I have just tried to put the rotors on and the bolts will only go in halfway. Im using a good allen key which has no wear at all and some of the heads on the bolts have just stripped and are now unusable. Is this a case of crap bolts or something else?

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

How long are the screws & how deep are the holes? Are they original bolts?
If all are screwing in fine, but then stopping before getting to the rotors it sounds like the holes are too shallow or the screws too long…

Thanks for the reply. They are the brand new bolts that came with the Elixirs. One of the screw did go all the way in. There is blue stuff on the bolts. Anti loosening gunk? Could it be this thats causing it?

You should be using a T25 torx bit, not an allen key.

The blue stuff is a threadlocking compound. With the right tools they should go in with the stuffin place.

Maybe the threadlock is causing a tight fit (you would expect this) and your allen key is fractionally too small. That could cause the knackering of bolts you’ve described?

Thanks for the replies. I’ll take it to the LBS in the new year and get them to fit them. My v brakes are needing new pads but theyll see me through till then.

A bit of a scunner as I was looking forward to using them! 🙁

New hubs? Might need the threads chasing on them ? I’ve never seen rotor bolts with allen key fittings mine are always T25 do you have one on your multi tool, most I’ve seen have got them now.

lol

Hope rotors always used to use Allen head bolts, admittedly all Avid rotor bolts I’ve seen are T25 though!

Square peg into a round hole ….

Your allen key into a t25 fitting that is – propper user error

Even hope use T25 now. It does sound like a tool based issue.

Im a complete tit. It is indeed a t25 torx head. New bolts purchased and will be taken to the LBS on the 27th.

Oh the shame! 😳

New bolts purchased and will be taken to the LBS on the 27th.

Why?

Because if he tries to do it again he’s likely to lose an arm

I blame the schools.

The LBS will be doing it because

1. I dont have a t25 tool

2. I feel like a tool for using an allen key in the first place.

3. Im needing to get the bike serviced anyway and the guy will fit them as part of the price.

I never usually do anything on my bike apart from changing tubes and tyres. Might invest in a bike maintenance manual!

Thanks to all for the festive piss-taking! 😳

I dont have a t25 tool

Buy one, and maybe glasses to be able to see the difference between torx and allen…

I dont have a t25 tool

Buy one, and maybe glasses to be able to see the difference between torx and allen…

I maybe can’t see but can you read? Are you that bored you had to chime in with that pearl of wisdom?

It happens…don’t be mean to the OP because I’ve done worse in my time.

Park Tools Big Blue Book

I’m not going to t*ke the p*ss, everything I’ve learnt about bike maintenance has come at the expense of some embarrassing mistakes. But if I were you I’d buy this book, it’s excellent, a t25 tool which’ll cost you pence, and DIY.

Oh and this forum and YouTube are superb sources of experience for maintenance stuff..

Thanks for the GOOD advice fellas. I honestly dont mind a bit piss taking. With hindsight, it was a bloody stupid mistake.

Wading in 3 weeks late with a wido comment is just sad though!

In my defence, I had a an hour to get the brakes fitted and rushed on with it without thinking. The STW police have made sure it won’t happen again!

Park book will be bought asap! Thanks !

Hope you all hav had a great Xmas!

You don’t even need the book, it’s on HERE
Happy Christmas

Every set of Avid brakes I’ve ever had, have come with the correct tool included within the box.

Thanks for the link nmdbase. Very handy!

Definately no tool in the box. They are just Elixir 1s. Maybe tools just with higher end brakes? Not too worried. It’s going in for a full service anyway. After that I’ll take my time and do some bits and bobs myself with help from the Park Manual.

Cheers folks!

Check on your multitool, if you have one, there’s a good chance there’s a T25 torq on there if it’s a good one.

Don’t get the Park book, the website is superb- better than the book and free!

First time I encountered a torx bolt, I just thought it was an unusually-patterned allen key bolt. An allen key worked fine. I wondered if it was some sort of allen key/screwdriver hybrid bolt, then realised a phillips sd woon’t work.

Confuddled me for a while, until I learned about torx bolts.

What’s the advantages/disadvantages over allen key bolts?

There is no benefit to using a torx on a rotor from what I can see. The paltry 6 N/m torque rating for a rotor bolt would unlikely strip an allen bolt of the same size as a T25. Torx does perhaps better suit screw driver type tools. For example, imagine using a regular allen key to nip up a bleed port (another common application for torx). Much easier with a screwdriver type torx right?

I see the torx as more of a mix between an allan bolt and a cross head rather than offering any measurable advantage due to the cross sectional area of the bolt/tool interface etc.

In theory a torq bit has more surface tool area so can support more tightening force, but as above said sems ott for rotor bolt. However it may come in handy if the hub/bolt kinda sizes together (albeit not likely being alloy – steel) but they can bind up a bit.

Most of these different tool types seems to stem from the motor industry, where i dont think they have reasons for it, they just find it funny to bring out something new to mean mechanics have to go out and buy more new different tools to work on it!

And as someone said, just maybe go out and buy the tool while you order the bolts! The supplied avid one is just a basic 50p allen key type tool. Or you could, bite the bullit now and buy an avid bleed kit and you will get said tool!

I think the OP should think carefully about this one! 😀

Seosamh77.

You’re quick off the mark!

The last I will say on the matter is, ‘**** torx bolts! pointless little shits!’ 🙂