Need a 12mm hex drive or wrench or something.....

[Paoli Veloce]

The front axle nuts on my '01 ZR7 take a 12mm hex something or another to turn them. The Kawa dealer sold me a hex axle key that "would work on all of them". Well, I doesn't. The smallest hex on the key is 19mm. The math ain't too hard on that one, it won't work.
There's nothing in the tool kit that fits. The largest allen key I can find is 10mm. What works? I got a new tire to put on.

Thanks

Paul B.

[bluedogok]

Craftsman 12mm Hex Key - $7.99 (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&fromAu to=YES&bidsite=CRAFT&pid=00946667000)

[kurt]

Go Sears and buy a 12mm drain plug (hex) key, cut the elbow off and insert it into a 12mm socket.

Drain Plug Key (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00 946667000)

Doh! Scott beat me to it.

I cut mine off and inserted it into a 12mm 6 point socket and JB Welded it into place. I just wasn't going to spend $70 for the set.

http://www.kuhnco.com/SV650/springswap/SpecialTool2.jpg

[Paoli Veloce]

Doh, went everywhere but Sears. Hate having to go to the mall, but for that I'll make the sacrifice.

Thanks, guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bluedogok]

That was one thing that I found that was nice in Cleveland, a Sears Hardware store. It is basically the tool and outdoor sections of the Sears at the mall with even more stuff.

[Chirpy]

Sears Grande coming soon to us Northsiders. The interior subway will make it easy to get around...

[gotdurt]

For a quick solution to allen bolts I don't have keys for, I'll grab a nut and bolt of the needed key size (If you have that kind of stuff laying around), put the nut on the bolt, insert the nut into the allen head and use the bolt to adjust depth (only if the allen head is deep enough to need it). I then use a wrench to turn it. If the head isn't deep, I just use the nut.

[kurt]

The axle is torqued (or should be) to 47.5 ft/lbs. I'd be leary of buggering up the axle with anything less than a hex key that fully seats in the socket, but I have done the same thing with other smaller fasteners before. I've also used a spark plug socket backwards in a pinch. :-D

[gotdurt]

The axle is torqued (or should be) to 47.5 ft/lbs. I'd be leary of buggering up the axle with anything less than a hex key that fully seats in the socket, but I have done the same thing with other smaller fasteners before. I've also used a spark plug socket backwards in a pinch. :-D
Ah, I didn't realize it was the axle itself. 12mm seems small for an axle, My axle is more like 18mm (find that at Sears!), and I use a *modified* version of this method for that without problem.

[cmcnamee]

I recently found a nice set of 12, 14, and 16 hex wrenches at AutoZone for about $6. Pretty decent quality too. Who'd uv guessed that AutoZone would carry a tool that I really needed for a bike! :)

Carl

[Aileron]

MAKE SURE IT'S NOT A "TORX" BIT.

I made this mistake on my bike the first time I removed the rear wheel. After spending two hours driving to various stores looking for the elusive 12mm hex wrench (finally finding one at Sears as noted above), the &*%$##@!!! thing "stripped" on me as I went to remove the axle and nut.

Upon closer examination, I realized it was a Torx fitting and that I had the correct one in my tool box the entire time.

:roll:

Fortunately, there was no damage to either the axle nut or the wrench.

EDIT:

Textron Fastening Systems Torx FAQ (http://www.textronfasteningsystems.com/licensing/faq.html)

Textron Fastening Systems (http://www.textronfasteningsystems.com/licensing/index.html)

Torx Inch Standards (http://www.textronfasteningsystems.com/licensing/tncinch.html)

Torx Metric Standards (http://www.textronfasteningsystems.com/licensing/tncmetric.html)

Lisle Tools (http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_browse_list.cfm?browse=10)

[Gilk51]

Torx is also referred to as "Star", right?

[Aileron]

Basically, yeah - I did some quick research and edited my post above. It is really easy to confuse the two (socket side at least). Check very carefully - a positive test will be to insert a Torx bit as a kind of go/no-go test.

In my case, there was simply no way I could have acheived the required torque with the plain 12mm hex wrench because both it and the smaller wrench on the opposite side kept slipping. A properly fitted Torx bit will be very snug and secure.