Recommended tool for a stripped hex head

[LA02MAX]

Hmmm strange, mine had the torx bolts.... are you sure yours aren't also, and maybe they're just dirty and look like hex? lol

[Henn28]

Thanks gents. The tension strut nut came off with an impact, but yes, the first of two bolts holding the ball joint on rounded out quickly. Cutting a slot in it…genius. Then it will take a slotted head (screw driver type) tool.

I can’t recall what brand I used when I replaced them years ago, but the ones in my car are hex heads. I did notice the replacement ball joints I was going to put in are torx head.

[Scott ZHP]

Originally Posted by LA02MAX

Hmmm strange, mine had the torx bolts.... are you sure yours aren't also, and maybe they're just dirty and look like hex? lol

BMW seems to have changed from the E-Torx to the internal Torx head style mid way through production.

I rounded and eventually snapped the head off the E-Torx on one of them; no amount of heat/penetrating oil/impact with an extractor socket would budge it. I ended up removing the knuckle and drilling/backing it out with a left hand drill bit. Managed to save the threads thankfully. New ones went in with nickel antisieze.

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

BMW seems to have changed from the E-Torx to the internal Torx head style mid way through production. ...

On my 2001 the originals were external Torx E12. I replaced the ball joints with Lefoerders which came with Torx T45.

From my notes, the trick I needed was to remove those E12 screws first, and then the standard ball joint separator that I use on all my cars worked fine.