Thin / short metric sockets?

[R-mm]

I am about to pull and replace the motor on my Alfa for the second time this month. To make this unfortunate re-do a bit easier on myself I would love the thinnest / shortest metric sockets available. Typical range for tight access connections is 10-17mm. 1/4in and or 3/8in drive. I usually like Euro/German brands but open minded for quality stuff.

 

[gjusername]

koken zeal -

Koken Z-Series 3285ZA-72T | 3/8" Square Drive Socket Set, 15 pieces

Palmac Tool Company offers the Koken Z-Series 3285ZA | 3/8" Square Drive Socket Set, 15 pieces to order online with a best Price Guarantee. Fast Shipping Available.

palmac.net

 

[R-mm]

Very nice thanks for sharing, I didn't know that brand. Presume actually made in Japan?

Do you happen to have OD dims for some of them, say 10mm, 13mm 17mm?

 

[measuredtwice]

Very nice thanks for sharing, I didn't know that brand. Presume actually made in Japan?

Do you happen to have OD dims for some of them, say 10mm, 13mm 17mm?

Made in Japan. You can get them from Palmac, Amazon Japan, Ko-ken USA and other sources.

 

[R-mm]

Thanks. Defintely small. Stahlwille was the smallest I had found to date and these are smaller still.

 

[GeoNOregon]

I am about to pull and replace the motor on my Alfa for the second time this month. To make this unfortunate re-do a bit easier on myself I would love the thinnest / shortest metric sockets available. Typical range for tight access connections is 10-17mm. 1/4in and or 3/8in drive. I usually like Euro/German brands but open minded for quality stuff.

There's a reason most professional mechanics prefer Snap-On. They made some of the thinnest wall sockets the last time I looked. There is at LEAST a half, maybe 3/4's of a gazillion hand tool makers, now a days, and somebody may make thinner, better sockets, but it's why I spent the money on them when I was workin' flat rate.

Snap-On tools made me money, every time I invested in them. I bought mine in the late '70's and '80's, but I haven't heard of anything better. It's those Blue Point tools, you gotta watch out for... LOL

A word from someone who's worked on just about every brand of Italian car there's been, AND loves old Fiats, ('70's area were mini-Ferrari of their day). They're what got the USSR to buy the rights to the 124, rename it, and make the same model for a bunch of years, it was a great car for them, THEN they 'upgraded' and bought the rights to make the 'Strada', I think it was called, a FWD turd).

The had tube headers, 4 wheel IRS and disks, Weber two barrel on a hot push rod 4 cyl and rack and pinion. My first wife loved the little 4 door sedan I got for her. She literally drove the wheels off it; well, the front suspension, anyway. They were a uni-body, no frame, and the front suspension was held on with four bolts. We lived in a house with a driveway that dropped at about 20-30° from the sidewalk, down to the garage and shop about 40' away. The street we lived on had a big crown for a city street.

It was fairly busy street, so she'd back out, kinda quick, as habit. One day, she was going somewhere & I heard the whine of reverse, then a funny sounding metallic crunch; not a collision sound, but definitely metal being damaged. Backing up quickly, the front wheels crossed the sidewalk, dropped into the driveway cutout, then hit the big crown of the street.

When I got outside to see what had happened, the Fiat was crosswise in the near lane, and the front suspension was still on the driveway cutout. The sudden stress from the reverse of the pavement angles ripped the front suspension right out of the uni-body.

THAT one, I couldn't fix. LOL

The word: You're working on an Italian car, nothing you do, nor tools you buy will make it easier to work on. Just doesn't happen... LOL

GeoD

PS
Keep some cheap 6 point sockets around, if the sockets you have are not thin wall enough, stick a 3/8" socket hex drive in your hand drill, and head for the nearest belt sander. (Use the area between the flat platen and the roller; the belt will depress a bit, give you a curved abrasive surface and let you 'turn' something down nice and even. Run the drill rotation against the direction of the belt to rough it, then reverse to 'finish' it smooth.)

I'm serious. Most of the tools which have saved me the most time/made things easier, are ones I've made/modified, myself. I still have some I made 50+ years ago.

