6-point sockets

[Jim]

so after my 2nd bolt stripped last night, it's apparent that i need to replace my 12-point sockets with 6-point ones.
i've pretty much got all craftsman stuff, but you guys are good with knowing deals for stuff.

looking for 8mm - 17mm.
recommendations on what and where?


how many posts till someone says Harbor Freight

[GingahNinjah]

I dont use anything but Craftsman... never had a problem. have both 6 and 12pt sockets. hardly ever use the 12pts.

[Jim]

ya it was my fault for putting them in my toolbox. they were an extra set i had in my toolboxes for home. my track toolbox started with left-over sockets and hand tools

[nt650hawk]

http://goo.gl/maps/ZHBQy

- - - Updated - - -

http://goo.gl/maps/ZHBQy

[SprintPoser]

Stuff like that is all over Craigslist. Start looking, you'll surely find a deal.

[loudbeard]

Harbor Freight, Jimmy. I've only broken a few of their sockets

[Danz19899]

They are more expensive but i've never stripped or broken a snap on socket. just saying

[timmyho414]

gearwrench makes a pretty set of tools and they're cheap. I bought a set to have at home and I'll take them over craftsman since craftman is not longer made in the US.

[Rambunctous]

I bought a set of Mac Tool sockets and they had that new style writing on them and now I cannot read the sizes anymore. And it even said "Easy to read" on the advertising. Granted I use them a lot but it never happened when it was stamped in. My personal prefrerence is Craftsman cause I don't have to keep broken tools in the truck hoping I see a truck in a repair joint so I can get a replacement.

[MattR302]

My Craftsman 250-whatever-piece socket set came with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive ratchets and sockets. Iit comes with both 6-point and 12-point sockets for the 1/4" and 3/8" drives... for whatever reason, ALL the 1/2" drive sockets are 12-point. Stupid.

[imstuner]

I'm getting rid of all my craftsman and might have want you want. I'll go home and check today.

[CBR929RE]

stop using cheap shitty bolts that strip and make sure the socket is on there all the way before you turn it. Suzuki makes shit bolts. I've stripped some and only worked on 2 Suzukis.

[Jim]

it's been Pro Bolt bolts, the stainless Race Spec brake pad pin ones. they're super thin, but my 12-point sockets are killing them.
just special ordered a 6-point 8mm 3/8th drive socket online.
apparently they're not in stores from what i've been seeing.

[CBR929RE]

it's been Pro Bolt bolts, the stainless Race Spec brake pad pin ones. they're super thin, but my 12-point sockets are killing them.
just special ordered a 6-point 8mm 3/8th drive socket online.
apparently they're not in stores from what i've been seeing.

buy from Mettec then. much higher quality

[R7]

it's been Pro Bolt bolts, the stainless Race Spec brake pad pin ones. they're super thin, but my 12-point sockets are killing them.
just special ordered a 6-point 8mm 3/8th drive socket online.
apparently they're not in stores from what i've been seeing.

There's a reason why there isn't a 3/8" drive socket in 8mm that comes standard. 8mm = 1/4" drive ratchet, if you need more leverage than a 1/4" ratchet has to offer for a 8mm head, you're doing it wrong. It's probably the real reason why you're stripping sockets and bolt heads, you're tightening them down to much

[ZX-12R]

for whatever reason, ALL the 1/2" drive sockets are 12-point. Stupid.

Stupid because they're deficient in some way or stupid because you can't think of a reason why you might need them?

[Jim]

There's a reason why there isn't a 3/8" drive socket in 8mm that comes standard. 8mm = 1/4" drive ratchet, if you need more leverage than a 1/4" ratchet has to offer for a 8mm head, you're doing it wrong. It's probably the real reason why you're stripping sockets and bolt heads, you're tightening them down to much

i just like to keep them all the same size (3/8). not a leverage thing, just a convenience for a small toolbox that can only fit a select number of sockets.

[MattR302]

Stupid because they're deficient in some way or stupid because you can't think of a reason why you might need them?

