12-sided sockets?

[Kristi2k]

I have a nice set of Husky sockets that I bought, 200-piece. It covers all of my 3/8 SAE and Metric needs. It came with everything that I needed.

The only thing that I don't like about it and I don't think that it's their fault is that the 1/2 sockets are all 12-sided. It's so difficult to find 1/2 sockets that are 6 sided.

I've found a few and I suppose I can just buy them and put them on the socket rail for my commons, 19, 20, 1", 25mm, etc.

Or should I not worry about using the 12 sided? I plan to use the 1/2 for the the larger jobs, for me that would be wheel work. I do have 3/8 in those sizes but would like the 1/2 for the lug nuts.

Thoughts?

 

[mindless1]

6 sided (aka 6 point) are more important for high torque fasteners or for heavily rusted fasteners so you don't round off the fastener.

It is typically much more expensive to buy individual sockets. If I were you, I'd get a set of deep and shallow well, metric 1/2", 6 point impact sockets. I use 6 point impact sockets any time their thicker walls won't prevent use, on a hand ratchet or breaker bar, not just an impact driver or impact wrench.

I only use 12 point when they are necessary to get on a fastener in a hard to reach location, and yet if you have that situation, all the more of a hassle it is if you round off the head on that hard to reach fastener. You're better off having a larger assortment of ratchets, swivels and different length extensions that allow getting a 6 point socket on, but then your tool storage and expenses grow.

You can take each fastener on a case by case basis. Some people never have a problem using 12 point sockets, though some of those people always spray a penetrant on the fastener and let it sit a while before even trying to remove it.

 

[Bartman39]

Well for lug nuts I always use 6 point sockets the main reason is the torque involved and most of the time I use an impact so 6 point sockets dont round or strip the nuts.

But for all around use on other nuts and bolts 12 point are ok. But I will say that most of my sockets both SAE and Metric are 6 point. But mine are Snapon and some are 30 years old. If you want 6 point sockets just look for either a Snapon truck or other tool truck but they will cost you...

Just my .02

 

[Kristi2k]

I have all 6 point sockets that I need other than 1/2 sockets.

I did see some decent Icon 1/2 sets that are 6 point at Harbor freight, I'll pick those up eventually and store those 12 point sockets away until/if needed.

 

[WackyDan]

Get a 1/2 impact set... They will be 6 sided and once you get an impact wrench you'll thank me anyway.

 

[EXCellR8]

yes, generally the 6-point for impact torque and either 6 or 12 for hand torque.

Like mindless previously stated, the 12 point is more useful for smaller bolts where space is limited as they are easier to get onto the actual head of the fastener. They are basically two 6-point patters overlapped so there isn't as much turning involved, however bolts are easier to strip--especially if they're in rough shape.

 

[trenchfoot]

That's the catch22 about 12 point sockets: You need them to get to those tight difficult to reach locations where having the position of the ratchet coincide with lining up the socket on the bolt/nut, yet once the socket is on the bolt/nut head you have more of a chance of stripping the bolt/nut head, especially when actuating the ratchet itself is severely limited in swing distance and the ability to have the socket fully seated on the bolt/nut head is dicey.

There have been situations where I decided to use one of those last resort "stripped head" sockets even before using a normal one just to be sure I had a good grip on the bolt/nut head.

And of course, you then have the problem with actually starting the bolt/nut back on in those difficult to reach areas which is often times more frustrating than taking them off.

My worst experience is with those fourth gen F-body GM's. I swear I will never try to change the spark plugs in them again without actually dropping the engine out of the car, where having to do maint. on all the other engine components is so much easier to do at that time. One of the other cars I refuse to work on is the Dodge Viper.

 

[bruceb]

6 pt sockets are always the best, especially for tight bolts. 12 pt will work most of the time and there are special bolts out there (you see them on some intakes and on aircraft) where the space for the bolt head is very tight. You also see them on oil and transmission drain pans and on drive shaft flanges.

 

[Midwayman]

e-torx. My MB has them all over instead of normal hexes. They are really nice once you have the sockets for them.

 

[coxmaster]

e-torx. My MB has them all over instead of normal hexes. They are really nice once you have the sockets for them.

e-torx is common on a lot of cars now.. But e-torx is not what anybody else was talking about here.

 

[Meghan54]

About the only time I use 12 point anything is with box wrenches.....never found much of a need to grab a 12 point socket. If I can fit a 12 point socket on a bolt, I can fit a 6 point.

But....12 point sockets are useful for some cheaply made crap like cheap grills that use square nuts...6 points won't fit them at all while 12 point'ers will.

 

[bryanl]

With some 6-sided sockets the square drive hole is rotated slightly to give a different angle with each face, making it easier to locate non-ratcheting handles, such as breaker bars, at almost any angle.

 

[Midwayman]

e-torx is common on a lot of cars now.. But e-torx is not what anybody else was talking about here.

That's not what the post above me is a pic of? Its certainly a very similar profile head.

 

[bruceb]

E-torx is a similar looking, but only has 6 recesses for the socket.

 

[EXCellR8]

Don't think I've ever seen that myself, or any sockets for them.

I ran into an issue a few weeks ago where I stripped an old crusty oil pan bolt and had to use a 10mm socket that looked like this:

Wasn't sure how they'd work but was pleasantly surprised. I was more worried about getting the bolt back in; the phillips head was stripped out too. Ended up having to put a regular 6 sided socket on kind of crooked in order to get the darn thing to tighten back up after the new pan was installed.

 

[mindless1]

e-torx. My MB has them all over instead of normal hexes. They are really nice once you have the sockets for them.

Not necessarily, replacing them typically takes more time hunting and costs multiple times as much.

Last automotive repair I did, needed two standard hex bolts, nuts and washers. The total cost was $1 and change at my local hardware store.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I suggest you check out some impact sockets in the 1/2" size if you don't mind deep well. I've got a few sets of those that are 6 point 1/2 and they work great.

 

[mindless1]

^ I'd get deep well first if it has to be one or the other, but they do come in shallow well too.

 

[RLGL]

At this point buy the sets you need at the moment, my box is well stocked after 40 years as a mechanic