Recommendation for Clutch Head Sockets

[John in OH]

I'm looking for a set of 3/8" drive clutch-head sockets. There are a few styles and brands on different tool supplier sites, but none with a name-brand set ... all mystery brands.

Wondering if anyone here has, or has used, a set they could recommend and where it was purchased?

 

[NHBandit]

You must be working on a 50s Chevy truck. I'm in the same boat. Plenty of cheap imported **** on Ebay but dealing with rusty 60 year old bolts I don't have alot of confidence in those. Tagging this for reference since I'm in the same boat. In fact when I removed the rear fenders on my 56 truck I cut the heads of the bolts off with a cutoff wheel. Going to replace them with button head Allen bolts. Don't ya love the responses you get when you ask the tool guys at the big box places like Lowes & Home Depot ? They get that deer in the headlights look and haven't got a clue what you're talking about. I did get a set of the 3 smallest sizes of screwdriver bits by buying a $9.95 kit of bits at Harbor Fright. I imagine they'll twist off and ****** the screw the first time I use them though.

 

[John in OH]

You must be working on a 50s Chevy truck. I'm in the same boat. Plenty of cheap imported **** on Ebay but dealing with rusty 60 year old bolts I don't have alot of confidence in those. Tagging this for reference since I'm in the same boat. In fact when I removed the rear fenders on my 56 truck I cut the heads of the bolts off with a cutoff wheel. Going to replace them with button head Allen bolts. Don't ya love the responses you get when you ask the tool guys at the big box places like Lowes & Home Depot ? They get that deer in the headlights look and haven't got a clue what you're talking about. I did get a set of the 3 smallest sizes of screwdriver bits by buying a $9.95 kit of bits at Harbor Fright. I imagine they'll twist off and ****** the screw the first time I use them though.

Yep! 1951 Chevy 5700 cab-over-engine truck! Also, a 1951 John Deere B tractor. Haven't actually started work on either yet, just trying to get set up to begin some work on them as a pair of winter projects. I, too, found some of the el-cheapo hex-style bits for multi-tip screwdriver handle, but looking at the condition of these two projects I'm gonna need some "real" clutch head tools!

Old pics of projects:

 

[NHBandit]

Snap On used to sell them. I haven't seen a recent catalog in years. Maybe one of the Snap On guys here could tell us if they can still be ordered ?

 

[Steven67fr]

Proto used to sell them as well - they had the nice yellow plastic handle. Not sure how many sizes they offered - I've got two different sizes I believe. Found a pic on the garage gazette. I have the middle two sizes. I don't know if you NEED them to be a socket type attachment though - then these might not work. I like mine though!

Edit: I also have some snap on CH sockets from the early 40's I believe... but they're 9/32 drive. So higher quality examples are definitely out there. Maybe start watching epay for a set to come up.

 

[plinker]

http://store.snapon.com/SearchResults.aspx?q=clutch%20socket&departmentId=0&departmentName=All&Min=0&Max=0&FieldId=0&FieldValue=


Here's some to look at. Appear to be 1/4 drive though, for the most part.

Ebay would be another option as stated.

 

[lauver]

John,

I can't speak to your two project vehicles, but from experience they both look to be good candidates for clutch head tools.

I restored two Chevrolet pickups, 1949 and 1952 1/2 tons, and had mixed results in removing clutch head fasteners. On my trucks, the clutch head fasteners were limited to three areas; inside-the-cab trim sheet metal screws, under the hood accessory sheet metal screws, and fender clutch head bolts. The rest of the fasteners on these trucks were common hex head bolts or rivets.

The in-cab trim screws and under-the-hood accessory screws were easy to remove with the smaller (5/32" & 3/16") clutch head screwdrivers. No problems here, eazy peazy.

The clutch head fender bolts (5/16) were another matter as they were rusted tight. Clutch head screwdrivers were useless. I tried clutch head bit sockets and a hand impact driver with no luck. I heated the fender bolts with a small welding torch and applied liberal amounts of rust penetrants over a two week period, all to no avail; these bolts simply would not budge. I finally had to drill these bolts out and then used a bolt out to remove them after another shot with the welding torch. After removal, I discovered that NOS clutch fender bolts were the hardest things on earth to find. I replaced them all with grade 8 allen head bolts.

So, my point is, even armed with the best clutch head bit sockets and a hand impact driver, I think you are going to be disappointed, assuming your project vehicles are anything like mine were.

Just saying... be forewarned.

 

[lauver]

Steven67,

The photo of the 4 Proto clutch head drivers in your post above is/was mine.