Stupid because the set doesn't include any 1/2" drive 6-point sockets. So any time you need the extra torque of the 1/2" over the 3/8" drive, you have the added chance of rounding off the bolt heads with the 12-point sockets. It should be all 6-point sockets for the 1/2" drive size.

[ZX-12R]

So it begs the question: If you have such strong feelings against 12-point sockets, why did you buy a set that has them? They are only bad about rounding off heads when you have a bolt of softer material that's corroded in place. You should keep both types in your tool box (as well as some common sized 8-points).

[Jim]

like i mentioned before, my track toolbox originally started with left over tools out of my home toolbox.
never paid attention to the 12 and 6 point sockets up until recently, and i've had those socket sets forever.

[The Snowman]

How the hell are you all stripping bolts. Most of my craftsman are 12 point and I can't remember ever stripping a bolt head with them.

I do use a t-handle w/ bearings most of the time because it's faster to install and remove bolts, so that might be why.

[aldend123]

SlickDeals.net will send you email alerts based on keywords like "socket set". Whatever you put in. That forum has people who spend more time than it's worth to save a few pennies. So let them do the work for you.

My experience is "get what you paid for" in terms of fit and finish. I'd recommend paying extra for Easy-to-Read sizes if the price difference isn't absurd. Unfortunately it usually is, and that's why mine aren't easy-to-read. My local SEARS has a discount rack that often has open-box tools. There are frequently a mechanics tool set with a few misc. pieces missing for a heavily discounted price, or blow-outs on discontinued items (like a particular socket/wrench set).

I have mostly Craftsmen and I default to 12-pt 3/8ths for most tasks. I haven't rounded a bolt in a long time. But if it requires fighting, know when to switch to a 6-pt. Full disclosure, most of my work is on my car which seems to have generally high quality nuts and bolts.

[RandyO]

I use impact sockets on a hand impact to get things loosened up, easiest way to get a tight bolt out without rounding the head of the bolt

[nhbubba]

There's a reason why there isn't a 3/8" drive socket in 8mm that comes standard. 8mm = 1/4" drive ratchet, if you need more leverage than a 1/4" ratchet has to offer for a 8mm head, you're doing it wrong.

I have a 3/8" drive 8mm deep socket. It is 6 point.. and part of a hardened impact drive set my mechanic grand-dad gave me eons ago.

Although I agree, my primary shallow 3/8 drive set (which I use for 90% of my work) is 12 point and never given me any trouble.

My 1/2" drive large set (19-20-something mm) is also 12-point.

[mojobreakfast]

Even though I'm just a lame DIY-er I only buy USA made tools whenever I can. Personal preference, voting with wallet, yadda yadda..

First preference is to find a deal on USA made Craftsman sockets, especially Craftsman Professional and even better Craftsman Industrial line. Deals pop up occasionally; the site to track is the garagejournal.com "Hot Deals" forum. This site has filled my tool box with beautiful USA made sockets and wrenches for pennies on the dollar. It's increasingly hard to deal with Sears/Craftsman because they have off-shored a lot of stuff (and kept the price the same) but the Garage Journal guys are usually pretty good about determining country of origin.

Second preference, if you can't scrounge an increasingly rare deal with Sears on a USA made tool, is SK Tools. All of the hard tool line is made in USA, available on Amazon, and super quality. Yep, a whole lot more than Horror Freight... but again, my preference.

Third preference are Taiwanese made tools. Plenty on eBay and Amazon. Neiko is one such brand. Nice tools, at a great price, well made.

Cripe Distributing on eBay has a lot of NOS (new old stock) stuff at good prices and you can find some decent deals. For example I recently bought a NOS USA-made Kobalt SAE socket set (9, 11 pieces?) for about $14. They are beautiful sockets made by Snap On before Snap On sold Kobalt out to Lowes/China. They were new, in the shrink wrap.

Last resort is anything Chinese/Horror Freight.

YMMV.