Simple Socket question

[texchappy]

So working on my Jag with a lot of bolts and bits that are hard to replace, I want to get the sockets that are least likely to round over.

So what sockets would serve me the best? Most of the bolts/nuts are metric. No particular size in mind because there is a wide size range in my car.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

heat and snap on sockets/ gearwrench/ect

 

[Chuck122]

Although this is a really touchy subject, I will suggest you look into 6 points and not 12 points. I believe they are less likely to round off, but there really is a lot of debate on that

 

[blackz26]

Hard to answer without a budget.

 

[rancherbill]

6 point sockets

 

[d.mcfarland]

Not sure where the OP is located, but the 6 vs 12 point issue is of much more concern to those in the rust belt.

 

[doan]

How can 6-point ever be a negative?

 

[texchappy]

Budget for any single socket is up to Snap-on products. Somehow, (ie dumb luck) I've ended up with all 6 points up to this point in sockets. The load exception to this is when I got 3/8 set I got really crappy universal C'man from China.

I'm located in Fort Riley, Kansas.

I prefer USA but ok with European or Japan COO, but please no Chinese or Taiwan.

 

[tyndall]

How can 6-point ever be a negative?

When you're stuck staring at a 12 point fastener, which is fairly common on european cars.

 

[Dave455]

O.k. - some clarification here. 12 point (or bihexagon) sockets are for use on regular 6 sided nuts.

The advantage, particularly for wrenches, I that you only have to turn the fastener through half the angle before you have to remove and reposition!

Provided you are using quality (I.e. hard) fasteners I would prefer 12 point, however... few modern metric fasteners are that good, so I'd generally go for 6 point!

You don't specify which Jag you have, but if it's metric I'd buy the best quality 6 point sockets I could afford in the standard sizes!

 

[texchappy]

Jag= 1994 Jaguar XJS 4.0L straight six convertible.

 

[Dave455]

Very nice!

I'm fairly sure the older XJS's used standard unified bolts which would need 'a/f' sockets (regular inch sizes if you are in the USA).

I've never played with a later one but metric doesn't surprise me! Change for the sake of it has always been the way for the Britisj motor industry!

Xk8's use bolts of 4,5,6,8,10 and 12mm with heads of 7,8,10,13,17 and 19mm respectively, so if your car uses the same I'd start with half a dozen 6 point 3/8 drive sockets from any reputable manufacturer. Snap On, Stahlwille or such like if you can run to it, any reputable USA make otherwise!

Be warned though that some British vehicles from this period don't use standard metric sizes, and I've found some with part metric and part unified!!

Enjoy!!!

 

[redline380]

I've found some with part metric and part unified!!

happens all the time over here on things like chevy trucks, or american made equipment with foreign engines such as cummins. recently i saw a 6.8l john deere engine out of a 844 lull with a sticker on the engine saying be careful cause there are metric and sae fastners.

to op, any high quality 6 point sockets will do you well. i personally love my max x6 sockets, but thats my opinion. as for 6 point/12 pont, use 6 on 6 and 12 on 12. simple as that.

 

[texchappy]

Cheers for the responses. Quality 6 point socket.

As to the type of the fasteners, yeah, a real hodge podge. '94 is 'supposed' to have gone to torx screws but as mine is early build it still has Pozidriv - except for the huge torn on the under-bonnet cross beams that used to be a PZ4.

 

[Dave455]

Yes, the British motor industry didn't seem to go for Phillips much, they were probably still fitting parts by hand anyway back then, but when Pozidriv was introduced (in the late 60's if memory serves) they went for that big time, and it's still standard in the U.K. today. Pozidriv 4 was common for things that needed big short screws like door hinges.

Torx is probably an improvement, but it allows softer fasteners to be used, which isn't! I keep my No. 4 Pozidriv driver to hand if required!!

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Go with some sets of Williams USA sockets. Snap-On sockets with a different logo stamped in. ZTSupply on Ebay (also on here as well) carries a lot of stuff, or search on Amazon. I was going to go with all Snap-On until I bought my first set of Williams for 1/3 the price. I have some Snap-On sockets mixed in to fill gaps and there is no difference between sockets.