Extractor Sockets, Yay or Nay?

[shoggoth80]

Title kind of says it. I have some Cman extractors. Ones that can be chucked up in a drill, and ones that can be turned with a socket or wrench. Neither set is exactly comprehensive. I've used the small extractor once. It was nice to have, as nothing else would have worked aside from cutting off the head (carefully, as this was a coil pack on a car).

I know there are a few options in terms of extractors. I use hand tools primarily. We have air tools in the shop of course. Ok, cordless impacts at times too. I actually really like those, but I digress.

Are the socket forms of extractors worth having on hand? Rounded fasteners are kind of the bane of a mechanic's existence. For example, a set like the ones HF sells:
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-38-in-drive-metric-bolt-extractor-socket-set-67894.html

Are these worth having as a "just in case" measure? Or are they generally a waste of money? Like I said, I've used my Cmans ONCE. Some might say that answers the question; I am curious if anyone has any of these, or other common examples (Irwin, Proto, Hansen).

Yay or nay? The HF is an inexpensive set. I do not know if that is a good thing or not. For something used rarely it is good. For something that would likely get thumped into place with a hammer, and cranked on...also good... as long as they hold up to the use.

What's the collective mind say on this?

 

[madison069]

I've used mine several time due to being in the rust belt now. I wouldn't want to be caught without it.

 

[uglyjacko]

Title kind of says it. I have some Cman extractors. Ones that can be chucked up in a drill, and ones that can be turned with a socket or wrench. Neither set is exactly comprehensive. I've used the small extractor once. It was nice to have, as nothing else would have worked aside from cutting off the head (carefully, as this was a coil pack on a car).

I know there are a few options in terms of extractors. I use hand tools primarily. We have air tools in the shop of course. Ok, cordless impacts at times too. I actually really like those, but I digress.

Are the socket forms of extractors worth having on hand? Rounded fasteners are kind of the bane of a mechanic's existence. For example, a set like the ones HF sells:
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-38-in-drive-metric-bolt-extractor-socket-set-67894.html

Are these worth having as a "just in case" measure? Or are they generally a waste of money? Like I said, I've used my Cmans ONCE. Some might say that answers the question; I am curious if anyone has any of these, or other common examples (Irwin, Proto, Hansen).

Yay or nay? The HF is an inexpensive set. I do not know if that is a good thing or not. For something used rarely it is good. For something that would likely get thumped into place with a hammer, and cranked on...also good... as long as they hold up to the use.

What's the collective mind say on this?

I have the HF set and it's a life saver! Well worth the money! I return the craftsman set as it failed to remove the rounded nut, the HF one didn't even slip and grips on tight, also they work on left and right handed threads. You should look into the powerbuilt zeon socket set, they are the very same design as the Mac precision torque sockets.

 

[geartow]

I have a set like that they are either irwin or cman, can't remember have not used them in a very long time.

 

[Katodog]

I have a few of the different types at home, made by Irwin, and I use them a lot and love them. So far I haven't broke one, and none have failed to pull even the nastiest of frozen/stripped bolt or nut.

I see them getting returned at work often, normally it's because one of them was stripped, the "teeth" somehow were smoothed-out, like the bolt trying to be removed was harder than the extractor material. I just toss the bad one and replace it with a good one from another set and all is good. So far the times we've used them at work they haven't failed, and I have yet to see any of my personal extractors fail. I use them enough both at work and at home to trust them and go to them any time I need to free a stubborn nut or bolt. I haven't used the ones with the 1/4" shank very much, but the few times I have I haven't had any problems with the shank breaking or twisting, but I don't know how eager I'd be to really crank down on them in an impact or drill.


After many many years of using the typical drill/extractor type and having them break I would never go back to them, the Irwins are my go-to for any stubborn nut or bolt. I also have a set of those "seen-on-tv" type, mine are "Grab-It". To be completely honest, I love those too. The few times I've used them they've worked great, haven't broken, haven't stripped. I used one to pull a 4" screw out of a palette coffee table I made...that screw wouldn't come out no matter what I did and I did everything. Remembered that I had the Grab-Its, use one and it pulled the screw no problem.

In my experience the Irwin sets are a must-have, if you only use them once or twice they're worth it, especially if you have a really screwed-up bolt or nut that won't come loose no matter what you try.

 

[shoggoth80]

Uglyjacko...
Thanks for the heads up on the Zeons...
I was actually looking at the Mac precision torques... and liked the idea and overall look. Couldn't find price or availability last time. Are they exactly the same as in a re-brand? Or just the same design? I notice Powerbuilt has low pros as well, which seem to line up with Mac's super shallows? Both wishlisted at any rate.

