Broke first socket ever today

[aaron1987]

I broke my first socket at work today. It was a gearwrench 13mm 3/8 6 point. Only had the set a month. Hope this isn't a sign of more to come. Broke it pulling a drain plug off at work. Somebody had torqued it down pretty hard.

 

[lightning02]

Dam. Tq it down hard enough to break a socket? Wtf?! I would think the threads would strip out of the pan before it can be tighten down that hard.

 

[mailpup]

Just curious, what kind of handle/ratchet were you using? How long? Any cheater?

 

[firworks]

Dam. Tq it down hard enough to break a socket? Wtf?! I would think the threads would strip out of the pan before it can be tighten down that hard.

Maybe the threads finally came with it. I've seen that on pans before.

 

[aaron1987]

I broke the socket trying to remove the bolt. It was a long handled flex head 3/8 ratchet.

 

[lightning02]

Maybe the threads finally came with it. I've seen that on pans before.

Wow. I guess bc I'm not that dumb it's not something I'll ever think of someone doing lol its a oil pan bolt. Not a freaking lug nut lmao

I broke the socket trying to remove the bolt.

That's my point. Someone had to tighten it hard enough for you put enough force on to break the socket.

Did you ever get the plug out?

 

[ovrrdrive]

If that's the first socket you've ever broken you need a longer breaker bar...

 

[Jason280]

How did it break? Any trouble getting it swapped out?

 

[Mohawk Dave]

IDK how, but I tightened the drain plug on my Focus the same way I always have, and last time I went to loosen it, I ended up getting my 18" rat and put my foot against the tire to push and pull all my body strength. And I ain't a weakling. Must've been a few hundred pounds at that point.

No rust, no loctite, I just snugged it goodentite like I always have.

How the hell does that happen? Some sort of bond or seize? Had residual oil in the threads I'm sure.

 

[Sanny81]

I bought my car used and my first oil change the dealer did for me. Then when I went to do the next one myself the drain plug was on crazy tight. And I'm trying to do the oil change as fast as possible to beat the rain that day, no ramps so I'm wedged under the car with just my 3/8 ratchet. Finally got it but it took way more effort than it should. Whenever I tighten drain plugs I've always tightened them snug them gave one more tug...idk why some places He-Man torque them.

 

[mrjaw14]

I'm a diy guy, I've started using a torque wrench on plug bolts because I always over tightened them. I definitely don't want to strip the pan

 

[Greg85mcss]

I broke 2 of those both 14mm. I don't remember what I was doing but about half the cars we got in were toyota so might very well have been drain ppugs. Besides that awesome set. I really like the feel & if I lose one they're like $3 at advance


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[T45]

It seems common that drain bolts require lots more effort to remove than torque-to-install.

 

[JJThrasher]

Problem is a lot of shops will hit them with a 3/8s gun.

 

[Cato]

I'm a diy guy, I've started using a torque wrench on plug bolts because I always over tightened them. I definitely don't want to strip the pan

Same here.

I had Honda Prelude and I used to over torque the drain plug down all the time. I never had any auto mechanic training - I had no idea that over torque could tear up threads. I figured the tighter it was, the better. Then one day the threads all gave out and I had oil all over my car port. Back then I lived in an apt and I would change oil late at night so I wouldn't get caught.

Fast forward to today, I learned my lesson and always use a torque wrench.

 

[Mastermind]

No pics of the carnage??? I have destroyed a few sockets in my day. Most recent was an Armstrong 21mm impact socket...I think it was impact....but it shattered about 2 seconds into hammering on a suspension bolt. Both pieces fell to the floor. Was not happy. Fortunately I had a hf socket in reserve. Still kicking.

 

[Richard Cranium]

lol, you broke a Armstong socket and then used a HF junk socket to finish the job. Says a lot about the hf sockets.
Please don't start the hate ****. it just gave me a giggle.

 

[CornwellTools]

What kind of a warranty does Gearwrench give on their tools? Will they give you a replacement?

 

[mailpup]

I broke the socket trying to remove the bolt. It was a long handled flex head 3/8 ratchet.

Using the same type of ratchet as yours, I broke two 3/8" six point sockets (3/8" drive) in a row trying to get out a bolt holding a simple plate covering the access to a torque converter. I knew the history of this car and this was the first time removing this bolt since the factory installed it. Not the quite the same situation as yours and my sockets were Craftsman. One of the two sockets was a spare and never used before. When I took them both back to Sears to exchange them, the new ones had thicker walls. I'm guessing they had their fair share of returns.

In your situation I guess the socket should have held up but sometimes they don't.

 

[MrGiggles]

What kind of a warranty does Gearwrench give on their tools? Will they give you a replacement?

Lifetime on hand tools.

I've heard some places like Advance will warranty them, but I haven't tried it myself.

I've emailed them with a copy of my receipt attached, and they mailed me a replacement, took 3 days to arrive.

 

[TylerSteez]

Broke my third socket at work the other day removing a front ski off of a snow mobile, had a decent sized breaker bar on it and was putting my full weight on it so I had a feeling I was either going to break the socket or break my fist on the concrete floor, glad it was the socket. I couldn't find a name on the piece of the socket I found, the other piece went flying across the room, I'm assuming it was a cheap brand. Found a couple wrenches in an old tool box there with Kmart written on them, was tempted to just throw them out on the spot lol

 

[Mastermind]

lol, you broke a Armstong socket and then used a HF junk socket to finish the job. Says a lot about the hf sockets.
Please don't start the hate ****. it just gave me a giggle.

I laughed about it myself. I have a tendency to buy hf stuff and "retire" it to the home box or reserves when I upgrade. Surprising how often the reserves get you out of a jam or come back to regular service. Like If this socket was a little shorter it would save me ten minutes on this job....hello cheap socket, have you met Mr cut off wheel and Mr grinder?

 

[Rossco]

Don't worry about that socket and don't be disillusioned with the set / brand.

Even extremely high quality sockets can fail and not just from hard labour either.

Here's a CAT branded Snap-On Socket that failed on me during ****** plate removal on a 100 ton hauler. Nothing to exciting.



I only snapped a pic so my service agent would send another out. Part of my CAT issue ISO tool kit.

 

[unslow1]

It happens. I have two cracked Snapon sockets in the top of my toolbox.

 

[winlinmac]

OP, what was the brand of socket used when removing the drain plug? I would have used an Electric Impact wrench for removal purposes to be on the safe side, haha.

An offset wrench would have been feasible too. Sometimes, unknowingly as removing hard bolts, the end user may angle the wrench, putting stress / fracture on the sockets. Just sayin'

 

[Tron]

I don't think I've ever broken a socket, which is surprising. All I have is craftsman sockets, and HF impacts.

I DID, however, break two HF impact wobble extensions removing the rear strut bolts on my STI. They both snapped right at the end . I'm pretty sure I had them pushed in fully so they weren't going to wobble, but who knows.

 

[mdbeck1]

Years ago I was on the driveway pulling the cover off of the suburban differential. Reached into the toolbox and pulled out my only metric socket set (el cheapo from Christmas) and broke BOTH of the sockets trying to get the bolts off. I ended up buying another socket set. Job got finished but I started buying SK sockets that day. I haven't stopped since.

Why SK? Dad used to work at a parts store and had quite a few. I know we broke a few but mostly from abuse. I figured if it put up with what we did to them in his shop they would work for me.

 

[nyrapscalion]

a picture would be nice...