Hard to find a 18mm strut socket locally

[atikovi]

Something like this for a Honda,

A socket that has flats for a wrench so you can put a hex key down the center to hold the shaft. No, an offset wrench won't fit. Ten bucks online but don't see where I can get it locally tomorrow. Nothing at Harbor Freight. Haven't checked Snap On but not paying $50-$100 for one either. Any other places that sell tools like this?

 

[AJHD]

Wrench and allen key/socket?

 

[OccupantRJ]

I saw someone on a video just last night where they held the nut while turning the shaft with an impact.

 

[atikovi]

Wrench and allen key/socket?

Wrench wont fit,



Maybe if grind down an offset wrench,

 

[atikovi]

I saw someone on a video just last night where they held the nut while turning the shaft with an impact.

Still need something to hold the nut.

 

[The Cobbler]

isn't 18mm a spark plug size? a spark plug socket?

 

[atikovi]

isn't 18mm a spark plug size? a spark plug socket?

13/16 or 5/8 neither of which work.

 

[AJHD]

Wrench wont fit,



Maybe if grind down an offset wrench,

Oh, got it. Maybe a Milwaukee socket? They have flats.

 

[cvairwerks]

If you are desperate, just use a regular 18mm deep and a pair of vise grips to hold it.

Strut sockets can be had usually overnight from Amazon....

 

[atikovi]

If you are desperate, just use a regular 18mm deep and a pair of vise grips to hold it.

I removed it that way but want something less sketchy to tighten it back on.

 

[dchawk81]

Something like this for a Honda,

A socket that has flats for a wrench so you can put a hex key down the center to hold the shaft. No, an offset wrench won't fit. Ten bucks online but don't see where I can get it locally tomorrow. Nothing at Harbor Freight. Haven't checked Snap On but not paying $50-$100 for one either. Any other places that sell tools like this?

Not locally but Amazon is full of strut sockets.

 

[djbmw]

Just use any 18mm socket that will fit and clamp a vice grip onto it as tight as she'll go. Or... tack weld on a scrap piece of flat bar to the socket

Edit - just saw your reply above to cvairwerks. The threaded rod is part of the shock.... you can wrap some cloth around the upper part of the shock (under the cup ... where the spring is) and clamp a vice grip there, preventing the shock from spinning while you tighten the nut to spec.

 

[dchawk81]

You could also cut a window in a sacrificial socket. That's what the strut sockets are.

 

[KnurledNut]

isn't 18mm a spark plug size? a spark plug socket?

Yes, but it may be hard to find. I have an S-K.


@atikovi
I would probably just grab the HF Pittsburgh pass thru set.
https://www.harborfreight.com/sae-a...MIzIG8hsOnhwMVuEp_AB0YVgSoEAQYASABEgIcovD_BwE

 

[LXCam]

I don’t know if depot sells individual Milwaukee socket but….

 

[dnschmidt]

Or use an angle socket wrench. I introduced Eric O. to these years ago and that's what he uses for struts. Your chance of finding one of these locally is ZERO.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

Pass Thru socket set, Klein version should be at Lowes.

Maybe a Deep Impact socket that you put vice grips or a pipe wrench on, and then put your hex key through the square drive opening on the bottom?

 

[decableguy2000]

18mm Socket

Steeda Autosports

 

[oldschoolcraft]

18mm Socket

Steeda Autosports

Oh never saw these before. Maybe OP can take a deep impact socket and use a cut off wheel to cut the opening in the side, if he's desperate enough to have it ASAP for cheap.

 

[dchawk81]

Or use an angle socket wrench. I introduced Eric O. to these years ago and that's what he uses for struts. Your chance of finding one of these locally is ZERO.

That's legit. Never heard of those before.

 

[dchawk81]

You could also cut a window in a sacrificial socket. That's what the strut sockets are.

Oh never saw these before. Maybe OP can take a deep impact socket and use a cut off wheel to cut the opening in the side, if he's desperate enough to have it ASAP for cheap.

Man you're a genius.

 

[Rabid Badger]

The Pittsburgh pass-through socket set is the solution to this problem. Readily available, good quality, good warranty and dirt cheap.

 

[dchawk81]

The Pittsburgh pass-through socket set is the solution to this problem. Readily available, good quality, good warranty and dirt cheap.

I always forget these exist.

 

[RTM]

Take a 13/16", and slip some shims inside it till it fits, hold them wva dab of silicone?

Cheap used feeler gauges make great shim stock.

 

[bobg03]

I had an 18MM 6 point thin walled spark plug socket made by Craftsman, for a ******* model 1500 CC kawasaki that would only take the thin walled socket for all 4 spark plugs that it required. It was much thinner than my regular 18mm deep socket.

 

[atikovi]

This should work now.

 

[dchawk81]

This should work now.

As they say:

When in Rome. Make Romanade.

 

[cannuck]

Lots of sources for pass through socket sets. I seldom actually use mine but struts are a perfect example of why one should have a set. Not going to pay tool truck prices for something like this - so the HF option for y'all sauwth of 49 sounds good.

 

[drmarkr]

Grind two parallel flats (carefully) on your 18 mm socket and call it good. It isn't going to weaken the socket significantly and you'll be able to get plenty of torque on it to tighten it when you reinstall.

Yes, I see you solved this with the wrench but others may ask the question when reading this thread in the future.

 

[GRN96WS6]

Also see you resolved this, but when I needed something similar for my suspension I bought this off Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V33MGFR/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Wamsutta]

$19.99 + Tax & Shipping

 

[atikovi]

$19.99 + Tax & Shipping

Exactly the same as what I posted in #1 except double the price.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

$19.99 + Tax & Shipping

Could you do the same thing with a Dual Drive socket like the Nanos from Astro? Or are they too shallow?

I know a lot of people are loving these dual drive sockets these days, so it might keep someone from needing special strut sockets?

 

[dogdog]

a pass through socket set is what you need.

When I didn’t have those back in the days or can’t find a speciality socket that those wrench fittings. I just used a deep socket and a good locking pliers works fine. The vw uses 21 or 22 mm nuts even the after market bilstan is the same.

You can always scrafice a deep socket and weld a handle to it…

 

[Stubby1743]

Why not just weld a suitable nut on top of of an 18mm socket?

 

[Wamsutta]

Exactly the same as what I posted in #1 except double the price.

I'm sorry man. I didn't see the price anywhere in your post.

 

[APEowner]

I've always just tightened them with an impact gun.

 

[dogdog]

Why not just weld a suitable nut on top of of an 18mm socket?

Cost.? Unless you have lots of free nuts laying around.

 

[308guru]

In a pinch, and for a one time use, I'd pick up the cheapest 18mm (or whatever size for the task) socket and grind some flats on it. Who cares what it looks like, if you grind through, etc. It's only got to work once until the correct tool arrives (which will then sit unused in your toolbox for 13years).

 

[darkzero]

I've always just tightened them with an impact gun.

Same here, when I worked at a shop I've always just used an impact wrench to loosen & tighten, never needed to hold the center shaft unless I was using hand tools at someone house & no access to air (cordless impacts didn't really exist yet back then). I've lowered hundreds of cars during that time, most of them were Hondas.