8 point sockets? What for

[King Nothing]

About 15 years ago I bought a Craftsman *** piece tool set that included 8 point sockets. They have never been out of the drawer. What would you use an 8 point socket for?


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[crewchief888]

pipe plugs

 

[M_George]

I think they are for square nuts. You see then a lot on old vintage tools.

 

[spike99250]

Square headed bolts and nuts. Old nuts and bolts were made that way.

 

[Olafur]

anything with square head..plugs,taps etc.

 

[ecotec]

Carriage bolts.

 

[DeliveryGuy]

Garage door guys use them a lot. Sprocket set screws and drum set screws are usually square. Also, square nuts used to be quite common. I have a full set of impact 8 points that are life savers when I'm ripping out really old stuff. Square wood lag bolts are quite common in really old homes.

 

[WWheeler]

Use double-square sockets on any square fastener, like pipe plugs, drain plugs on small engines, marine engines, tractors, rear-ends, transmissions, compressors, taps, etc. I've also ran across them on brake slack adjusters, and that square spare tire winch on many cars, and antique furniture & hardware fasteners.

 

[WWheeler]

Carriage bolts.

Perhaps on the square nut often used on a carriage bolt, but I'm stumped picturing anyone using a socket on a carriage bolt.

Edit:

[...] Square wood lag bolts are quite common in really old homes.

After reading that I suspect the lag bolt DeliveryGuy mentions might have been what you were thinking of instead of a carriage bolt.

 

[M_George]

I have two, 3/8 and 1/2in. But this has me thinking, gives me something else to watch out for at the local flea market.

 

[kctyphoon]

Square bolts, lags, etc..

 

[Barnabas]

8-point sockets are great if you are worried about rounding off the head of a bolt. If a 16-point socket feels loose, I will use an 8 pt.

 

[WWheeler]

8-point sockets are great if you are worried about rounding off the head of a bolt. If a 16-point socket feels loose, I will use an 8 pt.

Just great! Now I'm going to have to buy a new tool chest to have room for my 16 pt sockets.

 

[Fedwrench]

Besides pipe plugs, drain plugs, and anything square, GM uses an eight point fastener on the back of Impala cooling fan motors that you have to rotate to separate the cooling fan blade from the motor
You have to grind the Craftsman down a bit to fit.

 

[Barnabas]

Just great! Now I'm going to have to buy a new tool chest to have room for my 16 pt sockets.

Sorry, I must be half asleep. I was thinking 6 and 12. Now I've apparently invented 16-pt sockets. Maybe I should split the difference and invent 14-pt bolts and sockets instead.

 

[wvrailroader]

Almost all railroad track fasteners use square nuts. We have quite a few 8 point sockets at work.

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[WWheeler]

Sorry, I must be half asleep. I was thinking 6 and 12. Now I've apparently invented 16-pt sockets. Maybe I should split the difference and invent 14-pt bolts and sockets instead.

No apology needed. Whew! You just saved me a bundle.

But if you do invent '14-pt bolts and sockets' and they catch on, I'll never forgive you.

 

[KnurledNut]

But if you do invent '14-pt bolts and sockets' and they catch on, I'll never forgive you.

Some oil filters take a 14 pt cap wrench.

 

[Smokeshow69]

My pressure washer has a 4 sided drain plug for the oil pan...they are still used more than you would think!

 

[KnurledNut]

Almost all railroad track fasteners use square nuts. We have quite a few 8 point sockets at work.

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Do the ones you use have off corner engagement like flank drive style?

 

[wolf_from_wv]

I used them occasionally for Meccano-type building kits.

Some have hex, some are Whitworth, others seem to be 8-32.

 

[Dodgepu360]

Mopar 727 transmissions have square heads on the bands. I have a set of 8 points sockets to adjust those.

 

[maxpower_hd]

Yup. Drain plugs on rear ends, transmissions, etc for me. Big rigs.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Carriage bolts.

 

[Cope]

Maybe he meant Stove Bolts.

 

[wvrailroader]

Do the ones you use have off corner engagement like flank drive style?

The newer ones do, but the older ones don't.



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[monkeyspanners]

Lots of refrigeration systems use square stems on the service valves, usually under 1/2" in size, have a set of Koken 8 points for when higher torque is needed than the standard refrigeration wrenches are capable of.

 

[rhandwor]

Lawn Mowers,Brush Hogs,Finish Mowers,old Tractors have square nuts or drain plugs.

 

[Air21]

The hold open arm on a 737 passenger door to lock it in place against wind gusts has an 8 point adjustment nut...

...Which I'm sure is why Craftsman sells those sockets. You know, for the discerning homeowner that services his own narrow body jet

 

[toolenthusiast]

I love how a question like this gets answers from every specialty, even railroad and aircraft guys

I have seen a gas edger with two square oil drain plugs and Chevys with square axle fill plugs.

 

[joe_padavano]

The OP has never seen one of these?

 

[Pitalplace]

1930 antique farm machinery are all square nuts. I use my 8pts. about as much as anything else when restoring.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Yep. Old woodworking machinery for me. Heck, old vises were frequently mounted with square nuts/bolts too.

I deal with older Craftsman and Delta/Rockwell woodworking machinery. I've yet to come across a piece that wasn't mounted with square nuts/bolts.

 

[wafrederick]

The OP has never seen one of these?

I have with the bolt to install the power steering pump pulley on reman power steering pumps.I never use them using the proper power steering pump pulley installer tool.

 

[ezriderga]

The transmission drain plug on my 1990 MX-5 requires an 8 point socket to remove. Grabbed one off eBay. I will probably never use it again but it was needed for the job.

 

[AJ.]

I use them quite often on taps, usually when cleaning threads. It allows the use of a ratchet in tight spots and the use of a cordless drill for quick clean outs.

Cheers Andrew