Cheesy Secondary Clutch Screws

[pernikm]

Has anyone tried a decent socket head cap screw instead of those cheesy torx heads that thread into the helix? I destroyed two torx drives before I gave up and Milled the heads off. Then I found they had a locking patch. I have a 2010 M8 and want to make sure there is adequate clearance with the diamond drive when the clutch opens.

Thanx!!!

Karl

 

[firecatguy]

just heat them up!!!and replace if you take out too many times

 

[pernikm]

I tried that...but I am also not a fan of heat by aluminum. It does not take much to ruin a T6 heat treat. Usually there is not a problem with small cheap steel fasteners loosening when threaded into aluminum. Usually they seize...like mine. I am using anti-seize on assembly!

 

[firecatguy]

I have to change my helix everytime we head west then when I get home and I striped one last year so I replace every two times but ya I do hear ya wish they were something else

 

[pernikm]

Ya, I just see problems down the road. I picked up some good stainless fasteners. I hope they don't stick. I think my friend tried them on his 06 M7, but there have been changes in the diamond drive since then.

 

[catmechanic]

those little allen head bolts that hold the helix on are very much expendable. they are only "good" for a few installs. i would recommend buying the updated ones from cat just to be safe.
1623-517 is the updated part number

 

[pernikm]

Are the updated screws the torx heads with a locking patch? Because I don't want any part of those again!!!!

 

[montanasledder]

I machined down the back side of the secondary and used allen head bolts. broke two the firsttime i tore it apart and wanted no part of that again

 

[pernikm]

I machined down the back side of the secondary and used allen head bolts. broke two the firsttime i tore it apart and wanted no part of that again

Hmmm...counter bores...I can do that...did you have to machine for clearance?

 

[montanasledder]

theres a post on here somewhere with pics, i wasnt sure if it would hit the DD but figured it was easy enough to bore an oversized hole 1/4 deep to sink the head of the bolt. Then go get a 1/4 shorter bolts. worked great. Ill try and find that thread or get some pics up

 

[bee1971]

You walk into your local hardware store - You tell them your looking for hex key/allen wrench BUTTON HEAD machine screws - You show them the size you want 10-24 x 1.25 there usually painted black oxide high strength steel - He walks you to the little plastic slide out drawers - You walk out a few dollars lighter - A little blue locktite and your set - Been using since my 05 Firecats and now my 06 Crossfires - Never stripped one - Never broke a head off - Blue Locktite , never had one come loose

 

[LS1NOVA]

Me and a buddy both had ours come loose after putting them back in without locktite. I did the hardware store route with regular allen heads. My Diamond Drive has been milled a little from the screws being loose, so no clearance problems, ha ha

 

[catmechanic]

the new ones are supposed to be much better and yes they are a torx. if you take a torch and heat only the head of the bolt, the heat for the most part stays with the bolt, not the clutch. all you are doing is melting the loctite.

 

[mezz250x]

You walk into your local hardware store - You tell them your looking for hex key/allen wrench BUTTON HEAD machine screws - You show them the size you want 10-24 x 1.25there usually painted black oxide high strength steel - He walks you to the little plastic slide out drawers - You walk out a few dollars lighter - A little blue locktite and your set - Been using since my 05 Firecats and now my 06 Crossfires - Never stripped one - Never broke a head off - Blue Locktite , never had one come loose

never heard of this thread before

 

[dmkhnr]

Bee hit the nail on the head, just follow his instructions.
I use the stainless alan bolts, as I didn't see the black oxide ones. Run them in and never worry about stripping another torx.
If you heat the torx up enough, they usually come out, but I've broken off my fair shair, hit them with a grinder, and even used a dremel to make a slot in them so I could use a slotted screw driver. They are a PIA.
You still have to heat the hex head bolts to get them out.

 

[Jeff K]

never heard of this thread before

the bolt is #10 thread is 24 and length is 1.25"

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Allen n torx

keep in mind the torx screw is an answer to good old allen heads that easily round out. The torx head has more tool bit contact surface.

Patience.........I know not always available in suffiecient quanity.......some heat, small micro head torch, don't lite up the smoke wrench, good quality torx bit in holder with 1/4" ratchet and extension, jig to compress the clutch spring and it must be comrpessed to avoid stripping out threads.

I've had to do it half a dozen times an afternoon out on the trail testing clutch setups and after a while I discarded some of the torx screws too for new ones. Keep in mind most of the ace hdw allen screws are not as good a material as the torx screws and for sure stainless steel screw are borderline butter made for holding boat bumpers on.

Problems ususally start with a half azz first attempt with the cat screw driver type torx tool or similar which is not a good first step.

So yipe at BDX, they designed that thing.

 

[AlaskaS3]

I use a cordless Dewalt impact to take mine out. I fount that I strip them out, and break torx bits way less if a constant torque is applied, rather than ratcheting them off. I also use anti-seize instead of lock tite. Haven't had one come loose yet, and I was super nervous about it at first, checked them every 10 miles.

 

[sledcrazy555]

Stainless screws

I tried the stainless and they worked really well...but only use them once. They worked fine for months then when I pulled the clutch down and reused them the clutch came apart soon after...they had stretched. I will be using the macine head screws from now on.

 

[M6johnny]

I had this same issue the first time I changed my helix out. Instead of counterboring the holes I used a chamfer cutting bit and then used flat head allen heads to hold it together. Problem solved.