New Tool Day
- Thread starter WVJeep304
- Start date
I like to buy a set of 6-points, and then let my wife collect various 12-points from garage sales (dirt cheap, toss the bad ones).
Of course, Florissant might be garage-sale-challenged.
Of course, Florissant might be garage-sale-challenged.
I was sold on 6 until I watched this...you will need a 12 point 5/16 or 8mm for u-joint caps and a 13 or 1/2 for the unit bearings.
-Mac
-Mac
Sounds like 6pt and the few 12s required as necessary is not a bad way to go... Cool. Wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something
Can you summarize the video? I don't wanna watch it
12pt preserves fasteners better and provides more torque.
-Mac
Both, my 12 point are chrome because when I bought them I couldn't find any 12 point impact
This is the camp I'm in, but I've also been accumulating tools for 50 years. I started with a mix (whatever the sets had in them), then filled in the gaps of the 6 point, and many years later filled in the gaps of the 12 point. I have a huge drawer of sockets because I have non-impacts, impacts, deep, standard-depth, 6 point, and 12 point in 1/4, 3/8. 1/2, and some 3/4 drive. I even have a handful of swivel sockets. All have their purpose, but it is an expensive proposition to fill in all the gaps like I've done over the years. If you only occasionally touch your tools, there's no need to fill in the gaps. However, I use my tools weekly and have for decades...
Despite what mac says that video concludes (didn't watch it), my experience is different. I've lost far more knuckles when using 12 point than when using a 6 point. Lost knuckles = rounded corners on fasteners.
I've never seen a 12 point impact. I've always assumed that the reason for this is strength. The steels and heat treatment used for impact sockets are tougher, but weaker, than the steels used in non-impact sockets. Impacts have a larger O.D. to make up for this. If they made a 12 point, it would end up being even larger in O.D.
My understanding is that 6-point have more engagement between the socket and the nut or bolt (assuming the nut or bolt are 6-sided) since the entire face on each side is engaged. I think you get in trouble when you use a 6-point 16mm for a bolt that is really 5/8.” It will work, but there’s less engagement and more opportunity to round off a corner, especially if the bolt head is already compromised.
Classic me... I normally use my metric set on everything
the new set actually has both sizes though so maybe that'll stop...
I didn't watch the whole video but I didn't get that opinion of what I watched. Here's the results table.
The way I am interpreting that chart is that 6-point is superior to 12-point.
The video whisperer (watcher)
Agree it looks like 6pt was the best and everything else is compared as how much worse they were relatively
For some (8mm and 19mm come to mind), that works just fine. Both of those are so close in size (i.e., 19mm = .748 inches) that production tolerances in the fastener, combined with those of the sockets, make it so that an SAE 3/4" nut may actually have a tighter fit inside a 19mm socket than a 3/4" socket. Those two being common lug nut sizes, I don't pick a socket based on metric vs. SAE, I pick it based on which socket is tighter.Classic me... I normally use my metric set on everything
For some (8mm and 19mm come to mind), that works just fine. Both of those are so close in size (i.e., 19mm = .748 inches) that production tolerances in the fastener, combined with those of the sockets, make it so that an SAE 3/4" nut may actually have a tighter fit inside a 19mm socket than a 3/4" socket. Those two being common lug nut sizes, I don't pick a socket based on metric vs. SAE, I pick it based on which socket is tighter.
Good to know! 2 out of the 15 or so sizes I have I'm actually not doing the wrong thing
I'll take that!I really don't have issues rounding bolts off honestly (luckily?) but I guess between Toyota, BMW, LS Chevy, and jeep, there aren't all that many SAEs I come across.
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