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Swap those 4mm hex m6 to torx and your Torx key will turn both your Torx M6 and hex m8!
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For Lift M8 base plate screws:
L-Key for Stainless Steel Screws
5 mm Hex Size, 3" Overall Length
53855A45
The stainless is legit…not a speck of rust after years of use.
I totally agree about hex > torx. Torx is great for deck screws - but the foils I own with torx hardware are easier to accidentally strip. The hex bolt does a better job of holding the wrench in place and perfectly vertical. I find with Torx i need to pay attention to the wrench alignment more closely.
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To each their own, but if you are using high quality hardware and tools, and seating them correctly, my experience is that Torx is far better than hex. Torx has more surface area connection between the hardware and tool. If you aren’t taking care to properly seat your tools/hardware then you will cam out and strip anything. My experience is that stripping and camming torx is user error.
In fact, if anyone wants to trade a bunch of unused hex hardware for Torx hardware - I’m totally open to it! I have a ton of hex hardware that I don’t want.
I’ve converted everything to T30 and T45. No interest in hex.
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I use a lot of different fasteners in my business. I believe square is where its at for low profile heads.
Personally I have stripped every type of screw at some point or another, square just happens less often.
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I fully agree that stripping a bolt is user error and I have never stripped a bolt on a foil. However, I find that i need to be less careful when seating a hex than a torx tool, which makes me like hex better. Maybe its just the torx bolts I’ve had access to - but none of them fit the tool very snugly, and this makes it take more attention to keep things lined up properly while applying torque.
Anyways. bolts are bolts - I just use whatever comes in the kit, as long as it doesn’t start to rust.
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Thats the issue I previously referenced with Torx - they are more prone to getting sand-fouled (particularly in smaller sizes). Need to be careful of sand with all hardware. Also the reason I use T45 instead of T40 (bigger size, easier to seat the tool, more surface area, seems more resistant to trapping sand, more robust tools).
I haven’t fully stripped a bolt either, but I have rounded them, and it just happens more frequently with hex than torx. Torx bolts just last a lot longer without rounding for me.
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This is a great discussion. I was in need of some good Torx tools, and I hadn’t thought about the hex. I used, what I later realized, was a low quality Torx T40 L wrench and it damaged the bolt head. Either way, quality tools are key.
I’m a long time torx hater from my decades of mountain biking where torx came in where it often wasn’t needed and I had to start carrying more and more tools…
Bad enough biking, but a real pain in the ass foiling
I’m not that concerned about which is better, it’s more about simplicity and the number of pieces to deal with
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Torx is probably better if using anything other than an L bar, where the awkward torque skips it out of the hole. It works amazing with a T handle, but mine is tight with the mast for the plate bolts so I find myself always using wing nuts. I have k2 which uses M8 for the tail, so all one tool. If I decide to make my rig less draggy going with hex+L bar might be the way.
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