Grip Tite Sockets

[ericg]

Just saw a rerun of a Two Guys Garage episode where they use and talk about Grip Tite sockets being the greatest tool to remove rounded off bolts. I went to the website and of course they hype the sockets as being bullit proof. The socket casing is made is USA but the cams are made in china or india. Has anyone in the forum had any luck with these sockets? Are they worth having around the tool box?

Eric

 

[paramedic]

used some today. and wow do these take some torque and they did not give. i had an external torx strip on me on the transmission of a jeep. griptite with an adapter to a 18 inch breaker and three foot pipe my buddy couldnt hold the ****** we ended up ratchet strapping it to the table. that thing held and took it like a champ. my nut outs and what not just stripped it down more it was totally round. well worth the money

 

[lipadj46]

Absolute **** tools. I broke 2 of them trying to remove a rounded off head bolt. I was using an 18" ratchet and they shattered into a half dozen pieces without applying much torque. It was almost a joke how weak they are. I then went to harbor freight and bought their damaged bolt sockets and removed the head bolt with ease. Luckily Sears refunded my money no questions asked and the guy mentioned how they get these returned all the time. If you look carefully there is a cheap plastic insert that hold the thin metal grippers. Totally **** design and a wast of money. Buy the real damaged bolt removers with the teeth that bite into the bolt head.

 

[mrb]

i have one I received as a sample. I like it, doesnt seem like the most rugged thing in the world, but for the cost I think theyre worthwhile.

 

[Indy_500]

i played with em at sears. they look gimmicky. seems like a thing that no one will ever hear of in 20 years.

 

[lipadj46]

i have one I received as a sample. I like it, doesnt seem like the most rugged thing in the world, but for the cost I think theyre worthwhile.

I recall I paid $70 for the set (came with short and long). The traditional Harbor Freight set cost $20 and was more durable and worked better. After my experience I cannot think of a good reason to have them when a better tool can be had for less money.

 

[beelsr]

I bought a set 2 years ago, when they first came out. Living in the salt belt and working on farm equip & machinery, I tend to pre-buy pretty much any "takes off a rounded bolt" product, just in case...

The plastic is in there only to hold the camming fingers. They're not a load bearing component. When you crank on the nut, the camming fingers bear against the wall of the socket itself.

I've used them a couple times. They worked once and one other time, they were the socket that took the bolt head off the threads.

Danaher makes them and they do have a lifetime warranty. If you call the 800#, they say to goto Sears and have them exchange it. They did just come out with ratchet sets (lame) and wrenches (gimmicky).

 

[Kev442]

Arise, old thread!
I bought two sets last year and finally got to test them on some really rusted 10mm bolts today. First two, they caught and removed heads that regular sockets had no chance. The third, which was about 40% non existent, it kept slipping. I ground it off.
So, I'm putting away tools and I notice 2 of the six grippers have broke off. They should sell those little plastic inserts as a three pack if they're that fragile.
Overall, I was pretty happy, it saved me from grinding down and redrilling two out of three today. Saved over 1/2 hour of BS work lying on my back.

 

[ajchien]

Arise, old thread!
I bought two sets last year and finally got to test them on some really rusted 10mm bolts today. First two, they caught and removed heads that regular sockets had no chance. The third, which was about 40% non existent, it kept slipping. I ground it off.
So, I'm putting away tools and I notice 2 of the six grippers have broke off. They should sell those little plastic inserts as a three pack if they're that fragile.
Overall, I was pretty happy, it saved me from grinding down and redrilling two out of three today. Saved over 1/2 hour of BS work lying on my back.

So let us know how their lifetime warranty works for you.

I've got a set, 2 years+ now. Maybe used them a dozen times at most... none are broken. It does seem like the plastic part is the weak link, but as said before, there should be no loading on the plastic part.

 

[chipper]

I saw that hf were stocking these now(atleast mine anyways) i have never tried them but have alwayd been intrigued by them probably will never buy one

 

[dirtmister16]

ive heard many postive things about them, they sell them at one of my local hardware stores. i just can't get past the price but i wouldn't mind having them. guess one day when i really need them ill bite.

otherwise i have a set of irwin that goes up to 3/4" that ive used and they have worked great when i needed them. id like to get the other 4 to complete the set if i could.

 

[Kev442]

I think the reason this one broke is because a lot of the bolt head on one side was rusted away. As it slipped the metal tines were twisted and broke. What's strange is that the plastic is apparently stronger than the metal, they snapped off even with the plastic, the plastic didn't shatter instead.

 

[MikeF2316]

Put me in the positive column on this one. I bought them soon after they came out, used them a few times when 6 point sockets slipped, and have 100% success rate. Nothing broken so far.

 

[abvw]

I bought the shallow sae and metric half off during sales with $10 mail in rebate. At first I thought they were gimmicky but they worked so well I'm amazed. I remember seeing "Made in USA", "exceed all ANSI requirements" and lifetime warranty" on the package so I gave it a shot. Too bad I've already broken the 10mm and 14mm, but had them replaced at CanadianTire not a question asked.

