what's the !~@#$%^&* deal with Mercedes allen bolts!!!????
 

why o why do they always want to strip when using crapman tools??? especially 5 mm (oil pan) and 8 mm.
I want to replace a flex disc but no matter how careful I work, they WILL strip. so basically you just can't do it. (I have no air) does anyone know of a hex key that is the right size for mb 8mm? don't say use a snap on 8mm because I'm sure there's something wrong with the batch of allen bolts mb used to wrench their cars together. (why use allens anyway)

You must be using he wrong size. I've never had a problem with any of them stripping.

I have had many bolts that were difficult to remove. My guess is the previous mechanic just REALLY tightened everything down, instead of using torque specs. The transmission pan on my SD came off just fine though.
I have heard of folks banging in a torx tool to gain a bite. I've also heard of folks using heat.
8mm is 8mm the world over. The next size up torx is T50, but that's 8.72mm.
Before you remove it, make sure you have a new replacement.
Good luck.

of course you haven't.
an 8 mm craftsman WILL strip the mb 8mm allen on the flex disc. I clean out the bolt, make sure it's all the way in, hold the (very thin) 17mm at the back with a snap on wrench, and put force on it. it strips. allen bolts like to strip. it has to be the crapman tool then.

I gave up. of course it's the last one that stripped. I'm going to install a manual in my sd next year anyway. at least you don't have to adjust those for days and days before they shift halfway decent.

None of my flex discs had hex heads.:confused:

Dont know what your doing wrong but I have removed allot of MB allens and not had a problem and I do use the impact wrench on flex couplings. I did have to use an "easy out" on a motor mount allen that someone had managed to "round out"
Make sure the allen is cleaned out well before inserting the tool.

Usually when they strip its because you didn't get them seated all the way in or you allow the allen to slip from straight in.

If you get a really tough one I keep a hand held impact wrench with allen heads. It is absoulutely essential for the door latch allens.

Tom W

Been there, stripped that.....




Same type of bolts hold on my AC compressor....

^^Stripped those out too..

I dip the allen socket tip in valve grinding compound to remove stubborn bolts. Craftsman doesn't have real sharp corners on their allen sockets.

you need to buy a good set of allen wrenches, not the sears or harbor freight or home depot ones. go to MSC or grainger and order an industrial set of true "allen" brand wrenches. you will be amazed how nice the allen bolts are when the tool are hardened enough to perform correctly.

I use a piece of a paper shop towel wrapped around the bit and lighty tap it into the hex.

yep, if I had air, an impact wrench and a name brand (not crapman) socket it would have been out in 2 seconds...
but I don't. lucky me, the transmission seal doesn't leak and the disc is only just starting to crack a little. good for another 50k I presume. and by then the 280 tranny will go in:D. plenty of those where this car is going...

I use the "hand held" on the seat rail allens also, a great tool.

That's a shame. Our basement and toolboxes are all full of Craftsman stuff; back in the day they were some of the best tools you could get - lifetime replacement was a safe bet because you had to work hard to need the replacements. When you did, they were (and still are, hopefully) hassle-free.

EDIT: I meant, some of the best tools you could get if you weren't in the market for the highest-up, extreme, "professional" stuff. For the average homeowner, and DIY customer, Craftsman used to be awfully nice stuff.

What type of easy out did you use? - I have that problem on one of my mounts right now. Thanks.

like TooManyMBZ said, try heat. Ive used it on pesky door strikers that even with the correct size Phillips driver I knew I'd strip the head off. . . a $35 heat gun is a wise investment. . it is amazing how after 30 or so years these bolts can become stuck so hard. Get a heat gun, be certain not to accidentally ignite any surround surfaces and apply heat in 30 second intervals until the little fu*ker is ready to come out. . .

I still like craftman tools for 95% of everything I do, just not their allen wrenches. I used to work in a tool and die shop which uses nothing but allens. You get spoiled when you have the good ones.

DO NOT WAIT ON THAT FLEX DISC.

I see no other option than to install another transmission. I have no airtools. No welder. I'm sure it'll hold for 50k more. they're pretty tough. and what's it gonna do? 'destroy my tranny'? that would make me cry, a destroyed automatic transmission:D

No, it will destroy the underside of your car.

http://www.dieselgiant.com/300SDL_rear_tran01.jpg

no ****! that's some damage right there. wasn't there an audible warning beforehand though? was this specimen "lady driven, with ipod"?
I mean, dude! well I guess I'll go in there again then. the allen bolt is nearly stripped. it was as tough as the craftman key I used almost, so they got damaged equally. I'm guessing a good allen key and airgun can still take it out. I have a friend with the tool... not the allen though, I'll buy that off a snap on truck.

