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Driving without bedlock beauty rings installed? And torx bolt size?
I don't have personal experience with the beauty rings. But from reading they are on pretty tight and pretty easy to strip. I would think using an impact wrench would raise the chance of stripping. Sounds like the correct size bit and a breaker bar to get good leverage would be the best bet for breaking them loose. After they are loose then you could use a 1/4" impact driver to make removing them a little quicker.
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On my Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch package, only the T45 fits…
On my Bronco, the TP45 does NOT fit. I am holding it against the bolt, but the bit is not penetrating the standard Torx recess…
The installation instructions for the bead lock rings (attached below) also say to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."
I guess it is possible that Ford has been selling Broncos with both tool specs, but I can only speak about what is on my Bronco and in the Ford installation instructions for the beadlock rings. To be safe, I would recommend trying both bits before attempting to remove the rings, especially if the T45 bit appears to have a very loose fit.
I am a mechanical engineer and a tool junky, so I tried both standard Torx and Torx Plus before commenting above.
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Thank you! Truly appreciate the confirmation.T45 fits…
TP45 does NOT fit. I am holding it against the bolt, but the bit is not penetrating the standard Torx recess…
I am a mechanical engineer and a tool junkie. Please trust me on this, even if you think the photos are fake.
The installation instructions for the bead lock rings (attached below) also say to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."
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I noticed this after I was about to put the 3rd ring on because something didn't look right. Somehow I managed to get the first 2 correct and didn't have to fix.
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Probably not but I don't know for sure, hopefully someone who knows will chime in. If concerned about them being scuffed up just remove them before taking to tire shop. Worse case scenario the tire guy is not sure either so decides to remove them probably damaging a handful of bolts in the process then just throwing them back on with gobs of loctite.
My Beauty rings did not come off when my dealer changed tires.
I've read that this depends on the equipment the dealer uses to seperate a tire from the rim.
Some older or less advanced tire removal machines/tools put leverage onto the rim and could mar the beauty rings. More modern/advanced tire machines do not touch the beauty rings and those dealer have no need to remove the rings.
EDIT: IMO if a person is 1/2 way hands-on or curious about their Bronco they need a set of Torx and Torx plus heads for their ratchets. You will end up using both styles.
I've read that this depends on the equipment the dealer uses to seperate a tire from the rim.
Some older or less advanced tire removal machines/tools put leverage onto the rim and could mar the beauty rings. More modern/advanced tire machines do not touch the beauty rings and those dealer have no need to remove the rings.
EDIT: IMO if a person is 1/2 way hands-on or curious about their Bronco they need a set of Torx and Torx plus heads for their ratchets. You will end up using both styles.
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On my Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch package, only the T45 fits…
On my Bronco, the TP45 does NOT fit. I am holding it against the bolt, but the bit is not penetrating the standard Torx recess…
The installation instructions for the bead lock rings (attached below) also say to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."
I guess it is possible that Ford has been selling Broncos with both tool specs, but I can only speak about what is on my Bronco and in the Ford installation instructions for the beadlock rings. To be safe, I would recommend trying both bits before attempting to remove the rings, especially if the T45 bit appears to have a very loose fit.
I am a mechanical engineer and a tool junky, so I tried both standard Torx and Torx Plus before commenting above.
Quick follow-up...
After watching a YouTube video in another thread, where the YouTuber used a Torx Plus 40 (TP40) bit to remove his beauty rings, I decided to check the fit myself, to see if Ford actually changed the spec since the time the video was made. Interestingly, although Ford specifies standard Torx 45 (T45) here, the smaller Torx Plus 40 (TP40) does loosely "fit" by penetrating the bolt head (see below)...
... but the fit of the smaller sized TP40 bit is not optimal (i.e., similar to using a standard Torx bit where a Torx Plus bit of the same size is actually specified, in which case the standard Torx is not optimal), and it is not consistent with Ford's instructions to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."
From an engineering perspective, the T45 bit makes sense here, because it is a larger diameter bit, with more surface area at the perimeter of the bit where the teeth are located, for better contact with the bolt head and better application of torque in this particular application.
I suspect that the non-optimal "fit" of the TP40 bit may explain why some people have stripped a few of the bolt heads when removing their beauty rings (i.e., where the bit cams out of the recess).
