Snap-on FRES torque spline 3/8" drive??

[Packard V8]

In a random small garage sale lot, there were four Snap-on FRES 3/8"drive torque spline adapters. Sixty years of this and never heretofore seen those. What is the application?

• Precision-crafted from special alloy steel and heat-treated for optimum strength and durability
• Nickel-chrome finish helps protect against corrosion and makes it easy to wipe clean
• Unique spline wrenching configuration can be used on ordinary 6 and 12 point fasteners
• Ideal for use with torque wrenches

jack vines

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

That's a good video explaining it.

 

[Theronswanson]

Diesel guys like them for turbo mounting nuts and bolts IIRC

 

[3baygarage]

I think spline is used quite a bit on aircraft. The wrenches always seem to turn up in used lots of aircraft and military tools.

 

[SilverJimmy]

Nice thing about spline drive is that they will work equally well on all fasteners, 6 & 12 point and spline.

 

[Packard V8]

I was wondering why these were inch-sizes; however, if they're for aircraft, aren't most aircraft fasteners still inch-spec?

jack vines

 

[NHtoolguy]

I was wondering why these were inch-sizes; however, if they're for aircraft, aren't most aircraft fasteners still inch-spec?

jack vines

Yes, most aircraft fasteners and fittings are inch-spec.

 

[Schurkey]

My Snappy spline torque adapter in 9/16 is used for stretching connecting-rod bolts.

Moving the ratchet off to the side allows room for the rod-bolt stretch gauge.

 

[neophyte]

I think spline is used quite a bit on aircraft. The wrenches always seem to turn up in used lots of aircraft and military tools.

This.
Spline fasteners are used on aircraft and for other specialty applications.
Snap-On makes Spline Sockets and Wrenches as well.
I don’t know whether using Spline wrenches and sockets on regular six point fasteners was always part of the design, but about 20-25 years ago, a lot of various tool manufacturers started to realize the Spline design could be used as a “Universal” design, for Six Point, Nd Twelve Point, and Four point, fasteners, and tried to market Spline as such, as well as for “rounded” fasteners.
SK even made both separate Metric and Inch sizes, back during the Facom ownership days.
The Spline push didn’t take off, do nowadays, you have “obscure” professional/Industrial versions, and “cheap” Import brands as the usual options, with the occasional exception such as the Proto ratcheting Spline wrenches.

 

[cvairwerks]

Yes, most aircraft fasteners and fittings are inch-spec.

Need to qualify that statement...Most US spec'd and built a/c are SAE. Brits use metric and British Standard, The French, Italians, Germans, Russians and Yugoslavs all use metric, unless it's a US spec, or compatible with US systems design.

 

[Cruzan80]

The French, Italians, Germans, Russians and Yugoslavs all use metric

Not for the past 30 years, they haven't...

 

[cvairwerks]

Not for the past 30 years, they haven't...

Soko is metric, Utva is metric, Aero East Europe is metric.

 

[Dave455]

Need to qualify that statement...Most US spec'd and built a/c are SAE. Brits use metric and British Standard, The French, Italians, Germans, Russians and Yugoslavs all use metric, unless it's a US spec, or compatible with US systems design.

The Brits used British Standard on designs originating prior to, I think, 1958.

From 1958 on the British aerospace industry used “Unified”, the joint initiative between the U.S, U.K, and Canada to standardise fastenings.

And so does the U.S. - it just so happens that Unified and SAE are so similar that few in the U.S. noticed, and of course “SAE” size wrenches are still the standard.

All Airbus airliners use unified. I think the only Airbus products that might not are some of the helicopters.

 

[Cruzan80]

Soko is metric, Utva is metric, Aero East Europe is metric.

I more meant that Yugoslavia hasn't existed for the past 30 yrs. Kind of like saying "The Soviets use metric" ...