Name of this screwdriver tip?

[jdewitt]

Any ideas what this screwdriver tip is called? I'm sure one of you guys knows what it is.

 

[nadogail]

Clutch Head, they were used on General Motors Cars

 

[jdewitt]

Thanks for the response. The clutch head I'm familiar with is more of an hourglass/bowtie shape without the center barrel/cylinder part.

 

[nadogail]

Thanks for the response. The clutch head I'm familiar with is more of an hourglass/bowtie shape without the center barrel/cylinder part.

I may be mistaken.

 

[jdewitt]

Yeah, I could be wrong too. It's happened before!

 

[Wamsutta]

There's a type "A" and a type "G" clutch head.

 

[goldtang]

I may be mistaken.

You may be not

Clutch-head screwdrivers

progress-is-fine.blogspot.com

 

[bobg03]

Thanks for the response. The clutch head I'm familiar with is more of an hourglass/bowtie shape without the center barrel/cylinder part.

That's the only one I have ever had, it was quite popular on every RV I owned in the 80's and 90's.

IIRC my 89 Chevy Pick-Up had some of them and also the new to me Torx heads at the time. T15 for taillights and headlights.

 

[KnurledNut]

 

[jdewitt]

Thanks everyone. It looks like it is indeed clutch type A.

 

[Red 17]

I remember my dad cursing them.....

 

[alfadan]

My dad had maybe 3 of the type G drivers. They're still in his toolbox; I'll have to look at them again.
Ive always wondered what the hell they're for.

 

[bonneyman]

My dad had maybe 3 of the type G drivers. They're still in his toolbox; I'll have to look at them again.
Ive always wondered what the hell they're for.

I think they were the original "tamper-resistant" screw head. Or someone's idea of making a driver tip with more contact area to reduce cam-out.

 

[driftpin]

I needed two different sizes of clutch head screwdrivers to be able to disassemble various pieces of our 1957 Chevrolet project. There were clutch heads used in the area of the dashboard and the engine compartment braces on the hood as well as the gas filler assembly behind the left tail light.

I have a couple of round Craftsman screwdriver tip dispensers that have a clear plastic cap-piece which has two holes in it. You swivel the clear plastic cap to select the tip you want to come out. In those there is one and I think maybe two of the clutch head tips not having the circle in the middle. Those things must be 40 years old maybe older, the Craftsman screwdriver tip selection containers.

 

[Wrench97]

P series GM vans used them well into the 80s.

 

[d42jeep]

I have an Apex driver for that type of clutch head. I’ve never found that style of screw to use it on.
I have a decent selection for the other style of clutch head screws. I have that type on my ‘63 van.
-Don

 

[chris142]

Clutch Head, they were used on General Motors Cars

And Holley carburetors

 

[mark-NJ]

...And Ampeg Guitar amplifiers

 

[Ballinator]

John Deere used them as well.

The cylinder in the center of the Type A was to help the driver 'self center' when using a power driver on an assembly line.

The screws were intended to 'lock on' to the screw with a 'clutch like connection' - eliminating the need for a screw holding screwdriver. It kinda works.

I've never seen a dedicated Type A driver IRL, only the Type G ones.

I did a lore video on them a while back:

 

[alfadan]

They seemed like a pretty good idea, actually.

 

[four.cycle]

Indestro clutch head screwdriver and drive bit set

 

[KnurledNut]

They seemed like a pretty good idea, actually.

I like how the straight profile allows a worn tip to be renewed with a few passes on a bench grinder. Much like hex keys. An advantage over most other driver styles.

 

[ohhimark]

And Holley carburetors

I bought a set branded (manufactured by?) Danchuk for rebuilding an 1850 and haven't needed them since.

 

[Badger 13]

And I still have 2 Snap-on ones.

 

[ALinCarolina]

I lived in a small house trailer while a student in the early 70s and had to buy one of those screwdrivers at Sears since that was how it was put together.

 

[NoahG]

There is one j box in my basement and the cover is held on with two type A clutch screws.

Interestingly, Dewalt still makes insert bits in Type A style.


Here’s a nice old blog post on clutch variations. It’s interesting that a selling feature of the drive system was that it was field serviceable with the normal slotted drivers you already own - no need to buy special tools!

Clutch-head screwdrivers

progress-is-fine.blogspot.com

 

[tooljunkie4]

"In Brightest Day..."