Spline Sockets...What do you Think?
- Thread starter DrkMtnDew
- Start date
Ive never been even remotely interested in them. To be perfectly honest, Ive never even picked up a set to check them out. Just seems like another gimmick to me, but what do I know?
I would also like to hear some thoughts from people that own them.
I would also like to hear some thoughts from people that own them.
dankicksass
Well-known member
Always seemed sloppy to me but one of my buddies swears by them. I don't think he has anything that isn't spline.
LGMechanical
Well-known member
I bought a single 5/8" for breaking loose starter bolts and adjusting clutches on big rigs.
I didn't really wan't the spline but thats how they come. What I noticed is they bite into the fastener and strip it if its tight. Other times it'll get wedged on and can be hard to pull out.
I'd recommend spline for light duty applications, and only if it saves you time not having to switch from 6 point to 12, and so on.
i was kinda thinking a lot of the same things about them and didn't want them in my toolbox. but in a moment of weakness i bought a 30pc. tiawanese MAC set for 80% off of retail. figured if i liked them i'd keep them, if not i can probably get my money back out of them.
I picked up a set a while ago, from Sears, and have used them twice. Both times were on 12 pt bolts and they did the job. The second time was on a Jeep wheel bearing bolt that rusted into the knuckle, had my long 3/8" ratchet on it and had to put most of my weight into turning it but with enough heat it came out. They aren't my first choice but when its the only socket I have that fits its what I use.
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
Not a bad set for the junkyard/pay and pull bag. Fits most fasteners and more than likely you don;t care if the fasteners are re-useable or not.
Other than that, it's the attempt to let a lot of people think they can get by with fewer tools than they really need.
Reminds me of that old saying, "That to a man with only a hammer, every problem is a nail."
strip it? i thought these things were designed to grab rounded bolts?
I bought a single 5/8" for breaking loose starter bolts and adjusting clutches on big rigs.
I didn't really wan't the spline but thats how they come. What I noticed is they bite into the fastener and strip it if its tight. Other times it'll get wedged on and can be hard to pull out.
I'd recommend spline for light duty applications, and only if it saves you time not having to switch from 6 point to 12, and so on.
LGMechanical
Well-known member
It will just skip across the fastener if its tight. Not saying it's useless, but it's definately no miracle tool.
relic7680
Well-known member
I have a set of the black finish made in China Craftsmans that have the spline type box ends on them. They're good for rounded off heads....got mine on sale so they were worth it.
AZ_Catskinner
Well-known member
I bought a set of the Craftsmans for damaged bolts and they work really well for it.
A cheap asian 3/8" OEM branded set had to be tried a few years ago. They are a bit sloppy feeling on a few sizes but grip bolts nicely, really useful for damaged bolts.
I'll still grab a 6pt set first but these are useable and very well made.
I'll still grab a 6pt set first but these are useable and very well made.
balane
Well-known member
Are they more likely to damage a fastener than regular wrenches?
shampoop
Well-known member
Was given a set of craftsman raised panel oxide finish spline drive wrenches as a gift. I keep them as a spare set at my friends house, haven't used them yet. From what I've heard they sound like a good idea for working on very rusty cars. We don't really have any rusty cars in the northwest.
Poorly designed spline tools, especially ones that are supposedly universal fit to both SAE and metric, are totally ****. They'll round over a fastener in a heartbeat.
On the other hand, top quality spline tools (I've personally used Proto and Matco) will grab the utter hell out of even a badly rounded fastener and break it loose without rounding it further even if it's on there TIGHT. I have several times brought over a spline wrench to save someone's *** when their tool-truck-brand 12 and 6 point wrenches were just spinning right around the fastener's head. On the downside, if you really pull on them, they do grab the fastener hard enough to leave marks, so I wouldn't use them on decorative chrome hardware. At this point, though, I'd never want to go back to not having a couple sets of spline wrenches in my toolbox.
I think more than most tools, splines are a case where you get what you pay for and the good ones aren't cheap.
On the other hand, top quality spline tools (I've personally used Proto and Matco) will grab the utter hell out of even a badly rounded fastener and break it loose without rounding it further even if it's on there TIGHT. I have several times brought over a spline wrench to save someone's *** when their tool-truck-brand 12 and 6 point wrenches were just spinning right around the fastener's head. On the downside, if you really pull on them, they do grab the fastener hard enough to leave marks, so I wouldn't use them on decorative chrome hardware. At this point, though, I'd never want to go back to not having a couple sets of spline wrenches in my toolbox.
I think more than most tools, splines are a case where you get what you pay for and the good ones aren't cheap.
LGMechanical
Well-known member
The one I bought bought is a Matco, but I'm sure it's a rebranded Gearwrench.
Hammer1963
Well-known member
I have had great success using them. They will take off fasteners that have been abused from cheap sloppy tools or improperly used tools. Personally I like the Spline wrenches from Matco and no they are not rebranded Gearwrench. None of their ratcheting wrenches are made by them. While they are Taiwanese, they are top quality tools. The topic has been discussed a few times on here. I'd do a search on them and see what those searches reveal
I still dont see a need for them. Ive got plenty of 12 and 6 point tools in metric and standard. I also have a set of sockets to remove damaged fasteners and when all else fails I keep some craftsman 12 point stuff in my box to hammer onto things.
I suppose if you are not completely setup yet they might have a place in a box.
I suppose if you are not completely setup yet they might have a place in a box.
They can remove fasteners that your 6 and 12 point stuff you have now will just spin right around. They don't mess up a fastener as badly as a damaged-fastener-remover (assuming you mean the helical edged things) will. They leave the fastener re-usuable if you reach for them first. There's a number of fasteners on the cars I work on that I expect to be problematic. High torque, lots of chemical corrosion, and soft metal heads. If I try a 6 or 12 point wrench on them first, it'll usually mangle the head and then I have to use a spline on it anyway and then throw the bolt out. If I use the spline first, it usually comes off without any damage, allowing me to wire brush the bolt, anti-seize it, and reuse it.