ihatemybike
Explorer
While most should never have a problem, it's good to be prepared should something go wrong. Thus, today the E-torx head bolts that hold in the front drive shaft were replaced with socket head cap bolts.
I had previously had to remove my front drive shaft while on my Route 66 road trip last Nov, due to viscous clutch failure in a known abused transfer case. Luckily I had previously pulled the drive shaft before, had already acquired a GM drive line box end wrench with both needed sizes on it and had it in my toolbox. Let me tell you, even with the proper wrench this is a terrible job. The bolt heads seem to be designed in such a way that make the wrench very easy to rise off the head. Only way to really get it to work is to use some kind of lever to force the wrench to stay on the head. I was using the Astro's stock lug wrench for this. Being this was the second time I removed these lousy bolts, I vowed to fine something better.
Originally I was thinking regular hex head bolts, but the heads in the sizes needed were too big to fit where needed. I was able to find the smaller of the two bolt sizes is a socket cap at the local hardware store and determined that socket caps would have enough clearance. I ended up finding the bigger size at McMaster-Carr and buying a 25 count box of both sizes.
These are soooo much easier to work with and will be much easier to handle if they ever need to removed out on the trail. (I've had to pull the front drive shaft on my wife's Jeep on the trail due to the CV on it going bad, so it happens.)
What you need are 4 count M12 x 1.75mm x 25mm and 4 count M10 x 1.50mm x 25mm. 10mm and 8mm hex wrenches are needed for the install.
Through www.Fastenal.com these bolts will run about $8 after tax. I have a few extra sets that I'd ship out for $4.50.
I had previously had to remove my front drive shaft while on my Route 66 road trip last Nov, due to viscous clutch failure in a known abused transfer case. Luckily I had previously pulled the drive shaft before, had already acquired a GM drive line box end wrench with both needed sizes on it and had it in my toolbox. Let me tell you, even with the proper wrench this is a terrible job. The bolt heads seem to be designed in such a way that make the wrench very easy to rise off the head. Only way to really get it to work is to use some kind of lever to force the wrench to stay on the head. I was using the Astro's stock lug wrench for this. Being this was the second time I removed these lousy bolts, I vowed to fine something better.
Originally I was thinking regular hex head bolts, but the heads in the sizes needed were too big to fit where needed. I was able to find the smaller of the two bolt sizes is a socket cap at the local hardware store and determined that socket caps would have enough clearance. I ended up finding the bigger size at McMaster-Carr and buying a 25 count box of both sizes.
These are soooo much easier to work with and will be much easier to handle if they ever need to removed out on the trail. (I've had to pull the front drive shaft on my wife's Jeep on the trail due to the CV on it going bad, so it happens.)
What you need are 4 count M12 x 1.75mm x 25mm and 4 count M10 x 1.50mm x 25mm. 10mm and 8mm hex wrenches are needed for the install.
Through www.Fastenal.com these bolts will run about $8 after tax. I have a few extra sets that I'd ship out for $4.50.