I could spot them from 25 feet away. They are a prized posession among my vintage tools.

And good to see the photo circulating again.

 

[383 240z]

I needed a set for my 41 Chevy pick up. I bought a few sets from mid level tool companys and they were pretty sad. Ended up with a set from Snappy. Worked great pretty sure the smaller ones were 1/4" drive and the larger ones were 3/8" but I could be wrong. Keith

 

[rusty65]

Steven67,

The photo of the 4 Proto clutch head drivers in your post above is/was mine.

I could spot them from 25 feet away. They are a prized posession among my vintage tools.

And good to see the photo circulating again.

Cool photo of the drivers , the one clutch head screwdriver I have besides my two 3/8 drive snappy bit socket clutch heads is a Proto and is extremely well formed and dare I say better then the snappy bit socket versions I have.

 

[NHBandit]

OTC used to make the screwdriver type as well but when I sent them an email asking about them they replied that they were discontinued in 1970. Until I bought my 56 truck I had only ever run into them when rebuilding Holley carbs and these screws are always easy to remove with a modified Phillips I've had for years just for that reason. It is fun to carry one of the 3/8 clutch head bolts from my rear fenders around in my pocket and ask tool guys if they sell the correct bits. 9 times out of 10 it results in a blank stare. Be honest.. how many of you guys have never heard of them either ? LoL

 

[619DioFan]

Amazon has a 4 piece set in 3/8 drive for 20.00. has some decent reviews. made by cta tools. also at amazon are 1/4 inch clutch head bits in various sizes.

 

[wafrederick]

Matco used to make them too,been discontinued and no longer made.

 

[Steven67fr]

Steven67,

The photo of the 4 Proto clutch head drivers in your post above is/was mine.

I could spot them from 25 feet away. They are a prized posession among my vintage tools.

And good to see the photo circulating again.

That's too funny. We've got a tight community here! I was at work when posting and couldn't run snap a pic of the two I have so I just googled "Proto Clutch Head" and that was the best looking pic that came up.

I also love the two drivers that I have. Those proto handles are some of my favorite grips for torque and extended use comfort.

Nice set you've got there!!!

 

[tkjones1]

Try Davenport tractor. They are a restoration parts specialist for old Deere's.


Here's the link:

www.davenporttractor.com/p-314-hood-fastener-tool-3-8-drive.aspxrt

 

[NHBandit]

Try Davenport tractor. They are a restoration parts specialist for old Deere's.


Here's the link:

www.davenporttractor.com/p-314-hood-fastener-tool-3-8-drive.aspxrt

404 - File or directory not found

 

[MikeF2316]

OTC used to make the screwdriver type as well but when I sent them an email asking about them they replied that they were discontinued in 1970. Until I bought my 56 truck I had only ever run into them when rebuilding Holley carbs and these screws are always easy to remove with a modified Phillips I've had for years just for that reason. It is fun to carry one of the 3/8 clutch head bolts from my rear fenders around in my pocket and ask tool guys if they sell the correct bits. 9 times out of 10 it results in a blank stare. Be honest.. how many of you guys have never heard of them either ? LoL

Personally, I'd never heard of them and hadn't ever seen any until a thread on here a couple of months ago. The I looked at a cheap ratcheting screwdriver kit I'd bought with a zillion different bits in it, and there were some for clutch heads. I bought this kit because I was tired of running into screws that I didn't have a bit for. There's bits that look like 3 sided phillips, bits like phillips where the blades don't meet in the center, as well as 3 clutch head bits marked c1, c2 and c3.

 

[NHBandit]

Personally, I'd never heard of them and hadn't ever seen any until a thread on here a couple of months ago. The I looked at a cheap ratcheting screwdriver kit I'd bought with a zillion different bits in it, and there were some for clutch heads. I bought this kit because I was tired of running into screws that I didn't have a bit for. There's bits that look like 3 sided phillips, bits like phillips where the blades don't meet in the center, as well as 3 clutch head bits marked c1, c2 and c3.