99.9% of all my tools are craftsman.

MIne have been very very good. Most were purchased a good while back though.

Tom W

Once you've made certain the hole is clean, try dipping the tip into some Comet/Zano/etc. cleaner - it helps to give you a little extra grip. (unless you have valve grinding compound, as Dubyagee suggested).

I am not sure which model Mercedes you are working on. But if there are nuts on the other end of those allen blots (if there is room for it) you could split the nuts with a Nut Slpitter or split the nuts with a good quality sharp chisel. Another option would be to grind a split in the nut with a small 1/8" rotary file. This would work best with a Dremel type tool because they have a higher speed than a Electric Drill.

I'm not sure, that is not my car, but I have seen pictures of several failures and the aftermath always looks like that.

couldn't he get a killer grip on the head with a pair of locking vice grips... i mean the kind of force that it takes a pair of channel locks to get the vice grips back of the head they were locked so tight?

that should get him the leverage he needs to turn the other side with a wrench.. i know when i replaced my flex disks the bolts on there seemed to be one way... they went on easy but stripped when you tried to take them off... and man did those things heat up even with hand tools.

Henry,

Just sell it and buy this.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/628993988.html

Answer:
 

Get an electric impact gun... :D

electric impact gun
http://www.google.com/search?q=electric+impact+gun&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

http://www.toolbarn.com/category/electricimpact/

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?Ntk=AllProps&N=10000003+90401+503506&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1






Have a great day.:)

Most of my tools are craftsman, and the only time I have rounded out an allen bolt is when I turned it the wrong way thinking I was loosening it....when in fact I was tightening, and then stripping it. :o It was a motor mount bolt, and its still on the car (83SD)....I'll be hammering a torx into it sometime in the near future when we replace the mounts probably. :o Not looking forward to trying to get that out.

If it was anything like what I had to do, get a 12 point socket just smaller than the head of the bolt, put it on an extension, and pound that SOB with a decently weighted hammer...

Henri -- Go to Sears and get this set -- http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/0...sm=0.9,0.5,0,0


It's called a bolt out kit and they have it in various sizes. I got the 4-piece kit to remove stripped allen-head intake manifold bolts on my '87.

Take one of your bolts with you and get the bolt-out that best fits very tightly over the head.

Just tap it over the head with a hammer and turn it with a wrench. Works brilliantly!

if I was in europe I'd consider it... here it's not a smart choice:D

magnificent information from the respected members, as always. much appreciated. it's a flex disc at the tranny, on an '83sd. so there's some sort of flywheel on the driveshaft that makes it near impossible to grind the bolt off or maybe even use the here mentioned tool. I may be able to get a hack saw-blade in there come to think about it. I'll go at it today:D

Have your friends send you the parts. You can work on it yourself.:)

How about a thin metal cutting blade on a reciprocating saw?

I just changed the flex discs on the SDL I'm restoring. I think you just may have enough room to pound one of those things on.

AutoZoo stocks a similar kit I saw today as I was searching in vain for a 12mmX1.5 helicoil kit (my SDL has been a case-study in Murphy's Law).

Thats an excellent idea, I think I will do that instead! Thanks!

Since they are bolts, why not just cut them with a cut off wheel? To own an old car you either need a ton of tools, or a nice fat checkbook to pay someone else with tools.:D

The replacement flex discs come with either hex or allen head bolts.

it's out!!
 

OK, went to sears, got the set. didn't work because of the flywheel mounted on the driveshaft. I had it soaking overnight in penetrating oil, so after banging on the nut some with a chisel to break the tension on it I had the marvelous idea of using a vice grip:o

:D:D:D I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner. So now, today, I will finish the Bottom Of my Car:
lower ball joints, tie-rods, center drag link, upper control arms, center bearing, both flex discs, output shaft seal, all brake hoses, stabilizer linkages, rear axles (yes, CVJ), tranny filter and gasket, oil filter housing gasket, oil cooler lines, tranny cooler hoses, all new rotors and pads, front wheel bearings. Guide rod bushings are still perfect.
my god. good thing all that stuff lasted 200k+ miles.