george4
Well-known member
I have never used my set. Any body use them much? 
8 point sockets
- Thread starter george4
- Start date
I only have 6 point and 12 point sockets; never needed any 8 points ... 
PAToyota
Well-known member
I've used mine to take off four sided (square) nuts on some old tools and equipment...
Junkman
Well-known member
Not that often, but when working with older items that used carriage bolts, they are what is needed. It is one of those tools that you seldom need, but when you do, they are worth there weight in gold.
kartracer55
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2005
- Messages
- 5,317
Yes. the 3/8 one on small engine drainplugs... Sometimes they are really tight and its easier/safer to use a ratchet than an open wrench. Other than that, I dont think you will find them on modern cars. Nobody at work has them...
MAD
Well-known member
I occasionally use 8 point sockets for removing old square head nuts, bolts, and lags when repairing old equipment or more often salvaging useful parts/lumber. I guess I use the 1/2" 8 point socket the most for hanging and removing theatrical spot lights. The standard pipe clamp for stage lighting fixtures still come with square head bolts. Pipe plugs are another place you might encounter square heads. A 12 point socket will often work for square headed fasteners but chances are these old fasteners have already been rounded a little from someone using an adjustable wrench. If a square head is rounded even a little a 12 point socket will slip. The only automotive application I can think of off the top of my head is the rear brake adjustment and oil drain plugs on my Triumph TR-6.
goodfellow
Well-known member
Yup -- I have a set, (1950's vintage Williams Tool Co.) and as was said before, I use 'em mostly on square nuts that are found on pre-WWII British cars. In most cases, the were used to hold wood panels and aprons to steel frames. 12 points will do, but if they are rusty, the only proper way is with a square socket.
I don't own a set, but I've used them before, and they're on my "gotta' get list." GM uses them for many newer seat brackets. They're also useful for square head bolts such as those used for the adjuster screw on Rockwell ASA's.
JohnZ
Well-known member
Used to use them alot on old farm machinery when I started farming. Now so little unless we are restoring an antique. We usually have to track down where we put them. Worth having a set for us, but it is not a high use tool anymore. When I got my first Craftsman kit years ago they were just part of it and glad they were. Glad they are not anymore.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
I use my 8-points for diff and trans fill/drain plugs.
What he said. Oh, and I use them on the carriage bolts on older fencing.
jhn9840
Well-known member
Got mine in my Craftsman set. Never used them. Have to give them a try on small engine drain plugs.
jhn9840
John
jhn9840
John
TNToy
Well-known member
They work excellent as a tap-socket in tight quarters, as well.
evintho
Well-known member
I work on a lot of turbocharged Ford 2.3 liter 4 cyl motors. The headbolts have 8-point heads. Typical Ford abnormality. So...........my Craftsman 8-point sockets come in handy, especially the 13mm!
Who sells 8 point sockets these days? Wouldn't you be better off buying something like the S&K spline set? Just curious ...
kartracer55
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2005
- Messages
- 5,317
Who sells 8 point sockets these days? Wouldn't you be better off buying something like the S&K spline set? Just curious ...
I got USA made blackhawks for like 10$. No longer USA made apparantly, but these were a good deal. Snap On makes them (I have ONE lol) and Armstrong makes them. Ultimatly I bought the blackhawks because they were the cheapest USA made ones I could find... they are used MAYBE once a month.
Jim
Major Ramifications
Well-known member
I have used mine mostly on water jacket drain plugs (they are always stuck), also as stated earlier for differential drain plugs and as tap sockets.
chevy302dz
Well-known member
I have a set and use them once in a while. Like most things you may not use them often, but at some point you'll need them. The most common uses for me are on antique's (all different types of things) and differential plugs.
Elroy! Where have you been, brother?
Uncle Buck
Banned
Jared
Well-known member
as someone else said, I use em on Rockwell auto slacks
Jared
Jared
http://www.blacksmithbolt.com/gpage19.html I use them to change oil in my lawnmowers. Usually for drain plugs on boilers or small homemade steam engines is some other uses.
Last edited:
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
I paid the price for using some a while back. I've had them for years, and other then the occasional antique furniture, one claw foot tube, I had never needed them. Then I picked up some old iron, that had been moved several times, and had a mix of 6 point and 4 point nuts. My back was tweaked for a month, due to the positions and angles I had to get in (even working with wobbles, and extensions), to get the them apart.
I hope to not have to need them again soon.
I hope to not have to need them again soon.
GDA
Well-known member
I picked up a Mac set in a garage sale for a couple bucks and use them at least once a year when doing maintenance work on all my lawn and small engine equipment (drain plugs).