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Old February 19th 18, 03:17 AM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,uk.rec.cars.maintenance
micky
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Posts: 383
Default Can you teach me more about lug bolts & related tire tools?

In alt.home.repair, on Sun, 18 Feb 2018 17:42:55 +0000, MrCheerful
> wrote:

>On 18/02/2018 17:00, ultred ragnusen wrote:
>> wrote:
>>
>>>> First question is what is the practical difference between these three 21mm
>>>> (13/16ths) "sockets" for the lug bolts on the car I was working on today?
>>>> http://wetakepic.com/images/2018/02/17/socket_ends.jpg
>>>> 1. The standard lug wrench (green) has 6 points, each at a sharp angle.
>>>> 2. The impact socket (black) has 6 points, each at a semicircular angle.
>>>> 3. The standard socket (chrome) has 12 points, each at a sharp angle.
>>>
>>> The impact socket is superior for that application - whether using an
>>> impact driver or not. A 12 point socket is better in situations where
>>> fine motion is required.

>>
>> This is good to know that the impact socket is superior, probably for two
>> reasons, right?
>> 1. It has those radius corners (someone said it reduces stress on both the
>> nuts and the socket itself).
>> 2. It is stronger overall (presumably)
>>
>> Since there is always a drawback, I think the drawback might be:
>> 3. They're "fatter" it seems, than my normal sockets
>> 4. They don't seem to come in 12-point sizes (at least mine aren't)
>>

>
>I use single hex impact sockets for 99.9 percent of jobs, there are
>practically speaking no occasions when they are too fat to get
>somewhere. (better makes are thinner sided than cheap ones)
>
>Unless you have 12 sided nuts/bolts, then you do not need 12 sided
>sockets (there are some odd cars/equipment which use 12 sided hardware)


I think the only time I ever saw that was on the fuel pump bolts on a
'67 Pontiac. I wondered why there of all places.
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