Which Mako Bit Fits an M5L16 Sony Screw?

For the cross-head M5L16 screws found on Sony BRAVIA models such as the K-77XR8B, start with the PH2 bit in the iFixit Mako Driver Kit. However, M5L16 alone does not specify a screwdriver type, so confirm that the screw has a cross-shaped recess and that PH2 seats completely before applying force.

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What M5L16 actually tells you

M5L16 is a dimensional designation, not a screwdriver-bit number. M5 means the metric fastener has a nominal thread diameter of 5 mm, while L16 denotes a nominal length of 16 mm. The Bureau of Land Management’s Metric Handbook illustrates the same convention with M10 × 40: a nominal 10 mm diameter and 40 mm length.

Neither part identifies the head or drive. An M5 × 16 screw can be manufactured with a Phillips cross, hexagonal socket, Torx recess, slot, or another head design. This is why searching for an “M5 screwdriver” produces conflicting answers: there is no universal driver size associated with the M5 thread.

For the K-77XR8B case behind this question, Sony’s setup documentation labels the relevant fasteners M5L16, and an owner subsequently confirmed that a Phillips driver worked. Sony does not publish a Phillips size beside that label, so PH2 should be treated as the correct first fit to verify—not as a conclusion derived from “M5.”

Find the PH2 bit in the Mako kit

The current iFixit Mako Driver Kit contains five Phillips bits: PH000, PH00, PH0, PH1, and PH2. Select the bit engraved PH2. It is the largest Phillips bit in the kit.

iFixit’s own bit-selection guide identifies PH2 as a large Phillips bit with an approximately 3.5 mm tip diameter. More importantly, the guide says the chosen bit must fill the screw head entirely. That physical fit is the final check:

1. Place the television securely so it cannot tip or put weight on the screw being removed.
2. Clean dust or packaging debris from the screw recess.
3. Insert PH2 while looking directly along the driver shaft.
4. Check that the bit reaches the bottom and fills all four arms of the cross.
5. Maintain inward pressure and turn counterclockwise with the driver kept square to the screw.

Stop if PH2 sits above the recess, rocks from side to side, or turns without immediately loading the screw. Do not automatically drop to PH1 merely because the smaller bit enters more easily. An undersized Phillips bit can catch near the center while concentrating force on four small points, which is how a removable screw becomes a stripped one.

Mako versus a full-size PH2 screwdriver

Both tools below can turn a correctly identified PH2 screw, but they suit different buying decisions.

The Mako gets one thing wrong for someone buying a tool solely to remove a tight television screw: its 4 mm precision handle prioritizes control and compactness over the grip of a conventional screwdriver. That does not make its PH2 bit incompatible. It means the handle may be the limiting part once the bit has been confirmed.

The current Mako also includes a 1/4-inch-to-4 mm adapter. iFixit documents that adapter as the way to use its 4 mm precision bits in a standard 1/4-inch screwdriver with a larger or ratcheting handle. This gives an existing Mako owner a useful middle option: put the Mako PH2 bit in the adapter, then place the adapter in a manual 1/4-inch driver. The adapter retains bits by friction rather than magnetism, so verify that the PH2 bit is fully inserted before pointing the tool toward the television.

Do not put the adapter in an impact driver. More torque does not repair a poor fit, and the added speed makes it easier to damage the screw or surrounding television cabinet.

When the VESSEL screwdriver is the simpler answer

If you do not already own the Mako and only need to remove a confirmed cross-head screw, the VESSEL MEGADORA 900 P2×100 is the more direct purchase. Its manufacturer specifies a No. 2 cross-point tip, 100 mm shaft, and a triple-molded handle intended to transmit higher hand torque than a precision handle.

Its limitation is equally clear: it is not a universal M5L16 tool. It is correct only when the recess is a compatible No. 2 cross. If the screw has a six-sided socket, six-lobed star, or another drive, this screwdriver is wrong regardless of the thread dimensions.

Neither product deserves a skip for a verified PH2 screw. Both can do the job; the real difference is that the Mako buys a 64-bit electronics assortment, while the VESSEL buys a larger dedicated handle for one common drive.

A different-looking recess changes the answer

Do not use PH2 merely because a Sony manual says M5L16. Identify the recess first on any model other than the confirmed BRAVIA arrangement:

• A six-sided internal socket needs a metric hex bit. The Mako includes 0.7, 0.9, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, and 5 mm hex bits.
• A six-lobed star without a center post needs Torx. The Mako’s ordinary Torx selection is only T2, T3, T4, and T5.
• A six-lobed star with a center post needs security Torx. The Mako includes TR6, TR7, TR8, TR9, TR10, TR15, TR20, and TR25.
• A Japanese cross recess may require JIS rather than Phillips. The Mako includes J000, J00, J0, and J1, but not J2.

That exact inventory matters. The Mako does not contain ordinary Torx bits continuously through T25, even though its security-Torx selection reaches TR25. A TR bit can sometimes enter a normal Torx recess, but compatibility still depends on the correct numbered size and full seating.

No relevant independent laboratory measurement was found for Mako torque or bit fit on this particular Sony screw. The compatibility finding therefore rests on Sony’s model documentation, iFixit’s published bit inventory and fitting guidance, and an attributed K-77XR8B owner report confirming that a Phillips driver worked.

Check the mount instructions before reusing the screw

Removing a factory-installed screw and selecting the fastener used to support the television are separate decisions. Sony warns that wall-mount requirements are model-specific, that even the number and depth of nominally VESA-compatible holes can differ, and that the television and wall-mount manuals should be consulted.

Do not assume an M5L16 screw removed from the back or stand is automatically the correct fastener for a third-party bracket. Confirm the required diameter, thread engagement, washers or spacers, and tightening procedure in the documents for the complete television and bracket model numbers. Sony specifically directs owners using its mounts to use the supplied Sony mounting screws.

If the PH2 bit fits but slips under moderate hand pressure, stop and inspect the head for rounded edges. Repeated attempts with smaller bits will remove more metal. If the screw is already stripped, access prevents the driver from remaining square, or the television cannot be supported safely during removal, the reliable answer is Sony support or a qualified installer—not a more powerful driver.

The short answer remains: use the Mako PH2 bit for a cross-head Sony M5L16 screw, including the reported K-77XR8B fastener, and verify the fit before turning. If the recess is not a cross, M5L16 provides no further clue; choose the bit from the visible head shape instead.