Nut Drivers- Why and when?

[UncleJoe]

Make the case for using a nut driver. Why not just a socket and ratchet?

Educate me and any others here that do not see the advantages. I always like learning a better way of doing things but I am having a hard time seeing the advantage of having a set of Nut Drivers.

Enlighten me so I have a good excuse to buy another set of tools.

 

[Mickey O]

Electricians, HVAC techs and appliance installers and service people. Do a search there was a thread almost identical to this one not too long ago.

 

[enginenut]

Use routinely on screw type hose clamps. 5/16 and 1/4 fit most and save lots of screwdriver slips.

 

[arkangel06]

When the time comes you will know....

 

[TheCarbideRat]

Honda distributor caps.

 

[Fedwrench]

Make the case for using a nut driver. Why not just a socket and ratchet?

There's a lot of plastic on a modern car. Some of these components get damaged if you crank on them with a 1/4 drive ratchet. screwdrivers as was pointed out, often slip on hose clamp screws. Sometimes, there are nuts holding brackets or wiring harnesses. Coil on plug retainers, and the list goes on. Sometimes it's just easier to turn a nut driver than a ratchet.

you don't need a whole set though. Depending on what you work on, common sizes such as 1/4, 5/16, 5.5mm, 7, 8, and 10mm will do nicely. Of coures you could just use a spinner handle and your 1/4 drive sockets too or a handheld cordless screwdriver with a 1/4 square drive adapter. The spinner handle can be real handy if it has a 1/4 square drive opening in the handle end as you can attach a ratchet if the fastener is too tight to budge by hand

 

[Joe B.]

If you don't need the torque provided by a ratchet and you don't have an obstruction, a better question would be why do you need a socket & ratchet?

 

[scottmlew]

It's sometimes much more convenient to have a screwdriver-type handle than a ratchet handle, either for comfort or for clearance issues. A driver handle would also give you a screwdrver-style handle, but for commonly used sizes, it's not as convenient to keep changing the socket.

Although I don't have them yet, I really like the Mac nutdrivers, and it's the set I have my eye on!

 

[paramedic]

when you have low torque things your working on they are much faster than a 1/4 inch ratchet and socket

 

[Scout Driver]

A nutdriver with a hollow shaft will work like a 'super deep' deep well socket. The odd application where a nut has to be spun down a very long stud would be an example of where they would be handy.

Scott

 

[Merkava_4]

Nut drivers are indispensable tools. For small hex head screws and nuts, they give you more feel for the final torque you're applying.

 

[MattT]

Of coures you could just use a spinner handle and your 1/4 drive sockets too or a handheld cordless screwdriver with a 1/4 square drive adapter.

That's what works for me.

FWIW I can also control the amount of torque I apply with a 1/4 ratchet. I guess nutdrivers are a must have for Mongo types who don't know their own strength

 

[MrMark]

nut drivers allow you to be more precise and they are very convenient. I like them in the sizes Fedwrench posted. I have Wiha and they are excellent.

 

[Kev442]

Over the last 20 some years, I have worn out about 3 or 4 7mm nut drivers on the job.

 

[Eric Nordstrom]

Do some work on electronics, You'll see. Or "feel". Cable gear is one.

 

[RLRRLRLL]

i think my next impulse by will be nut drivers...damn my obsession.

 

[crewchief888]

There's a lot of plastic on a modern car. Some of these components get damaged if you crank on them with a 1/4 drive ratchet. screwdrivers as was pointed out, often slip on hose clamp screws. Sometimes, there are nuts holding brackets or wiring harnesses. Coil on plug retainers, and the list goes on. Sometimes it's just easier to turn a nut driver than a ratchet.

you don't need a whole set though. Depending on what you work on, common sizes such as 1/4, 5/16, 5.5mm, 7, 8, and 10mm will do nicely. Of coures you could just use a spinner handle and your 1/4 drive sockets too or a handheld cordless screwdriver with a 1/4 square drive adapter. The spinner handle can be real handy if it has a 1/4 square drive opening in the handle end as you can attach a ratchet if the fastener is too tight to budge by hand

ive have several sets of nutdrivers, the sizes you mention are the only ones i keep in with my work tools, i use 1/4, 5/16 on a daily basis for hose clamps, and 10mm is needed for them damn foreign engines
smaller truck bodies ( F550, 11ft fibrebody ) ,only have so much room for tool boxes and parts

 

[mkdive]

i think my next impulse by will be nut drivers...damn my obsession.

I know how you feel....after I saw this set It was the next on the list!

Look away!!!!

 

[ujmchris]

mmmmm... a rainbow of hard handles

... anyway, I used to do super-mileage competitions and a 1/4" nut driver was a mandatory tool for changing fuel bottles (hose clamps). Also as noted, they're nice for electrical work where you have longer studs with nuts on them.
I much prefer them over a magnetic screwdriver with an adapter as the adapter always seams to fall out.

 

[scottmlew]

If the metric SOs had the colorful design that the SAEs do, I would have bought them long ago!

 

[RLRRLRLL]

I know how you feel....after I saw this set It was the next on the list!

Look away!!!!

I just got kinda turned on......

 

[pfbz]

I use them all the time... I have a few sets but these are the ones I usually reach for.

Wiha made in Germany, $36 on Amazon.

