Female square drive socket?

[JuliusPepperwood]

I'm not sure how to word it but does a socket exist that Has a female square drive on both sides?

I landed a diesel tech apprenticeship and sometimes the fill plugs on differentials are on pretty tight and using a ratchet would be much easier than channel locks.

Thanks in advance.


EDIT

Yeeeaahhh after a little googling I found one. Sorry for wasting your time.

 

[ducksface]

They are plug ratchets.
I shipped a 1/2 snap-on to Twertsy and just bought a 3/4 Williams.
I don't know of a socket, but it would be very easy to make by mating two sockets opening to opening.

 

[Schurkey]

More often find 8-point female "double square", but 4-point can be had.

 

[wxm]

12 point would go by most cases too.

 

[dutchgray]

Sunnex does a couple sets of pipe plug sockets, they have both male and female square drives.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GT5VPM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GTA2F6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[TheSasquatch]

The diff plug can be taken off with a 12pt 19mm. Thats what I use when doing pm's.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[bdelmar2]

There is also an adapter that comes with some speed bars (I think that's where I got them anyway.) that's a double female, its round and knurled on the outside.

Though in your situation I would get the actual socket for it as mentioned above, or perhaps a set of the double square sockets, maybe in impact.

 

[Al Borland]

Get the right tool. they do make square plug sockets. the corners on those plugs tend to be soft. Usually you have a low-grade steel plug going into cast aluminum that has heat-cycled a million times since it was last removed. Last thing you need is a 12 point socket (with the wrong angles in the points) pulling on those 4 corners. Either a proper square socket or a double square 8 point will keep the corner angles correct.

 

[Johnny_V]

I've been in this business for more than 40 years, and the thing that pisses me off more than anything is when I have to fix rounded off square head plugs that someone used the wrong socket on. Get a double square socket and do it right.

 

[geartow]

and u are fired if u use a crescent wrench on them

 

[kctyphoon]

Or an open end wrench... 8pt sockets is what you're thinking of..

 

[redwrench60]

and u are fired if u use a crescent wrench on them

And castrated if you use vise grips.......

 

[shockwave]

You could try some adapters from serpentine belt tools I have seem female end with 15mm aswell

Other than that 8 point sockets

They do make square drive but not all sizes available

 

[Lassen Forge]

And castrated if you use vise grips.......

And used as a wheel chock on a loaded 10 yard with no brakes if you use Channel Lock Pliers. Or worse... the pipe wrench special.

Something about being a "professional" mechanic includes using the RIGHT tool for the RIGHT job.

 

[Ign]

Get the right tool. they do make square plug sockets. the corners on those plugs tend to be soft. Usually you have a low-grade steel plug going into cast aluminum that has heat-cycled a million times since it was last removed. Last thing you need is a 12 point socket (with the wrong angles in the points) pulling on those 4 corners. Either a proper square socket or a double square 8 point will keep the corner angles correct.

This was my thought - 12pt would make me nervous

 

[TheCarbideRat]

That's the thing though, it's NMPs [non mechanical personnel] who use youtube and whatever they can find in the kitchen to butcher cars with LOL...

 

[stercorarius]

Serious question, is there a legitimate reason to not use a crescent wrench on the diff/****** drain plugs? Every mechanic I've ever worked with uses one or an open end wrench. Yeah $35 crescent wrench could buy you those sockets but that's just one more thing that won't fit in the service truck. Yeah if you're using a cheap wrench or have it too loose and round the plug then you are a terrible person. I've never had them round of on me.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

 

[redwrench60]

Serious question, is there a legitimate reason to not use a crescent wrench on the diff/****** drain plugs? Every mechanic I've ever worked with uses one or an open end wrench. Yeah $35 crescent wrench could buy you those sockets but that's just one more thing that won't fit in the service truck. Yeah if you're using a cheap wrench or have it too loose and round the plug then you are a terrible person. I've never had them round of on me.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

Yeah if the equipment is pretty new and in good shape or the plug square is big and stout it's fine. But if the plug uses a small square drive or is super tight and rusted in place (my luck) then adjustables and open ends just round it off. The proper 8 point or female pipe plug sockets enable the user to apply BIG torque with long breaker bars or ratchets and not damage the plug.

 

[TheCarbideRat]

Serious question, is there a legitimate reason to not use a crescent wrench on the diff/****** drain plugs? Every mechanic I've ever worked with uses one or an open end wrench. Yeah $35 crescent wrench could buy you those sockets but that's just one more thing that won't fit in the service truck. Yeah if you're using a cheap wrench or have it too loose and round the plug then you are a terrible person. I've never had them round of on me.

What there is no reason for is to uneccessarily damage an important fastener, I say important bcz it is one which the next mechanic will have to fight [a bit] to remove then if he is a professional he must then track down a new one at an expense of time and money, these plugs are not located in every corner parts store. As far as using an adjustable, that will be the choice of whoever is working on it, which may not be a choice since they may have a scant tool kit to work with [which in itself has been the downfall of many an endeavor] and have only one option due to lack of preparedness. Terrible person, no, not at all, temporary dingbat? oh hell yes.