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That makes sense to me, and I agree that T45 is the correct bit for the beauty ring bolts. Thanks for the follow-up.Quick follow-up...
After watching a YouTube video in another thread, where the YouTuber used a Torx Plus 40 (TP40) bit to remove his beauty rings, I decided to check the fit myself, to see if Ford actually changed the spec since the time the video was made. Interestingly, although Ford specifies standard Torx 45 (T45) here, the smaller Torx Plus 40 (TP40) does loosely "fit" by penetrating the bolt head (see below)...
... but the fit of the smaller sized TP40 bit is not optimal (i.e., similar to using a standard Torx bit where a Torx Plus bit of the same size is actually specified, in which case the standard Torx is not optimal), and it is not consistent with Ford's instructions to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."
From an engineering perspective, the T45 bit makes sense here, because it is a larger diameter bit, with more surface area at the perimeter of the bit where the teeth are located, for better contact with the bolt head and better application of torque in this particular application.
I suspect that the non-optimal "fit" of the TP40 bit may explain why some people have stripped a few of the bolt heads when removing their beauty rings (i.e., where the bit cams out of the recess).
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Before I read this post of yours, I went out and tried my TP40 bit - And yes, it does work. I bought these bits specifically to remove my beauty rings since that's what some other posts had mentioned. Maybe that's why I stripped two of them, however, it worked great for the other bolts.Quick follow-up...
After watching a YouTube video in another thread, where the YouTuber used a Torx Plus 40 (TP40) bit to remove his beauty rings, I decided to check the fit myself, to see if Ford actually changed the spec since the time the video was made. Interestingly, although Ford specifies standard Torx 45 (T45) here, the smaller Torx Plus 40 (TP40) does loosely "fit" by penetrating the bolt head (see below)...
... but the fit of the smaller sized TP40 bit is not optimal (i.e., similar to using a standard Torx bit where a Torx Plus bit of the same size is actually specified, in which case the standard Torx is not optimal), and it is not consistent with Ford's instructions to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."
From an engineering perspective, the T45 bit makes sense here, because it is a larger diameter bit, with more surface area at the perimeter of the bit where the teeth are located, for better contact with the bolt head and better application of torque in this particular application.
I suspect that the non-optimal "fit" of the TP40 bit may explain why some people have stripped a few of the bolt heads when removing their beauty rings (i.e., where the bit cams out of the recess).
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Now go try a T45 and compare.
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No. I'd rather struggle with something that is moderately close.
TBH, I don't even know if I have a regular Torx bit. My tool assortment is limited right now.
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Not trying to hijack this but we installed rings on a new unit and had to drill 6 of the mother f'ers out due to round off. Couple things we've noticed. One, the socket isn't deep enough for a Torx. Two, the major problem these are difficult to extract is because of the yellow Loc-Tite applied to the bolt from the factory. Three, steel bolt, aluminum ring, aluminum wheel, frequent exposure to water, road salts and chemicals. Tell me, metallurgists, what do you think is going to happen in 6 months when you want to take them off?
I'm trying to find aftermarket replacements since $12.00/ea, 12 per wheel, isn't going to cut it. Button head, M 10X1.5X25. Head is 16.3mm wide and just under 5mm high. The recess in the ring is approx. 17mm wide so the standard bolts I've seen that are 17-17.5mm wide, aren't going to work. These really need to be some flavor of stainless that can be coated/plated black. Ready, set, go!
I'm trying to find aftermarket replacements since $12.00/ea, 12 per wheel, isn't going to cut it. Button head, M 10X1.5X25. Head is 16.3mm wide and just under 5mm high. The recess in the ring is approx. 17mm wide so the standard bolts I've seen that are 17-17.5mm wide, aren't going to work. These really need to be some flavor of stainless that can be coated/plated black. Ready, set, go!
Well without the beauty rings your wheels won't have any beauty, your whole Bronco won't have any beauty, you yourself may no longer have any beauty. Are you ok being beauty free? It's like asking your friends if you are ugly. Don't risk it, you don't want to find out the real answer.
(They are purely cosmetic)
(They are purely cosmetic)
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