 

[mrpowderkeg]

Hose clamps, fender and hood mock ups, anything you need to snug but not go tight on. I got a set of proto nut drivers in a nifty red box, up to 5/8. I'm surprised at how often the larger sizes come in handy

 

[ossaguy]

I have the SO set,and they come in handly.I actually wad up a tiny piece of paper towel and stuff in the hex head,so I can push against the bolt head to get it threaded into the fastener that's on the machine I'm working on ( everythings all dirty and grimey )

I find myself reaching for one to hold a nut in place,while impacting the bolt on with the cordless impact a lot.

Steve

 

[geko29]

Nutdrivers also enable you to back out a screw/nut all the way with one hand, which is impossible with a ratchet unless the threads are galled or otherwise sticky. Once you break the fastener, there's not enough tension to reset the ratchet. So either you have to grab and release the socket repeatedly to manually reset it after each swing, or drop the ratchet and back the screw out the rest of the way with your fingers. With a nutdriver, you just break the screw and keep turning until it's out.

Same deal for reinstalling--the ratchet is only really useful for the last 2-3 rotations at best, whereas the nutdriver can place the screw and run it all the way down to your desired torque all in one shot.

I don't have occasion to use my nutdrivers terribly often, but they're a huge timesaver when I do. Used them last weekend to take apart my breaker box (hex head sheet metal screws)--way faster than either a ratchet or a flathead.

 

[Titus]

I have a supercharger and intercooler on my Miata. There are 7 hose clamps for the intake and intercooler piping. It seems like I am always removing and re-installing these to work on things under them. Using nut drivers save me a lot of time on these and I can't even imagine getting to some of the hose clamps with a ratchet.

 

[Brad54]

Every set of sockets I've ever bought has come with a screwdriver handle for the 1/4-drive sockets, giving me deep-well, shallow, standard and metric nut drivers. I've used them often, but never saw the need to buy a set of dedicated nut drivers.
In fact, I had some from Craftsman and re-gifted them.

If I was an electrician or HVAC tech that didn't carry around a set of sockets, I could see having them (someone who doesn't keep a stocked tool box near them, works out of a tool belt or bucket of tools, etc), but for an auto mechanic with all their tools right there, they're redundant.

What's really the cat's *** is a 1/4-drive adapter on my ratcheting screwdriver.

-Brad

 

[sberry]

I have about 10 sets, use them constantly. I keep adding 5/16 and 7/16. I throw away any hose clamp (on equipment mostly) that doesnt have common size. Beats screwdrivers on clamps and wrenches on a lot of small nuts.

 

[bushhawg73]

As stated they are great for electrical work along with hose clamps. All you need are a few common sizes. Other applications can be met with a driver style handle and your 1/4 sockets. My favorite driver style handles have the 1/4 female in the end for those stuck fasteners. Snap on and Cornwell sell nice ones.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I know how you feel....after I saw this set It was the next on the list!

Look away!!!!

When I see those, my eyes open up like a little kids, when they see a batch of balloons.

 

[dfndr]

Wish I hadn't seen those beautiful Snap On's. How much are the?

 

[baubau]

i use 7, 8, 10 and 12 mm nut drivers on daily basis...i work as an autobody technician so i always have to install and adjust panels on cars, especially aftermarket.....these nut drivers are much more handy and easier to screw bolts on gently just to see how parts fit..i always do small adjustments, so i need to push or pull with one hand and tight bolts with another..easier to hold nut driver or t handle driver than a ratchet.....aftermarket bolts and nuts are made of cheap steel so i have to be careful not to ruin threads...

plus, they fit into my pockets, especially 10mm nut driver, its irreplacable..

and when i need to speed things up, i use 3/8 cordless impact, much faster and better than ratchet.....

 

[MadMark]

When you are an electrician or hvac tech, high up on a ladder you don't want to fumble with a socket and a spinner handle.
Thats why the nut drivers are color coded, you can look in your tool pouch and grab the correct size with one hand.
If you tried to reach for a 1/4" socket, you could drop it and never see it again.

 

[mkdive]

Wish I hadn't seen those beautiful Snap On's. How much are the?

Set of seven lists for $149.95 off the SO website.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...2&group_ID=746&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I jumped on a CL last week and scored this set of eight drivers for $40!!!!
I have been wanting that set for about a year now. Never thought I would see a CL deal on them....much less for that price. I wish they guy still had the tray....but heck for that price I'm not going to complain. A week later I'm still stoked about it.

 

[Nuit Damnant]

Does anyone else hear the price of SO nutdrivers inflating on Ebay after this thread?

 

[07Forester]

For some reason, in my toolbox thread I only seemed to captured ONE of my 6 sets. 4 Of them are SO and 2 are Matco. I really wish I could change the metric SO sets to the colored handles. I would probably do ANYTHING to have that happen. Sometimes, like people said, it's just EASIER and more efficient to use a set of nut drivers. To be honest out of the sets I won...Matco makes the best ones. Anyway. Here's the ones I own.

 

[quneur]

I could have used one a few days ago working on a table saw. The mounting bolts for the motor were way too close towards the edge of the 'U' shaped bracket. Had to use a socket and extension with the socket angled off the bolt to get it off.

 

[speed bump]

A ratchet, sockets and extensions is just so clunky and slow compared to grabbing the right one in the right length and being done.

 

[scottmlew]

Matcos are nice, except they are not color coded in any way, are they? That's why I like the new Mac's for metric -- colored shafts, very obvious color coding!

 

[lbgradwell]

I carry one in my electrical pouch - a 5/16" Wiha similar to (just deeper sockets) than the ones pictured by pfbz above.

The green ground screws are all 5/16"...