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2004 Ford Taurus SES
DOCH 24V

Trying to change the ABS module out.

Need to remove the battery tray - there are 4 bolts.

However, one of them is smaller and has has a weird round top:
(not sure why, the Ford Parts website shows they are all the same but the other 3 seemed to be 10mm standard bolts and came right out).

enter image description here

Have the standard Sears 100 piece socket.

Tried every metric and standard socket and none of them fit properly.

It's almost like the 6 sides are not standard socket sides?

Tried a vice-grip, won't budge either.

Any idea how to remove this bolt and what is it ?

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    the head is probably just rounded off. hammer a 3/8" socket on or use a 10mm twist socket on it. maybe heat it or use a penetrating fluid on it as well.
    – Ben
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 0:46
  • @ben: you mean just hammer it down to make it fit snug around? didn't know about the twist socket, may go get one, ..what about drilling it out?
    – P.S.
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 0:54
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    yah hammering the socket on and using heat or penetrating fluid would be the easiest way to go. you could drill the bolt but it takes time and you'll probably have to retap the hole when your done.
    – Ben
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 0:56
  • @ben: drilled a hole on the top to heat it, hammered on a 9mm and it came out. thank you. please put as answer.
    – P.S.
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 1:07
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    @Ben, that's cool, never heard of them before, and a new place to shop too :-)
    – dlu
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 1:32

2 Answers 2

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The head is probably just rounded off. Hammer a 3/8" socket on or use a 10mm twist socket on it. Maybe heat it or use a penetrating fluid on it as well.

Worse comes to worse the head snaps and you have to drill and retap the bolt hole.

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    "Ben top 3% overall I hit things with hammers most of the time."
    – P.S.
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 1:16
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    Another thing that will sometimes help is to use a 6-point socket instead of a 12-point, or the next smaller size in the other measuring system (3/8" in this case).
    – dlu
    Commented Jan 8, 2017 at 1:30
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It looks like ViceGrips would have to come in vertically, so you won't have much leverage with just the pliers, but you can use an adjustable wrench or water pump (slip joint) pliers, or maybe even a screwdriver slipped into the opening of the jaws to get some extra torque.

You may want to soak the fastener in PB Blaster or Kroil (or whatever your favorite penetrating oil is) and let it sit for a while before you try to get it to move. If you can get it to move at all, it would be worth adding more penetrating oil. Based on the way that is rusted it is quite likely that the threads are in bad shape as well, the one thing you don't want to do it to do is to twist off the head.

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