Specialty Socket?

[seanb02]

Hey folks, I am on a quest for an impact socket that will fit the nut pictured below. It measures 1-13/16" across the flats. Ideally I would like a deep 4 point impact socket. However due to my inability to find any of those (I also have my Snap-on guy hunting) I am thinking a deep 12 point impact socket would work as well. Seems like all I can find on those are 6 point sockets or only shallow 12 point though, so maybe they don't exist either. The size of 12 point that would fit it is 2-3/16".

Any suggestions? The specific application is for a disk gang axle shaft retainer. To tighten the gangs (which happens on a regular basis) I've always done it by using an old beat up 18" adjustable wrench, and a 4 lb hammer. It would be much faster and less of a headache to constantly deal with if I could spin them down with an impact.

Perhaps if nothing else is available upgrading to a proper slugging wrench in that size would be a better way to go over using the adjustable. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[jask]

this might be your best bet..
https://www.grainger.com/product/PROTO-Impact-Socket-10H799

what is the nut used for?

 

[L.Cheapo]

https://www.zoro.com/wright-impact-socket-1-in-dr-1-1316-in-8-pt-8815/i/G7862206/

$60 after 20% coupon. Although drop ship from Zoro is hit or miss on how long you'll wait.

 

[plinker]

4558SD Grey penumatic 1-13/16 8pt deep socket 1" drive
https://www.tooltopia.com/grey-pneumatic-4558sd.aspx
Shows out of stock, but it's a starting point.

edit, amazon has one listed.
https://www.amazon.com/Grey-Pneumatic-4558SD-Socket/dp/B00NHGV4HC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=4558SD&qid=1551240905&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

[65k10]

Maybe you could have a socket made? I think that's what my dad did for a similar application for one of our discs (or maybe Ezee-on sold this tool. I'd have to ask him). Take some flat plate and cut a square hole in it of the right size and weld it to a short piece of pipe with a large enough diameter. Then drill two holes in the pipe so you can stick a bar into it. If I did a bad job explaining it, I'll try and dig it out in the morning and take a picture of it. I suppose if you wanted to, you could go a step further weld another plate on the other end of the socket so you could also attach it to a 3/4" or 1" drive ratchet.

 

[seanb02]

I never even thought to look for 8 point sockets! Thanks guys! Now the question on that is, with an 8 point socket is the size measured across the flats or corner to corner?

 

[plinker]

I never even thought to look for 8 point sockets! Thanks guys! Now the question on that is, with an 8 point socket is the size measured across the flats or corner to corner?

Good question, I would think flat to flat like a normal 6pt hex socket.

I know a 3/8 pipe plug socket will fit a 3/8 square drive just fine, so it'd have to be flat to flat.

 

[seanb02]

Maybe you could have a socket made? I think that's what my dad did for a similar application for one of our discs (or maybe Ezee-on sold this tool. I'd have to ask him). Take some flat plate and cut a square hole in it of the right size and weld it to a short piece of pipe with a large enough diameter. Then drill two holes in the pipe so you can stick a bar into it. If I did a bad job explaining it, I'll try and dig it out in the morning and take a picture of it. I suppose if you wanted to, you could go a step further weld another plate on the other end of the socket so you could also attach it to a 3/4" or 1" drive ratchet.

That makes sense, would likely be easy enough to make. Not sure if I have any miscellaneous scraps of 1/2" plate steel floating around, will have to do some digging. My welding skills are decent, but torch skills are quite lacking though, but it could be a good piece to practice with!

 

[seanb02]

Good question, I would think flat to flat like a normal 6pt hex socket.

I know a 3/8 pipe plug socket will fit a 3/8 square drive just fine, so it'd have to be flat to flat.

Being that with a 12 point socket the size that fits it steps up to 2-3/16" is what makes me wonder. Although flat to flat on an 8 point should be identical to a 4 point, it does make sense that the flat to flat to flat on a 12 point would be greater as there is reduced contact area.

 

[Snaparxon]

Can you just find a 6 point nut the right size? All the disc gangs I have done have been 6 point nuts.

8 point is measured across the flats.

 

[Kwikasfaki]

A multi hex socket will do it, although it probably won't be an impact socket.
6x2=12 corners inside 3x4=12 corners inside

 

[seanb02]

Can you just find a 6 point nut the right size? All the disc gangs I have done have been 6 point nuts.

No, because there is a metal locking tab that you hammer over the flat side to keep it from backing off. Not sure how the newer disk gangs are set up, this one is probably 50 years old. 13'4" John Deere.