From my experience, the sockets' weakest link is not the plastic holder, but the little pegs doing the surface drive work. I was replacing a 2001 Civic exhaust, the 14mm bolt was rounded off by both the HF extractor and Irwin's left spiral flutes, so I decided to try the GripTites before I cut it off. I hammered the sockets onto the bolt and to my surprise the GripTites worked better than my Irwin's which saved my *** countless times. Hammered the socket to get the bolt off and found 2 broken pegs stuck to the bolt head.

So for shits and giggles I used the 17mm on a brake calipers carrier bolt; the car all the way up on the lift, socket on 18" 3/8 breaker bar with me hanging off the end (I weigh 150 lb) and the socket didn't break. My guess is they hold up very well vs static torque but the pegs are too brittle for shocks. These are definitely hand tools.

They're worth every penny!

 

[HaroRider]

Looks like the HF ones have really good reviews, I may just have to get a set.

 

[Givl Reggin]

ive heard many postive things... i just can't get past the price but i wouldn't mind having them.

You can both inch and metric set for about $45 bucks a Amazon...

Grip-Tite 7-Piece 3/8-Inch Socket Set
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000I5WLOU/awh

Grip-Tite 7-Piece Metric Socket Set -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000UW1142/awh

 

[Kev442]

Called the 800 number, my new insert is supposed to be here Tuesday, no hassle, no return of old part, off the phone in 5 minutes.

 

[skulldrinker]

I use Irwin's for removing stripped bolts.

 

[Singlecut]

I use Irwin's for removing stripped bolts.

I have a set of these and they are worth their WEIGHT in GOLD. I think I paid $20 at checker/oreilleys. These have saved my behind so many times. Never fail and surprisingly the socket doesn't really wear out.

 

[celticbhoy]

What's the warranty like on the irwin sockets?

 

[skulldrinker]

What's the warranty like on the irwin sockets?

Have no idea, all i know is I have the starter 5 pc set and want to get the larger sizes add on set. They are batting 1,000 with me. You can ever get locking lugnuts off if you lose the key with these.

 

[DarrenF]

a great trick i use for the irwin style (mine are snap on brand) is to add some weld to the rounded off heads to make them grip better. I use them on exhaust manifold bolts where the heads have broken off. weld a blob on the end of the stud until the socket grips it. Always works.

 

[Haveblue]

We have the complete Irwin set at the shop, and they work great! For the price, they are a must for everyone from a diy to a pro. They have paid for themselves many times over. Irwin claims they have a lifetime warranty on all hand tools, but im not sure if these are covered.

 

[HaroRider]

a great trick i use for the irwin style (mine are snap on brand) is to add some weld to the rounded off heads to make them grip better. I use them on exhaust manifold bolts where the heads have broken off. weld a blob on the end of the stud until the socket grips it. Always works.

Thats a good tip, another reason to add on why I should get a welder.

 

[Kev442]

Got my replacement in the mail on Friday already, can't beat that service.
I was reading the packaging and I pretty much have missed the entire intent of these sockets.
I bought them to remove rounded rusted bolts that a regular 6 point just spun on. It did that job well.
It seems I missed the part where Grip-Tite actually means that it holds the bolt even better than a magnetic extension to get them into awkward areas. I just tried this with an automotive blind bolt and holy crow, these sockets just moved way up my list of go to's to second. You actually have to tug the bolt off, gripped tight indeed.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

never in my life have I needed a twist socket
a good way to burn cash

 

[MikeF2316]

Got my replacement in the mail on Friday already, can't beat that service.
I was reading the packaging and I pretty much have missed the entire intent of these sockets.
I bought them to remove rounded rusted bolts that a regular 6 point just spun on. It did that job well.
It seems I missed the part where Grip-Tite actually means that it holds the bolt even better than a magnetic extension to get them into awkward areas. I just tried this with an automotive blind bolt and holy crow, these sockets just moved way up my list of go to's to second. You actually have to tug the bolt off, gripped tight indeed.

I never thought of using them that way. And just this past Wednesday, I changed one of those power steering pumps where the front bolts are accessed through a hole in the pulley and you hope the bolts stay in your socket!

 

[Dave455]

Try Ko Ken 'Surface Drive' sockets instead!

 

[tjpavlov]

Welcome back, old thread! I just picked up a 17 piece set at Sears--metric-- for $9 out the door. They were marked down to $34 and sitting in the 75% bin. For that kind of money I figured that I would give them a try. The ratchet alone feels like a fairly nice item.

 

[IROC-Z28]

Have never had a good experience with grip tite and have given them plenty of chances, usually wind up grabbing a nut thats i.d. is large enough to slide over the head of the stripped bolt's head then fill the large new nut with weld and remove. The heat of the weld typically helps.