What size bit for bolt on Toyota Tacoma steel bed bar?

[hoyden]

That's a tongue twister and a little confusing, but it's the best I got right now.
Hi everyone! Hope y'all are doing well!

I need to take the steel tie-down bars out of my Tacoma bed.
There is giant star head bolts.

I couldn't find anything online about how they are mounted, or what size star bit - or if it's some special tool - I'd need.

Anyone know?

Thanks!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Lady Bug, howdy. It’s probably a Torx head bolt, Toyota could tell you the size bit you need.

How’s life in a slower lane? I hope you’re having fun!

WS

 

[hoyden]

Hiya Sage!!!!

Torx! I bet they'll sell one to me. For $1200! hahhaha! I'll give the local place a jingle.

Slower lane suits me nicely. Have a little garden and go kayaking and little house.
Oh! I put down flooring in one room! I'm learnin' things! Ha!
Not fond of the bugs - I guess I'll just spend the next however long itchy.

This was after docking from a nice little kayak at a lake near my house.

Hope you are well! Doggies say "woof!"

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

If my memory serves me right it is a T-55

You should be able to buy a single one at Harbor freight for less than 10 bucks.

Or any hardware store probably.

 

[hoyden]

Thanks, Stan!

 

[takesiteasy]

Hoyden, nice to see you are still kicking. I've removed those bolts on my Tacoma twice every year since I got the tonneau cover- it bolts on under the cargo bars and has to be removed to put the camper in. The bolts are torx head- I have a set of bits and use the one that fits, never paid attention to the size. Be very careful when you reinstall the bolts- it is very easy to get them cross-threaded and then you have a mess. They are 6mm bolts if you need to replace any (don't ask how I know, haha).

Helps to have another set of hands around to hold the bars when you put them back.

edit: fixed typo on the size- 6mm

 

[hoyden]

Hi takesiteasy! YAY! and Ha!

I got a T-55 bit, as Stan suggested, and it fit, but those suckers are TIGHT. I think it musta been installed with air tools.
I'm gonna try going to a shop and see if someone can just pop em out.

Do you have to get underneath to hold a nut on the other side of that torx bolt? Cuz that'll suck.

 

[takesiteasy]

I use a power screwdriver to remove them. Make sure the torx bit is the right size. The wrong size can strip the bolt head and then you have a mess (don't ask how I know, haha). But don't use it to put them back in- start them by hand. There is no nut- some kind of insert in the bed sheet metal that the bolts go into. Just be careful to get them started right. Good luck.

 

[takesiteasy]

Ha, I just realized you are talking about the camper mounting bars in the bed. The T55 size bit was the clue I missed. You will probably need an impact driver to get those out.

I was talking about the cargo tie downs around the top of the bed. So, never mind.

 

[hoyden]

Ha, I just realized you are talking about the camper mounting bars in the bed. The T55 size bit was the clue I missed. You will probably need an impact driver to get those out.

I was talking about the cargo tie downs around the top of the bed. So, never mind.

HAhahaa! No worries! That's funny.

I have a Milwaukee cordless impact driver! Right!
I guess I could get an adapter to fit it to the T-55 ( 1/2" or 3/8" )

 

[Living The Dream]

T-55 is correct as your confirmed.

You do not need to get under the bed.

The bolts do have some sort of sealant on them (blue) but I think it is just antirust, not a loctite.

I used a simple breaker bar like this: Amazon.com

Leverage is your friend, slow and steady but they should come right out. I think the first time I did it I dousted them in pb blaster for a few hours first but I am not sure that actually did anything.

Plenty of example of taking those bolts out in this video :

 

[BFH4N]

I've had some trouble with the heads of those TORX bolts stripping out. Such a head is convenient at the Toyota factory, where the expectation is probably that the bolt will be threaded in once and never taken out. If you are taking them out for the first time, you will probably need an impact driver and extreme care not to damage the head. If your truck has any age, the bolts will be rusted in place and very tight. Start by getting underneath and liberally spraying WD-40, or something, on the threads and waiting a day or so for it to (maybe) penetrate. Clean up the threads with a wire brush and put anti-seize grease on the them before you put them back in.

I've been through all sorts of gyrations getting those bolts out. After fooling around for hours, we finally got one out with a small pipe wrench on the bolt head and a long pipe on the wrench handle. After buying several expensive replacements from Toyota, I decided to replace them all with regular hex-head bolts. The bolts have an extra-fine thread, which is kind of hard to find but, after some searching, I found a source online. I assumed that they need to be pretty strong, so I got the metric equivalent of Grade 8 in stainless steel. I got some thick, large-diameter washers, too. I put anti-seize on the threads and now the bolts come right out with a 6-point socket and a breaker bar. I got two different lengths for the bed without the camper bars and with them, but I'm not sure I really need both.

- Bernard

 

[hoyden]

Little update:

After soaking with WD-40, and then PB Blaster, hitting it repeatedly with an impact driver, and trying a 16" cheater bar, a friend of mine pulled out his bigger cheater bar

;-) and muscled these bolts loose! I was then able to get them out with my cordless Milwaukee impact driver.

That was the final piece of my camper left on my truck.
It's bittersweet.

I do miss my camper, and I had a lot of great campering adventures with it ( http://no-destination.org/ ), but I need one that my Kaya doggies can get into. That will be the next adventure

;-)



Three pictures here:

 

[CougarCouple]

Hello Dawn
Good to hear you are well. Those are called "Thread Cutting Screws" also with the small amount of thread at the top probably a special screw ( Dealer item only). Certainly not an item meant to be removed often in Toyota engineers mind. Fall is just around the corner so maybe you will catch a break from all the insects.

Russ

 

[hoyden]

Hi Russ!

It's too damn hot to camp right now. I'm thinking October will be great for it tho.

Oh geez, I had thought they were installed by FWC!
They need to put an install/uninstall manual out there.

 

[CougarCouple]

Evening

For your viewing pleasure. Not really knowing your Year make and model, this looks pretty much like your photo.
Hey you got em out so no big deal. Like previous post use care not to cross thread. Yes October definitely should be cooler and nicer for camping. Syma and I just returned from Idaho, we went to the Yellow Pine music festival, fun time great area.

Russ

https://parts.rogersandrogerstoyota.com/p/Toyota__Tacoma/BOLT---REAR-BODY-MOUNTING/63056393/641890C011.html?partner=googlebase_adwords&kwd=&origin=pla&partnerDevice=t&userLocation=9030800

 

[hoyden]

Ha! Thanks Russ!

I got the original ones cleaned up and snugged back in there.
Couldn't find torque specs, but consensus seems to be 50-60 ft lbs.
I think I'll call my Toyota dealership on Monday and see if they'll tell me.

Ooh, some beautiful areas in Idaho and that music festival looks like it was fun! (I just looked it up! ha!)

 

[takesiteasy]

Glad you got it sorted. Good work! Now on to finding that next perfect campmobile.

 

[hoyden]

Thanks! :-D

I'm still thinking a van might be best for my gimpy horde, but I do like my Tacoma so much....
We'll see, it'll be a couplea years before I'm ready for that anyway.
After the IBM layoff, subsequent campering around for 5 months, landing back home in southern Illinois, I've decided to go back to school! I'm a college student ... again!