Has anyone tried a Stahlwille 12615 nut splitter? I've got a sized locknut and would rather just replace the nut, seen a lot of mixed reviews for the cheap asian but splitters so thinking a German one might stand up to some usage. 
Stahlwille nut splitter
- Thread starter f121
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Kscardsfan
Well-known member
These always seemed to be hit and miss for how well they worked for me. I think German would be better than Asian no name import though.
scooby074
Well-known member
Ive never had much luck with nut splitters in general.
Dave455
Well-known member
The only nut splitters I’ve had much success with are the hydraulic ones, as shown below.
Much like corn chip above, I haven’t used one for some years. When I’ve had to cut off a seized nut I’ve either used an angle grinder with a thin kerf disc, or latterly, my Fein Multimaster.
Much like corn chip above, I haven’t used one for some years. When I’ve had to cut off a seized nut I’ve either used an angle grinder with a thin kerf disc, or latterly, my Fein Multimaster.
goldtang
Well-known member
Only ever used a hammer and cold chisel only down side is. When you can’t get a good hit used a couple of nut spitters that I have been given to try and gave them back not sure of the make
timgunn1962
Well-known member
No experience of the Stahlwille, personally.
Generally with nut splitters, you get what you pay for. I have a similar-sized Facom one (maybe slightly bigger- it'll do M20 nuts, which are 30mm across the flats) and it has worked superbly for many years, usually on either 8.8 (roughly grade5 equivalent) or A2 stainless steel metric fasteners. Occasional use only, usually on weathered/corroded nuts/bolts fitted to pipe flanges out on closed landfill sites. The pipes are usually carrying flammable landfill gas, so a grinder is out for safety reasons.
In smaller sizes, I've had experience of cheap ones and been singularly unimpressed. Good ones are very effective, but not cheap.
Lubrication of the forcing screw is important and you will usually need to stop the splitter itself moving as you wind in the screw. It's why there are flats on the body. I use an adjustable wrench.
It pays to clarify the sizing before ordering: some certainly seem to go by the size of the hole and that is very different from the across-flats dimension of the nut.
The Sykes Pickavant grease-ram Hydraulic ones that Dave455 shows are superb. Usually better in tight-spots than the others too.
When looking at reviews, bear in mind that nut-splitters are something you'll only ever reach for AFTER something has already started going quite badly wrong. I would not expect even the best to achieve 100% success, in terms of fixing the problem.
Generally with nut splitters, you get what you pay for. I have a similar-sized Facom one (maybe slightly bigger- it'll do M20 nuts, which are 30mm across the flats) and it has worked superbly for many years, usually on either 8.8 (roughly grade5 equivalent) or A2 stainless steel metric fasteners. Occasional use only, usually on weathered/corroded nuts/bolts fitted to pipe flanges out on closed landfill sites. The pipes are usually carrying flammable landfill gas, so a grinder is out for safety reasons.
In smaller sizes, I've had experience of cheap ones and been singularly unimpressed. Good ones are very effective, but not cheap.
Lubrication of the forcing screw is important and you will usually need to stop the splitter itself moving as you wind in the screw. It's why there are flats on the body. I use an adjustable wrench.
It pays to clarify the sizing before ordering: some certainly seem to go by the size of the hole and that is very different from the across-flats dimension of the nut.
The Sykes Pickavant grease-ram Hydraulic ones that Dave455 shows are superb. Usually better in tight-spots than the others too.
When looking at reviews, bear in mind that nut-splitters are something you'll only ever reach for AFTER something has already started going quite badly wrong. I would not expect even the best to achieve 100% success, in terms of fixing the problem.