 

[Snaparxon]

No, because there is a metal locking tab that you hammer over the flat side to keep it from backing off. Not sure how the newer disk gangs are set up, this one is probably 50 years old. 13'4" John Deere.

That is what I worked on, maybe a little newer, but we just double nutted it and used red loctite . Seems like the nuts were 2" or a 2-1/8" across the flats

 

[seanb02]

That is what I worked on, maybe a little newer, but we just double nutted it and used red loctite . Seems like the nuts were 2" or a 2-1/8" across the flats

Loctite is out since as the disks wear against the spools and spacers over time and loosen up the gangs need to be tightened and I don't want to fight with loctite in the field. This is a regular occurrence needing tightened as we completely wear out the disks in about 2 years time (22" to start, down to 15" or less diameter at time of replacement). When I first put the gangs together with new disks there usually isn't enough threaded shaft poking beyond the nut to get a good bite on a second nut.

Later on as they wear and the nut gets tightened in there is more protrusion and that idea would work. I suppose I could eliminate a few spacers during the initial set up and get two nuts on the end, then as it wears add the spacers back in, but that also creates more down time in the field for adjusting.

Maybe there is another type of locking nut that could be utilized. If they even make the nylock style that large I would think it would work for a while, but I was also thinking that over time dragging it through the dirt would wear out that plastic insert and it would start to back off.

 

[jask]

a disc gang?? what the heck is that? sounds like a break dance group.. some days I am so glad I was born in the city
Google says this set were OEM and that nut might be undersize:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Deere...614852?hash=item2154340044:g:ztgAAOSw8Dpb-zPo

 

[TTMotorsports]

I've made my own sockets for applications like that. Heavy wall box tube with a socket welded in the end or a thick plate with 3/4 or 1/2 inch square punched in it welded on the other end.

 

[seanb02]

a disc gang?? what the heck is that? sounds like a break dance group.. some days I am so glad I was born in the city
Google says this set were OEM and that nut might be undersize:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Deere...614852?hash=item2154340044:g:ztgAAOSw8Dpb-zPo

Nope, not undersized. Nut in my hand pictured is a brand new one. They made quite a few different sizes of axle shafts over the years. The ones on this disk are 1-1/4" while I have another disk that has 1-1/2" axle shafts. Depends on the model. Here are what these particular gangs look like, obviously not currently attached to the implement frame.

 

[seanb02]

I've made my own sockets for applications like that. Heavy wall box tube with a socket welded in the end or a thick plate with 3/4 or 1/2 inch square punched in it welded on the other end.

I'm thinking of trying it, I have all the old disks just removed from this. I could cut out the center section with the torch, weld two of them together to get more thickness, enlarge the square center to the needed size, then weld that to a thick wall pipe.

 

[WittHay]

Mild steel doesn't work to good for impacting. The home made stuff is usually used with ratchets.

The railroads use a lot of square bolts. 8 point impacts are sometimes called railroad sockets. Wright, Proto and imports like Grey Pneumatic.

The IH and Case IH disks just use regular 6 point nuts with locking tabs on the arbor bolts. Have used 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" thread size nylocks before on older disks and packers.

 

[gungatim]

no help, but I remember when I was in tech school and the snap-on rep came to hawk their tools. I specifically recall either in the film he showed or in his speal that "if a tool doesn't exist, let Snap-On know and they will make it for you".

wonder if that is still true?

 

[gatlibs]

"CONELOC NUT
Cleveloc NutThe Coneloc is an all metal prevailing torque type self-locking nut. The locking action is achieved by localised precision deformation of the thread in the cone section on top of the nut. When the nut is tightened onto the bolt, the thread is gripped on the flanks providing the locking action. Coneloc is a trade mark of NUTS BOLTS Limited" - http://www.boltscience.com/pages/glossary.htm

That is the type of locking nut that you would most likely want to use. If you are retightening them often, then I'd think that a normal 6 point and a thin 6 point jam nut might also work.

If slugging wrenches are an option, then are Crowsfoot wrenches an option?

 

[Outwest]

Checkout "railroad sockets". I know Wright makes them, 8 point. You may check the Harry Epstien web sight. Many discs came with a wrench to for the nuts on the gangs and to adjust the cutting angle on an offset disc. The ones I've seen are round tube with flat bar stock welded to the inside the size of the nut, then a long section of heavy flat bar welded on for the handle. It may be easier to use the appropriate size of square tubing and add shims for square nuts. I think you could adapt this to build a socket. Sorry, I've no pictures. Whatever you're tearing up must be some abrasive stuff! I've seen discs drug through rock piles for fields that haven't worn that quickly!