OK,
Over the weekend I decided it was time to start yanking the motor out... First thing I
needed was the proper tool to remove the CV bolts... Went to Sears, bought a T-45 and T-50 torx.... Wrong size and wrong tool. Can anybody help me out here? What is the proper name, size, and place where I can find this tool? I need it to last, so I don't mind spending a little extra$ for a good quality piece...

Oh, and I looked over on the Bird Board in the Tech articles, and it was just called a 12 point star tool...

Thanks for the help -
Thom

gotmine from PP. can be had for less but they fired it off to me post-haste and gotta figure that they know which tool is which...

I think most VW parts places sell it. I think that's where I got mine a few years back.

Alfred

I got a Snap-On

Sears should have them

VW parts places have them

Ask for the 12 point star tool

Wow,
An answer in less than 3 minutes...
This board is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Thanks Guys,

Thom

The guy at Sears took me straight to the torx... Tried to sell me Lisle set first?!
He did not know what a 12 point was.... Do they come in different sizes?

T

Yep. Different sizes. Mine came in a 4-pack. Lisle #60750 "12 Point Triple Square Metric Internal Wench Bit Set" (6, 8, 10, and 12mm). You need the 8mm one.
-Ben M.

I got mine in a set of four at Scucks (Flaps here in seattle)

Wanna good tip??

Unless the bolts are brand new and have no gunk in the recess of the head, I insert the tool into the bolt head and smack it with a hammer to make sure the tool is fully seated in the bolt head.

This ensures that the tool is properly engaged with the bolt.

I got mine at Pep Boys... there was a 4 pack for like $10.... I had to use the hammer trick to get the screws out of the Fan on the engine though...

for the fan screws, I replaced those with some hi-temp Allen head screws since the heads were stripped.

a scary thing on the CVs though... all 4 screws on the drivers side could be loosened by hand someone told me they tend to loosen up up a bit after you put them back on, and then you need to go back and tighten them again...

I looked at Sears too. The guy just had this sort of blank look on his face when I told him what I was looking for. Ended up getting mine at the local Bug shop.

i fought the sob's for a while during reinstall (one of the pins stayed in the hub). warm garage, grease turned into baby poop. i got a couple of cheap bolts, 8mmx1.25 i think, cut the heads off, cut a slot to fit a flat screw driver with a hack saw in the top, turned the bolts in a couple of turns, and they lined up great.


kevin

Yeah, the twelve point stars are called "torx" bolts. But you can't use the "T" handle torx wrenches because you won't get enough torque on them. Almost any auto parts store will have the 6mm (I think it's 6mm, if I remember right) torx socket.

Mueller's advice is good but I would counsel that instead of hammering the socket in and just packing the gunk down you should instead use a punch or pick or very small philips screwdriver (anything small and pointy) to stick in the bolt and scrape out the gunk. Then use Mueller's hammer technique. You don't wan't to strip those little bitches if you can avoid it. Stripping the bolt was one of the reasons, if I understand correctly, why VW/Porsche went from the allen bolts to the torx bolts (the torx bolts have more interior surface area to spread out the turning force).

Douglas

The CV Joint bolts are 'triple-square', or 12-point. They are 8mm.

They are NOT torx bolts. Stuff a torx driver into one of them, and you will be hating life.