Will a more expensive screwdriver set fit my T3 Torx screws?

January 4, 2024 7:48 PM

I'm replacing batteries in the screen/tablet part of a Microsoft Surface Book. The instructions say the screws I need to remove are Torx T3. My (cheap) "precision" screwdriver set's T3 bit fits some but not all of the screws. The screws all look (and should be) identical. Is this just the cheapness of my bits? If I buy a more expensive set would it be reasonable to expect the T3 bit to fit all the screws? My local options are somewhat limited.
posted by under_petticoat_rule to Technology (7 answers total)

If the T3 bit fits some but not all the T3 screws, then the T3 screws are not identical. The bit will not change size from screwhead to head. Are you certain these are all T3 screwheads?
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:29 PM on January 4

You can definitely spend some money on Torx drivers. But it is probably best to know what you need, first.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:32 PM on January 4

It depends on why and how they don't fit, if the screw is slightly out of spec and your driver is in the other direction, them maybe.
More likely it's a different size, or the head got a bit bent, or there is gunk in there. Probably worth more investigation before you buy.
posted by radio other at 9:56 PM on January 4

I agree that it merits more investigation but if you're looking for a set you can trust I like this ifixit set.
posted by davidest at 10:00 PM on January 4 [3 favorites]

That ifixit set looks pretty good, but I've been impressed by the quality and value of this set
posted by aubilenon at 11:15 PM on January 4

It's possible that you've encountered a Torx Plus screw - they're used in a couple of places in the Surface machines. The bits are a slightly different shape.
posted by pipeski at 5:52 AM on January 5 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I will second the recommendation above for Wiha bits, since getting a good precision bit versus a random one can make a huge difference. The ifixit sets are also generally well-above-average in quality.

But I think the other comments here are onto the problem: you're likely driving Torx Plus IP3 screws with a Torx T3 driver. While that can "work", it both creates stress concentrations likely to gall up the socket, and you can run into the situation where while both IP3 socket and T3 driver can be within spec, they won't mate due to interference.

Look closely at the socket. A T3 screwhead will look very nicely rounded, but a Torx Plus IP3 looks more like a circle with six semicircular arcs cut out of it.
posted by kaszeta at 6:58 AM on January 5 [3 favorites]