Thread: Sockets with pins??.

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Anyone has experience with those sockets that have pins in them and fit a number of different bolt/nut sizes??.In some cases I would want to use them to remove rusty parts.

for rusty stuff buy some 6 point sockets you will not have any bad feeling about beating them on buy some cheap impact sockets they will not split as EZ . i think them pin deals will move to much under some power on them like a 200 + pounder with a breaker bar

I have one and it has worked the few times I have used it. Never had the opportunity to use it for anything real stubborn though.

I agree with Pat - buy a set of six point normal and deep impact sockets from Harbor Freight - I've really reefed on them and never had one break (bolts - eh not as lucky)..

Hate to repete that but 6 points are the way to go. Or you can clean the rust off and weld a nut through the center to the top of your bolt and get it out that way.

Hey Gary,
I had one given to me as a gift a few years back (its called a gator grip). Tried it on some stubborn exhaust manifold bolts I had on my boat. Would not touch them, just kept spinning and not grabbing them unfortunately. 6 point sockets are the way to go. We have also had luck with the Craftsman damaged bolt removal set. It has teeth that grab damaged bolt heads. Those things really worked a few times for us. Don Jr.

Don Jr-what I am trying to get off is a bolt with a short threaded head and nut(something like a 1/4-20) that holds the ground for a CPI and then the bolt is one of the two bolts that holds down the thermostat housing.Of course that would get very rusty.Without even touching it the nut was in bad shape and I spray the heck out of it and blew it off.Just one more dumb GM design.Hard to get any heat on it because of tight quarters and the ground wires.I'll try you suggestion.Only other thing I could think of is to take a chisel to cut steps in the nut to try to spin it off.And yes pound on a junk socket.

I've looked at one of those sockets - and for the life of me, can't see them surviving hard work. They are clunky big for tight spaces though might be fine for a ham handed suburbia homeowner that has a minimum of tools(like my next door neighbor). For those nuts that don't want to come loose, Vise Grips (I have them, the real ones, from 4" to 10"), or a BFH and a chisel. Then if those fail, fire up the torch

craftsman damaged bolt removal or harbor freight 6 points, personally for the money i go harbor freight 6 points, cheap and if you have to weld something together for a tight space making a specialty tool, i never feel bad modifying their stuff...unless ur rich?

I have a set of Craftsmen wrenches meant just for removing rusty nuts or bolts. They do work and have a kinda serrated type teeth that grab hold of the rusty nut or bolt and you can turn it easily.

Originally Posted by 1gary

Don Jr-what I am trying to get off is a bolt with a short threaded head and nut(something like a 1/4-20) that holds the ground for a CPI and then the bolt is one of the two bolts that holds down the thermostat housing.Of course that would get very rusty.Without even touching it the nut was in bad shape and I spray the heck out of it and blew it off.Just one more dumb GM design.Hard to get any heat on it because of tight quarters and the ground wires.I'll try you suggestion.Only other thing I could think of is to take a chisel to cut steps in the nut to try to spin it off.And yes pound on a junk socket.

Hey Gary, Sorry I missed your question. Here is what has worked for me in the past. It is a Craftsman 13 piece bolt extractor set. It has saved my butt numerous times. Heres a link:
Do You Have Stubborn or Rusty Nuts? - Craftsman 13 Pc. Bolt Out Set - Epinions.com

(sorry about the suggestive title of the article)
There are teeth inside that grip the damaged head. I was surprised how well they work.

Thanks for the tip.Going to look into getting a set,this job aside sounds like a good tool to have on hand.