Sorry for the blurry photo, but what tool do I use to remove the bolts holding the hatch pin assembly to the hatch frame?? I've never seen the heads before...they look like 50-point stars?

I wanna get new hatch pins, but, thanks to Porsche's strange bolt heads...

Nothing is easy!

 

Those are cheesehead/ triple square bolts. (Same type as cv joints) I think they are 6mm.

 

6mm cheesehead, eh? Where does one pick up a tool for these bolts? Are they like an alen wrench, or a torx head??

 

It's actually called a "Triple Square". They are 12 point.. thus the 3 squares, as LT1 said.

You can find them at most good tool sources. My local Pep Boys also has them.

 

Cool. So, is it 6mm??

 

Andy, the only way I've ever seen them available was in a set of four.

 

Oh, like a 4mm,5mm,6mm,7mm set? That's fine. Probably $8 for the whole set anyway.

 

If you like to live on the edge, a standard allen wrench works. I couldnt find the triple square type and decided to give the allen wrench a shot. Came right out of my car and the parts car that I got the replacement part from. Every car is different and there is a chance that using an allen will strip the bolt if its in there really tight... Try this only if you can live with possible rounded out bolts.

 

I tried a NAPA store--they never heard of the tripple-square bolts. Duh. I'll give a Pep Boy's a try later, I am on vaca this week...but I have baby watching duty this morning.

I was ready to order new pins from Vertex, but if the old ones are rusted in there...I have to be able to remove them from the assembly first. D'oh!

 

Oh, NAPA has them you just found a particularly dumb clerk to ask.

If you are getting new pins, like to live dangerously and have a helper have them hold the receiver block so you won't flex the hatch frame and unscrew the pin with a pipe wrench. Safer is to pull it like you are planning, put the block in a vise then use a pipe wrench.