OK got an (expensive) allen key and torx bit set from machine mart (its a clarke one)....Bought with the intention of using it on my new zetec engine. So first thing I tried it on was my cylinder head bolts as I needed to get them off....but! When to use it on the end of a socket set wrench and the end of the torx bit sheared off inside the bolt! Not really sure what to do now as even if I get a new one out of them it will do the same again and now the end of the old one is stuck inside the head of the torx bolt!! What have other ppl used/done to get rotten headbolts off the zetec head - heat?? Cheers Oli.

I just used a seally one to undo mine.

Give it a tap with a chisel/dot punch and itl probably come out of the bolt.

When u get your new one try doing it up a fraction before undo.

normally useing the impact wrench works well with those

Thanks will do....last time I buy anything from machine mart though....seem to be expensive and bad quality in my experience! I'll let you know how I get on next time round (2moro!) Oli.

The trouble with tools from Clarke, Draper, Sealy etc is that they buy it all in. Some stuff is good & some stuff is rubbish.

I've got a set of T-Handle long hex keys (allen keys) with ball ends... To cut a long story short two or three no longer have ball ends as they snap of at a very low torque...

I quite like Britool stuff everything I've had is good quality.

Cheers

Never hard a problem with my Draper stuff (broken one or two things but only through my own stupidity and they were very good about replacing them as warrantied items) Not got a good thing to say about, Clarke, Sealey or Halfords tools though....all rubbish with an equally bad backup in my experience.....Oli.

Never found a problem with Halfords Professional tools.

Ive got loads, and they put up with a lot of stick.

If you need the odd tool for a REALLY tough job, get a Snap-on one.

Ed.

Britool/Facom work for me, I knackered an 11mm open ender and the shop swapped it straight off. The ball end on long Allen keys is only for nipping up at odd angles in my view, you can break the ends off any of the makes if you get too physical with them.

Homebase make their tools from butter. Over the few years ive been doing it ive spent a lot on tools, but now have a collection of mac and snap on. And believe me there are some cases when ball ended allen keys are the only thing that will work and HAVE to do things up tight (fabia sump bolts come to mind)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Peteff
The ball end on long Allen keys is only for nipping up at odd angles in my view, you can break the ends off any of the makes if you get too physical with them.

---

I've broken mine one handed and I'm no Hulk Hogan I got a cheap Silverline set last time and they are as good as any of the others I've used. I have a set of allen sockets which can get in most places and are useful on a swivel with the ratchet, I've not broken any of them.

useing a T-bar only on one side with those ball type keys is a sure way to break them, best to use two hands one on each side and only use a small froce so that its balanced