6 Point 12 Point Spline Drive

I have read many threads from this site and others regarding the above titled thread. It would be great if others who actually have sets and use these spline drive sockets to chime in with feed back as to their performance and real world attributes.

I am looking for insight as to how or what others feel or believe spline drive sockets are answer over standard 6 / 12 point sockets.

Personally, I will be saving up for a set of the SK spline drive 3/8 drive socket set just for the sake of having one, and also God forbid it comes into play to save my bacon on some half rounded nut!

What I am trying to really understand is how this spline drive socket can avoid stripping, or even grabbing a 50 rounded nut.

Anyone with first hand experience get in here! Others with more technical feed-back by all means chime in . . .

Anyone with pictures of other brands like matco, sk, etc please up load the pictures for us all.

As always I appreciate all the feed back and insight.

The Kabo made SK ratcheting spline wrenches have very strong aggressive teeth. You do have to be careful using them because, if you use the wrong size, they will chew the hell out of a fastener. The flipside is that they work really well on a variety of fasteners and the spline design allows you to fit damaged fasteners that may be in between regular sizes. You just have to use one that fits tightly over the damaged fastener.
However, if you're looking for a bacon saver for damaged fasteners, look no further than the turbo sockets. They're the best thing since sliced bread for rusted, rounded, screwedup fasteners.

I have the SK 89480 "5 pc. Stubby Double Box Universal Spline G-Pro Metric Wrench Set"

Bought it mainly because they have the most desirable features on one set: stubby and non-reversible compact head for access, double box (don't really need another open end) and of course flex head. I really did not care for the spline drive.
The ability to turn rounded nuts maybe true, since I can apply pretty good torque on 3/8 size head with the 10mm spline, where most 'surface drive' or 'flank drive' box ends would slip under moderate torque.
The down side to spline drive is under medium to heavy torque the splines seem to 'bite' into the fastener and get stuck. On a socket and wrench setup, one would just reverse the direction and give it a gentle tug and it'll release. Or, in case of the nut being stuck in the socket, just slam it on the floor, in worst case, a vice and a punch... Nevertheless, it's just pain and lost time to deal with that.
But when it comes to a non-reversible ratchet, you cannot get it unstuck by tugging it in the reverse direction. Most of the time, i find myself wiggling, prying and even once i had to tap the wrench with a hammer to get it unstuck. (Fasteners were not rounded or damaged at all, 8.8 grade material) And this was after pulling on it with two fingers (these are really small wrenches) So I cannot even imagine what would happen with a spline socket and a big breaker bar. You might actually dig into the fastener, causing damage maybe?
I'd not recommend it for regular use, but they might come in handy to hammer into damaged/rounded stuff. Think of it as a low-priced turbosocket set.

I bought a set of the 3/8 drive S-K spline sockets (47? peice set) I didn't like it and sold it. Just another gimmick. At least for auto techs.

mrholeshot said:

I bought a set of the 3/8 drive S-K spline sockets (47? peice set) I didn't like it and sold it. Just another gimmick. At least for auto techs.

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Would like a little more clarification on the *gimmick* part?

my sk spline has saved me at least 2 times that i remember. i also have the long maco spline ratcheting wrenchs and those are great too. At the very least the sk set is i think $100-130, and you have an etorx socket set thats what i use it for most of the time, its not often you come across etorx but when you do spline works just as good as etorx sockets

mrholeshot said:

I bought a set of the 3/8 drive S-K spline sockets (47? peice set) I didn't like it and sold it. Just another gimmick. At least for auto techs.

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It might be a gimmick if you never work on anything rusty.

a friend of mine that was a military aircraft mechanic swore by the snap on spline drive stuff
he even has them at home for his own personal stuff.
at work he would come across 6pt, 12pt, and spline type fasteners and the one set would work on them all
I could never get used to them, but the military cant be all wrong in this case

bob

06wt said:

my sk spline has saved me at least 2 times that i remember. i also have the long maco spline ratcheting wrenchs and those are great too. At the very least the sk set is i think $100-130, and you have an etorx socket set thats what i use it for most of the time, its not often you come across etorx but when you do spline works just as good as etorx sockets

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See the reason I wanted to have this set is because in the future it may save my bacon for the sole fact that the spline can fit those 6 different head styles.

