Hi,

When attaching the pictured brake pedal, you have to place a torx screw in from the front facing side and should then fasten it from behind the pedal by using a M3 hex nut.

It was a tight fit to get the torx screw through the hole from the front face of the pedal and into the recess… in truth, it would have stayed secure without the nut affixed to the back of the pedal. It almost felt as thought the screw was self tapping.

Whilst trying to tighten the hex nut and the torx screw at either side, the tip of the torx key snapped and is now stuck in the torx screw seat (pictured).

The pedal is secure so not concerned about that but what’s left of the torx screw head is very sharp and sooner or later will cut someone’s fingers.

Managed to unscrew the m3 hex nut exposing the shaft of the torx screw behind the pedal (pictured) and hoped that pliers from behind the pedal in clockwise motion would enable me to loosen the torx screw, remove it and start again… but the working space is tight and can’t get it to budge yet.

Don’t want to damage the pedal face so any ideas on how to get the torx screw out please would be much appreciated?

Thanks.

Torx screw

Click image to enlarge

Do you have enough space to fit 2 nuts on the thread and lock them, then use a ring spanner to at least turn the bolt out several threads? Use penetrating oil etc to try and lube the screw thread that's in the pedal if you can. If you get some success you could continue on the fastener head with mole grips. When all else fails use a hammer

I thought about mole grips on the thread side but would damage the threads of the fastener and might cause more difficulty if you have created a thread in the pedal.

Also small bearing pullers might be possible to push the fastener out if you have a set.
Is the pedal aluminium ?

A small punch etc could be carefully used to gently knock the head of the torx anti clockwise, it might just then fall out 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

I know it will offend you Ryan, but I wouldn't even attempt to remove the bolt, just remove the sharp bit & live with it.

Depends what tools you have to hand.

I'd be tempted to try a drill first - maybe with a countersink bit ? or a dremel if you have one.

A power file or a grinder should be able to take off the offending protruding sharp bit - but more likely to mark the pedal

Slacken off / remove the other three bolts to give a bit of wiggle room and it should come out ok.

Thanks for the replies chaps.

It’s a brand new (quite hard to come by) aluminium pedal so I can’t afford to mark the front facing side with any tools.

@NDF, yours is also agood idea although I’m not confident that the other torx screws will now easily unscrew because I fear the heads on them might shear if I try to undo them.

It’s a funny set up because they’re all manufacturers spec with pre drilled holes and manufacturers supplied screws. With the other two pedals I got, the torx screws slotted right through the holes by hand and really did need to be bolted on from behind the pedal pads but with the brake pedal, they literally had to be screwed in because they resisted as soon as the screw was presented to the pre-drilled hole.

Before reading these replies I was thinking my only/ best option is to buy a small set of good quality mole grips, try and unscrew the offending torx screw from behind the pedal and then use a new torx screw and bolt because the other 3 screws are solidly holding the pedal anyway?

I did also think of a little hammer from behind the pedal pad

Last edited by pld118 on 26th Dec 2021 6:39pm. Edited 1 time in total

I think you need to lay off the porridge before tightening nuts and bolts in the future, they are only small diameter and shouldn’t need to be made ultra tight.

I’m not sure you should concern yourself about marking it Ryan. Your size 10s will be all over it soon enough  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

You’re quite right NDF, my fault. The OCD always gets the better of me



Alan…

I would hold the back nut, and use a reverse drill bit on the front and get it out that way. Should be pretty quick. Failing that, hammer a pointed tool into it and get it loose that way

Would a glue stick from a hot glue gun, melted to the broken bit end then let it wiggle out?
Just heat up the actual stick, not run it through the gun?

Is the broken bit loose inside the bolt head?

Small tap with a hammer and punch may be enough to loosen off the broken bit, and lift out with a magnet

Don't put pliers on the back of the bolt, you'll damage the threads

Thanks for all the replies chaps which really helped with the way to go.

Tried long nose pliers to pull out the sheared torx key. Got a good grip but wouldn’t budge.

Tried loosening the other 3 screws as suggested by NDF but those screws are now permanently in place - see my moral of the story comment at the end of this post to understand why

Thought about using a pin sharp punch with a hammer into the screw recess to knock out the sheared torx key but decided against it as one slip and the pedal face would be damaged.

Accepting the damaged thread risk, decided the solution was to use mole grips or pliers on the exposed screw shaft behind the brake pedal and to turn clockwise until the screw head would hopefully start coming out enough on the other side to then grip the screw head with pliers and undo it.

Used a good set of pliers to grip the screw shaft and turn turn turn (patience needed in such a tight space)… it worked though to the point the full head of the screw retracted and was exposed on the front facing side of the pedal. Then used a small stubby set of pliers with the pliers nose well masked with duct tape to avoid scratching the aluminium pedal face during the extraction. Managed to grip the screw enough to get it out with no damage caused

Had plenty extra screws anyway and the pedal is now sorted/ nicely fitted

The moral of the story is? Get someone with good eyesight to check that you’re using the right tools for very small hardware (2.5/ 3mm). It was pointed out that it’not a torx fitting it’s a hex / Allen key shape! And that was despite donning my glasses and checking closely beforehand to make sure the correct tool was used. Still can’t distinguish it well enough now.

The damaged screw is safely out: