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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Odd bolt heads

The car I am working on (modern, NMC) has some odd cone shaped headed bolts. They are like torx heads but cone shaped, not straight sided. I guess they are used for automatic machine head assembly.

Anyone know what are they called and how does one measure and state the size when buying. I need to get one, or probably a small set.
GuyW

Have you got a picture? Guessing you mean a male torx head as otherwise why would you need a special tool.

I hope they aren't some kind of shear bolt:
https://3dgroupuk.com/product/view/CTLSP1
AdrianR

Seems there are Torq, Torq plus and now Poly drive !
Poly drive now used for driveline and brakes etc.

When did it all get so complicated !

R.
richard b

When did it get so complicated?

When the Germans got involved and became the worlds dominant Automotive super power! ;-)

I used to work for a subsidiary of a BIG German OEM and sat in on several lengthy meetings with them seriously discussing making all their nuts 8 sided!

Malc.
Malcolm

Yep, and some twit came up with 5 sided torx as well-- why
William Revit

So you can't undo them with a standard torx? I threw that in as I met a former frogeye owner in Bath UK many years ago who said he had made some pentagonal headed screws, without slots, for fixing the sidescreens on as in the day it was common to have them nicked, all that was needed was a 50p piece not so many people carried pliers.
David Billington

Torx -torx plus poly drive and Ribe are all stronger and stronger versions of the original torx but having progressively stronger wider drive splines, but all straight sided --This tapered one that Guy has is a bit of a mystery, a pic would be nice
Maybe it's getting confused in the description---If it's tapered at the base like this pic a normal torx socket will do the job

William Revit

Doh! They are straight sided male torx heads. I was convinced yesterday that they were cone shaped. Need to get eyes tested. Though lying under the car in the gloom and squinting up at the sub frame bolts they definitely looked odd to me.
GuyW

Guy-just found this, looks like the motor can come out without removing the rack, doesn't really show a lot but looks not too bad really from what is shown---if it's the same as your patient----different code to what you're getting but same test results-?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwXy5WvoJmQ
William Revit

Yeh, I found that a few days ago. I thought great, that looks straightforward. But he conveniently doesn't show the actual removal. One frame it's still in place in the car and the next he is kicking the old unit around the floor! He misses out the really challenging removal bit completely.

Unbolting the motor was pretty hard, but was doable. Fingertip location of top bolt, working blind and at arms length with selection of socket extenders and a knuckle joint. About an hour and a half.

But now it is unbolted I can move it around the cavity behind the motor but not yet found a way out. All the possible exits are blocked by non movable items, engine mounts steady, rack subframe, drive shafts ets. Gave up last night but now think that if I disconnect the ARB drop links, it might just rotate enough out of the way to get the unit past it. A garage using a 4-post would probably unbolt the subframe and lift the body off, or part off. Not something doable at home.
GuyW

Ha ha, yep I think giving it a good kick about probably made him feel better about it
William Revit

Nothing to do with your extraction issue Guy but if you don't have one already, these little torches are just the job when working in the gloom.
Used one to replace a ceiling light fitting on a particularly dark afternoon, it was invaluable (along with reading glasses😏). They're remarkably bright and the battery holds its charge really well.

https://www.toolstation.com/luceco-rechargeable-pir-inspection-head-torch/p36841


Jeremy MkIII

This thread was discussed between 25/07/2023 and 26/07/2023

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