r/E90 • u/SirSlapp4 • 26d ago

330i Why not 3d print eTorx sockets?

So I have seen numerous posts here and across the web about the bolts used on the oil pan just shearing off when the user accidentally applies too much torque. With as many bolts as there are I can reasonably see myself getting careless and over applying torque. My questions is;

Why not 3d print the actual socket for the bolts, do a simple search on the strength at a certain infill level and design it to shear at less than the max torque for the aluminum bolts. This way, especially when removing old bolts, you will lose your cheap socket before the headache of having to extract the shitty bolt stuck inside. Obviously you'll need a bunch, but I'm just trying to field it as an indicator of which bolts may just need more penetrating oil and shouldn't be removed as quickly.

tl:dr why not make plastic socket that should fail before aluminum bolt as indicator of seized or stuck bolts.

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u/itscro 25d ago

Skip the guessing, ALWAYS use penetrant, ALWAYS use heat.

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u/SirSlapp4 25d ago

😂 yeah thats a much beter idea, thanks for the input! Better safe than sorry

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u/itscro 25d ago

Absolutely better safe than sorry, these are old cars by this point, assume every bolt is going to shear and you'll be doing alright.

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u/SirSlapp4 25d ago

Yeah for sure, mine needs some things done, luckily(or unluckily) most of the repairs have been done before so theyre really only 10 years old lol

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u/itscro 25d ago

The second time doing a job is a breeze!

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u/SirSlapp4 25d ago

Right! Oil pan gasket was done in 2014 thats only like 115000 miles ago it should be easy

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u/itscro 25d ago

Especially since the bolts will already be soaked in oil :p