 

[zkling]

I've got a set of turbo sockets (Think that is the name, black oxide finish). They work OK, ~80% I'd say. When all you have is straight down access they are about the only option. Otherwise a pipe wrench orthe like gets used.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

True turbo sockets (not craftsman/irwin garbage), are a godsend in the rust belt. I have several sets, probably over 50 sockets. Deep, shallow, 1/4 4mm-12mm by .25mm.

 

[MikeF2316]

Used them and seen the turbo sockets used successfully on aftermarket lug bolts and nuts that have been damaged.

Often there's nothing else that will work other than a drill. That I try to avoid.

 

[Jacobson]

If it works just once, it will have been worth $500 to you.

 

[RedneckWelder]

A quality set of extractor sockets is a must have IMHO. I don't have the HF ones so I don't know how they'd work but I know the better brands work pretty good.

I also have a set of the Lisle ones that you hammer onto a stud or broken off bolt that is protruding through the surface. Haven't really used those yet but I think they will work.

 

[nine4gmc]

I have a set of the HF and they saved my *** on one job but just last week I needed to remove a rounded out torx fastener from an airbag on a steering column and apparently the screw was harder than the HF remover, it is now smooth inside and I had to drill the torx screw out to remove it... Thanks for reminding me, I need to bring the set back tomorrow.

 

[dede2897234]

Uglyjacko...
Thanks for the heads up on the Zeons...
I was actually looking at the Mac precision torques... and liked the idea and overall look. Couldn't find price or availability last time. Are they exactly the same as in a re-brand? Or just the same design? I notice Powerbuilt has low pros as well, which seem to line up with Mac's super shallows? Both wishlisted at any rate.

shoggoth80,

Mac's Precision Torque sockets and Powerbuilt's Zeon sockets are manufactured by a company called Re-dai in Taiwan (post #10): LINK. Mac Tools offers the full line of shallow and deep sockets in either chrome or impact. Here is a link to the Mac Tool's page with a 3/8" drive, Precision Torque shallow metric set with pricing: LINK.

Powerbuilt only offers chrome sockets in certain shallow SAE and metric sizes. Here is a link to O'Reilly Auto Parts that carries a metric set of the Powerbuilt Zeon sockets: LINK.


Dave

 

[shoggoth80]

I found the O'Reilly pages via google later last night. Prices are good for pretty common sizes. If they are made by the same OEM, I don't care about brand name. Lol. Mac seems to sell singles, so I can always flesh it out more, should I need a size other than what is in the set. The Zeon metric covers the most common size fasteners, and thus seems a good "quick and dirty" set to me. The Powerbuilt low pros go up to 18mm, but I saw that the 19mm is available off of the MAC website. Hard to get behind paying a premium on rebranded tools. Lol.

 

[Finky198]

I have them and use them... I feel like the more extractors and styles you have the more likely you are to remove the fastener without damage in a timely manner depending on the situation

Using heat, penetrating oil, vibration are among the solutions to use in conjunction with theses to obtain more productive results

 

[warweapon762]

I have a set of the HF ones for rusty SAE fasteners and I use impacts on them. Haven't had an issue with them at all. I typically find one that is closest in size, hammer it on so its snug on the bolt. Run it off with an impact and them put the fastener that i just took off in a vise, use the impact to hammer it a couple of times in the opposite direction to un-seat the damaged bolt from the socket.

Works well, haven't had one fail to extract a rounded off bolt yet.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I have them and use them... I feel like the more extractors and styles you have the more likely you are to remove the fastener without damage in a timely manner depending on the situation

Using heat, penetrating oil, vibration are among the solutions to use in conjunction with theses to obtain more productive results

This. I have a slew of Irwin/Hanson USA, Snap On, those German wedge ones, mixed with old old USA stuff. Using the correct one is what it is all about.

 

[shoggoth80]

Grabbed the 8pc metric Zeon set from O'Reilly. Really inexpensive. Surprisingly well done at that price. Has some of the most common sizes. A 17mm would have been nice over a 6mm, but at $15 price point, I could flesh out the missing single sizes and still be ahead.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I also have a set of the Lisle ones that you hammer onto a stud or broken off bolt that is protruding through the surface. Haven't really used those yet but I think they will work.

They work okay, I like to hammer them on first, the heat the base up, before trying to spin the fastener out. They can grab hard enough to snap what's left of your broken fastener.