oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
With tomorrow's BOGO deal that Astro Tools is doing on their Extra Deep 3/8" set to get a free 3/8 Nano Socket ratchet, it's got me thinking about use cases for these. I've never "needed" any of them yet, but whether I pre-buy something to have just in case, or at the very least understand the right tool so when I come across it, I know what to order. There's been two threads I've read recently about strut installs plus this sale tomorrow got me interested in the topic.
I came up with four types of fasteners that might require either an Extra Deep or Pass Thru socket or Ratcheting wrench (or dual drive Nano Sockets + Ratcheting Wrench):
All of the bolts are red, the nuts are blue. All of the bolts are "long"
A- you have a recessed deep nut. I think Extra Deep is the only thing that will work.
B- Full access to a nut on a deep bolt. Any of them should work. The Extra Deep socket might not work fully depending on how long the bolt is. I think even a non-ratcheting combination wrench could work too, just put it on the nut and spin the wrench all the way around in a circle.
C- has limited access from the opposite side of the bolt (in green) which might make it so an extra deep socket can't be used because there's not enough clearance for the ratchet head plus socket.
D- has no front obstruction, but has side obstructions, so you can't put a combination wrench on and free spin it 360 degrees over and over until the nut seats. If there was both side and front obstructions, this would be a job that only a 4-way angle wrench could deal with.
Then there's also variations where you need to access through the rear of the tool, like on a strut, in which case all of the listed tools but extra deep socket will work.
Is there any other type of fastener access I missed that would impact the type of tool needed?
The only tool that seems to have overlap and be unnecessary is pass-thru sockets, if you have ratcheting wrenches with a protruded lip of all of the sizes. But it seems like there's scenarios where only an extra-deep socket will work (A), scenarios where literally anything will work (B), and then scenarios where you need either a pass thru socket or a full set of ratcheting wrenches (C and D).
Though both C and D might be doable with open end wrenches. C with a regular open end wrench and D with a 4-way angle wrench. Not fun, but doable, and the first priority is being able to do the job at all, the second priority is doing it with speed and efficiency.
I came up with four types of fasteners that might require either an Extra Deep or Pass Thru socket or Ratcheting wrench (or dual drive Nano Sockets + Ratcheting Wrench):
All of the bolts are red, the nuts are blue. All of the bolts are "long"
A- you have a recessed deep nut. I think Extra Deep is the only thing that will work.
B- Full access to a nut on a deep bolt. Any of them should work. The Extra Deep socket might not work fully depending on how long the bolt is. I think even a non-ratcheting combination wrench could work too, just put it on the nut and spin the wrench all the way around in a circle.
C- has limited access from the opposite side of the bolt (in green) which might make it so an extra deep socket can't be used because there's not enough clearance for the ratchet head plus socket.
D- has no front obstruction, but has side obstructions, so you can't put a combination wrench on and free spin it 360 degrees over and over until the nut seats. If there was both side and front obstructions, this would be a job that only a 4-way angle wrench could deal with.
Then there's also variations where you need to access through the rear of the tool, like on a strut, in which case all of the listed tools but extra deep socket will work.
Is there any other type of fastener access I missed that would impact the type of tool needed?
The only tool that seems to have overlap and be unnecessary is pass-thru sockets, if you have ratcheting wrenches with a protruded lip of all of the sizes. But it seems like there's scenarios where only an extra-deep socket will work (A), scenarios where literally anything will work (B), and then scenarios where you need either a pass thru socket or a full set of ratcheting wrenches (C and D).
Though both C and D might be doable with open end wrenches. C with a regular open end wrench and D with a 4-way angle wrench. Not fun, but doable, and the first priority is being able to do the job at all, the second priority is doing it with speed and efficiency.
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