Yep, Harbor Freight sells a similar set. Which raises another question. That set came with some Allen bits with a hole in the center similar to a tamper proof Torx bit. I have never seen a screw like that. Has anyone else ? Anyway back to clutch head stuff.. The problem is that on the old Chevy trucks (and evidently some tractors) they used large clutch head bolts and when they are 50+ years old & rusty you're not going to move them with a 1/4" screwdriver bit. I just bought this one on Ebay which is used mainly on 5/16 thread bolts and the bolt I showed a pic of is 3/8 thread and is used to hold the rear fenders on on the older trucks. I actually made a socket out of a cheap 3/8 drive torx head socket and the first time I used it I twisted the tip of it off. Threw it in the trash and cut the heads off all the bolts with a cutoff wheel. This is the 5/16 size and is used for the door striker bolts on my 56 truck among other things. I need to be able to loosen & tighten those bolts several times to get my doors to close properly so having a good quality socket is a must. I'm still looking for the 3/8 size which Snap On calls an F-29 http://www.ebay.com/itm/111207950338?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[RM209]

When I was a kid, my dad needed a clutch head screwdriver for a repair, and couldn't find one. Our neighbor had access to some machine tools, and modified a philips screwdriver;he said it was pretty easy. I suppose you could do the same thing with a philips bit socket.

Good luck

RM209

 

[Jim C.]

I very recently bought a set of old Craftsman branded type A and type G clutch head screw drivers. The Craftsman type A drivers came in 5/32", 1/4", and 5/16" sizes, while the type G sizes included 5/32", 3/16", 1/4", and 5/16". Prior to buying those drivers, I had run into some clutch heads screws on a couple old Corvettes, so I was on the lookout for clutch head drivers and/or sockets. Eventually I was able to track down three Craftsman 1/4" drive, type A, clutch head sockets in 5/32", 1/4", and 5/16" sizes, all with the =v= manufacturer's mark. I did a little research and found that Craftsman started offering clutch head screw drivers and sockets somewhere around 1960, and last offered them around 1968 or so. From what I could tell, the sizes I've listed above were the only ones offered by Craftsman.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

Like I was saying, Sears did carry clutch head sockets and drivers many years ago (1960s) under their Craftsman brand, but it doesn't seem like they were around for too long. Anyway, there are still vintage clutch head sockets and drivers are out there that were made by several different manufacturers. Just stay vigilant and keep an eye out for them. I very recently bought the drivers from a fellow GJ member and got the sockets a while back from guy that I routinely buy from on ebay.

Jim C.

 

[NHBandit]

Like I was saying, Sears did carry clutch head sockets and drivers many years ago (1960s) under their Craftsman brand, but it doesn't seem like they were around for too long. Anyway, there are still vintage clutch head sockets and drivers are out there that were made by several different manufacturers. Just stay vigilant and keep an eye out for them. I very recently bought the drivers from a fellow GJ member and got the sockets a while back from guy that I routinely buy from on ebay.

Jim C.

Very nice. What bums me out is how many old timers likely have good US made drivers collecting dust in their boxes, haven't got a clue what they're for, but that's where they will sit until hell freezes over. Then they will get thrown away after the estate sale because nobody else knew what they were either. Meanwhile the only commonly available versions are imported garbage. Which reminds me.. flea market tomorrow. I love digging through piles of stuff in the 50 cent bins looking for things like this.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Here you go, Snap-on make them:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=674799&store=snapon-store
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=674865&store=snapon-store

 

[Jim C.]

Very nice. What bums me out is how many old timers likely have good US made drivers collecting dust in their boxes, haven't got a clue what they're for, but that's where they will sit until hell freezes over. Then they will get thrown away after the estate sale because nobody else knew what they were either. Meanwhile the only commonly available versions are imported garbage.

Hey Bandit,

That's very true! I bought the screw drivers from a guy who didn't really know much about them, nor did he want them. Fortunately, however, he had the foresight to buy them and then ask some questions about what they were. (I think he picked them up at a flea market, garage sale, or something similar.) Anyway, when I got them, they were definitely grimy and grungy. After gently scrubbing them with a soft toothbrush and a little warm water and dish soap, they cleaned up pretty nicely. I finished with a light buffing using a #60 Dico 6" buffing wheel. I was very careful not to over restore them. If you notice, the three smaller drivers still have their original Sears $1.29 price tags on them. After cleaning all of them, it was apparent that these tools had been sitting in the bottom of a box, unused, for decades! Again, it was really fortunate that the guy I bought them from, although not knowing exactly what they were, had the presence of mind to pick them up hand on to them. Still, I think you're right. Many good old tools like this probably just get pitched.

Jim C.

 

[Provincial]

Yep, Harbor Freight sells a similar set. Which raises another question. That set came with some Allen bits with a hole in the center similar to a tamper proof Torx bit. I have never seen a screw like that. Has anyone else ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/111207950338?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I have seen the tamper-proof Allens in public restrooms. They have a little boss in the center of the hex that keeps a regular Allen bit from engaging properly.

As easy as the "tamper-proof" bits are to acquire, one wonders if it is worth the effort to use the hardware.