 

[kctyphoon]

Serious question, is there a legitimate reason to not use a crescent wrench on the diff/****** drain plugs? Every mechanic I've ever worked with uses one or an open end wrench. Yeah $35 crescent wrench could buy you those sockets but that's just one more thing that won't fit in the service truck. Yeah if you're using a cheap wrench or have it too loose and round the plug then you are a terrible person. I've never had them round of on me.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

It's really just because those bolts are the only bolts constantly removed for basic service. The better shape you keep them in, the longer they will last being removed twice a year or more. "Adjustable" anything just invites unnecessary wear on the bolts, esp if the last guy over tightened them.

 

[redwrench60]

And used as a wheel chock on a loaded 10 yard with no brakes if you use Channel Lock Pliers. Or worse... the pipe wrench special.

Something about being a "professional" mechanic includes using the RIGHT tool for the RIGHT job.

As a long time Mechanic I'm certainly not shy of buying the proper tools. I've also learned that sometimes you have to get by without the proper tool, the real trick that separates the **** heads from the professionals how to do it without damage to yourself or the equipment.

 

[TheCarbideRat]

True, we cant be prepared for every little thing we are going into and working around that lack is an art form which separates the effective technician from a "learning" one. Part of which is having multiple options and knowledge to apply to the task at hand.

 

[WittHay]

Serious question, is there a legitimate reason to not use a crescent wrench on the diff/****** drain plugs? Every mechanic I've ever worked with uses one or an open end wrench. Yeah $35 crescent wrench could buy you those sockets but that's just one more thing that won't fit in the service truck. Yeah if you're using a cheap wrench or have it too loose and round the plug then you are a terrible person. I've never had them round of on me.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

The 2 most important tools in a service truck is a good selection of adjustable wrenches and straight jaw Vise-Grips.

With a adjustable you can a tight fit on the plug, and some of those plugs in hydraulic systems are big and weird sizes.
On a brass plug that is stuck any socket will round it off. Just clamp on a straight jaw Vise-Grip really tight and take it off.

In a shop, the sky is the limit for tools. Mac makes a 14 piece drain plug socket set and in both drive sizes male and female you could have about 40 drain plug sockets

 

[Al Borland]

Thing is, everywhere I've encountered these plugs , they are installed into cast aluminum. I want to be able to put a long breaker on it and "pop" it loose as opposed to steady pressure until it tears the threads out.
And heaven help you if the plug is brass/copper or related and you use the wrong tool.
Bleeders on valve packings... AARGH..... Forgot those PITAs.

 

[WittHay]

We are lucky on the farm stuff, usually good quality plugs in cast iron. Used for checking/adding oil in gear boxes or drains for hydraulic systems

 

[stercorarius]

Alright sweet thanks for the responses on the adjustable wrench question. None of the pumpkins on our trucks are cast out of aluminum and we run super tens that have real big drain plugs so you don't see a whole lot of rounding. I do have a few 8 point sockets and have been looking at a sunex plug set for my shop box but all the small plugs I deal with are on irrigation systems. The only real pain I deal with is the stupid female hex plugs on aluminum oil pans on the Mercedes engines. $1700 oil pan replacement because the previous guy cracked it by tightening with an impact is no fun.

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[stercorarius]

The other thing I've found on smaller drain plug is that a big pair of knipex plierswrenches, or however you would say that, do a lot better at not rounding little plugs than any form of adjustable or even combo wrench. What really grinds my gears are the guys who use little adjustable wrenches on the five sixteenths square on slack adjusters on brakes that aren't charged and try to back them off. Strips them every time.

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[rhandwor]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191920645022/www.ebay.com/

 

[TheCarbideRat]

The other thing I've found on smaller drain plug is that a big pair of knipex plierswrenches, or however you would say that, do a lot better at not rounding little plugs than any form of adjustable or even combo wrench. What really grinds my gears are the guys who use little adjustable wrenches on the five sixteenths square on slack adjusters on brakes that aren't charged and try to back them off. Strips them every time.

These dooshes deserve no mercy. 10 lashes with a tie down strap is the penalty for this I will help you inflict upon them let me know

 

[JuliusPepperwood]

Went ahead and ordered this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006L23LTS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[WittHay]

Looks like that Sunex 5/8" impact drain plug socket is the right tool for the job.

Tool advice depends a lot on what you work on. HD trucks use automotive type tools but larger,
A lot of ag equipment uses millwright type tools, crescent and pipe wrenches, files, pullers .

 

[SnapOnAddiction]

Umm pipe plug sockets? Or tap sockets even 8 point I have 4 point Williams down to - 1/4 and a wide mix of 8 pt like wright, williams, craftsman etc.