me out ;)


[Modified by UKPaul, 10:02 AM 3/2/2004]

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Im off to go pick up some Torx sockets for the halfshafts and Ill try the 12 points for the drive shaft.

Since the car is a Cali car, the bolts are surprisingly clean. I've soaked them since last night in Liquid Wrench and Ill hit them with a propane torch before I try to snap them loose.

Ill post my results. :seeya

Brent...

 

If I'm remembering correctly, the '80 & 81 4spd cars PLUS the '82 Gymkhana cars had those Torx Size E10 head bolts on the rear half shafts. I heated mine up cherry red and they came out very easy.

 

And I reccomend taking them out and throwing them away and getting a set of the milled caps and allenhead bolts from VanSteel. Jim