My only worry is that it might strip off a bolt. I know people have had good luck with using 12 point sockets etc. But, I have had a mixed bag of results and this is why I am a die hard 6 point user.

tonydanzah said:

It might be a gimmick if you never work on anything rusty.

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Now, this is the intent for me is when you're working on rusty **** which is what I do all the time. I am not so lucky to ever see a virgin pristine nut ever in this town. Even something that rolled off the lot in one winter looks like its 100 year old!

This in my mind would give me that last chance to get said nut off, if all else failed. Just another tool in the hardware for the just in case. I have the luxury of being able to do so, so why not now before I cant.

tonydanzah said:

It might be a gimmick if you never work on anything rusty.

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My shop was about 2000 feet off the ocean so I can tell you about some rust. The problem I have is I use an air tool anytime I can. Hooked up to my IR2115TI 3/8 impact it turns those spline sockets into bolt head shavers. Now I know this is not the punishment these tools were designed for but my Snap-on 6 poits will in most cases survive that little powerhouse. Now because I'm retired and I doon't get in a hurry they may be OK but as a working shop owner with a real knack for tool abuse (as any line technician is) they just didn't work out. Like most things if used as intended there would never be a problem. If I used all my tools just as they were designed I doubt I would ever have to have a flat head screwdriver tip replaced. I caught them on an introductory sale from NAPA and had them about a year, shreded a few bolts and sold them to a friend who loves them. I found they didn't work well on torx bolts as there is no taper in the socket. I have plenty of sockets for any job and just wanted to try them because they were new. I love S-K stuff, just wasnt crazy about these. I can't remember the last time I had to use a 4 point wrench either. I never tried them on anything 12 point. For rounded bolt heads I use my bolt outs. Nothing can come close to how well they work on rounded, rusted bolts. Just wasn't my thing but like I said my buddy loves them.

mrholeshot said:

I found they didn't work well on torx bolts as there is no taper in the socket.

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This is one of the things I wanted to know, thanks.

For rounded bolt heads I use my bolt outs. Nothing can come close to how well they work on rounded, rusted bolts. Just wasn't my thing but like I said my buddy loves them.

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Is the style with the swirl type plug? Pictures?

Teken said:

This is one of the things I wanted to know, thanks.



Is the style with the swirl type plug? Pictures?

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The thing about the spline sockets is this. It suppose to fit 6 differant bolt heads.
Spline, 12 point,6 point,Torx, Square and rounded. Now lets get real. When was the last time you saw a spline headed bolt on any vehicle. Now I have some interior spline sockets but these are exterior. 2 when was the last time you saw a stove bolt on anything (maybe grandmas antique dining room table).3 Like I said before they don't have a taper so the invereted torx bolts wont survive the limited catch area these sockets have. As long as the bolts arn't real tight your ok but it's not a good fit. 4 if you have rounded a bolt with a well made USA built socket you really need something with a grip to get it out. 5 and 6 are 6 and 12 point nuts and bolts. If you have a bunch of 6 and 12 point bolts to remove a quality 12 point flank drive type socket works best. If you ise the spline socket on a good impact of strong air ratchet you are looking for trouble.
I've been in this business a long long long time and I've seen just about every gimmik out there. I don't see this fad lasting unless auto makers decide to switch over to spline fasteners. The first time I ever saw a Torx I said WTF. Who knows it could catch on. The only real spline nuts I've seen was on huge equiptment. The 3/8 drive stuff doesn't come close.

Here is a set of Craftsman bolt outs. I have evry size they make and then some bigger ones from Snap-On. I also have a few double ended wheel sockets with this. best thing I ever used on rounded bolts.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952166000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=

You really have good luck using those bolt outs? I don't recall the brand we used the two times to *try* to remove said bolt.

But, it didn't turn out well for either of us. By the time I arrived my friend had been turning, drilling with the impact with those things and it just got ugly fast.

I went at it for about 10 minutes and gave up, and decided to break out the torch and the BFH, along with some penetrating lube. Tapped that nut a few times, gave her some more heat to wick the lube in to the threads and then gave er another go.

Broke free after that . . . Had to replace the bolt because there wasn't much left of the head, and didn't want to do that again next year.

No joy there, but we were both good to go at the end!

I have great luck with them as far as anything else goes. I do shoot some PB blaster down the bolt if possible and smack the bolt with a hammer if possible. While they arn't 100% effective they still seem to be the best show in town.