 

[gjusername]

I think a pass-through type set may be even smaller than the zeal sockets, when you include the thickness of the ratchet. it would be pretty close

Wera 135918 Kraftform Kompakt Zyklop Mini 2 Set | Wera at KC Tool

Wera Kraftform Kompakt Zyklop Mini 2 Set 1 Wera Bit Ratchet Zyklop Mini 1, drop-forged full steel design, suitable for 1/4" hex bits as per DIN ISO 1173-C 6....

www.kctool.com

edit - after reading the above post, it reminded me to mention that the Koken zeal sockets are also known to be thinner than most other sockets. I'm not sure how they compare to snap-on, but I know you can find comparisons if you look through the "tools of japan" thread on this site.

 

[Fedwrench]

I thought you were supposed to use BETA or USAG tools when working on an Alfa. I'm more interested in the reason why you're pulling your engine for the second time this month. Of course, being an Alfa might already answer my questions. The Ko-Ken Zeal are probably the sweetest low profile sockets available on earth. However don't overlook the low profile sockets with a hex shaped base for use with a ratcheting wrench like VIM's duo sockets and others. I will also make the case for quality universal sockets because, sometimes it's easier to reach a difficult fastener with some angled standoff than, trying to get on top of it. Good luck in your quest.

 

[GrantCee]

As others have already pointed out, Ko-ken Zeal are the new standard. You simply won't find better.

 

[Ralf11]

Agree - I have a tiny short Snapie 15 mm and the Zeal is smaller - and bound to be very strong

we're gonna need a thread on the Alfa...

 

[GeoNOregon]

I thought you were supposed to use BETA or USAG tools when working on an Alfa. I'm more interested in the reason why you're pulling your engine for the second time this month. Of course, being an Alfa might already answer my questions. The Ko-Ken Zeal are probably the sweetest low profile sockets available on earth. However don't overlook the low profile sockets with a hex shaped base for use with a ratcheting wrench like VIM's duo sockets and others. I will also make the case for quality universal sockets because, sometimes it's easier to reach a difficult fastener with some angled standoff than, trying to get on top of it. Good luck in your quest.

"A man is known by the tools he keeps"

What does it say about someone who still has the first tools he was given 55+ years ago? I've vowed my entire life, I would never sell my tools, no matter how broke I got. Sell your tools, and you method for making money is gone. Sure, I've replaced tools, but hand tools, and specialty power tools, air tools, etc are still the first ones I bought. Buy good tools, and they last a lifetime.

My very first tool, that was MINE, was a Skil 1/2" drill given to me by a friend's father, after I helped him clean out the building his painting contracting business was in, after he divorced my friend's mom, and was leaving town.

I was in junior high. It was my only power drill for 20 years, and a wrist breaking MoFo. It's a drill motor made for mixing paint, not for drilling holes! LOL (You know the kind? It's got a D shaped handle on the end, like a short, square nose shovel; absolutely no leverage against the high torque ******.)

It's been my dedicated paint and sheet rock mud mixer for 30+ years. Replaced the cord 20 some years ago, but have never done anything other than lube and clean, occasionally.

GeoD

 

[Jersey Drew]

I believe Astro and sunex both make low profile sockets

 

[Qualitytools]

+ 1 on KOKEN

 

[Mr_B]

For speciality socketry Koken has been pretty much top of game for decades .
Pricing is fairly reasonable if shop around .
I've used Koken for around 30 years professionally and can't complain, low back drag ratchets slim sockets and socket innovation has saved me a lot of ballache and saved me money for what most of the time is a leading industry tool .

 

[Mr Ratchet]

Might also want to consider/look into the Gearwrench Vortex pass through. They are very thin wall and short.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Old early '70s era Craftsman sockets fit the bill as well. I certainly used them on my '74 124 FAIT sports coupe . I appreciated the short, fully broached(no internal shoulder) thin walled sockets. "Parts you could see but not touch"

Guys don't seem to realize the importance of socket design. The Grays and SKs were fine for industrial machinery, where being abused was common, but not for tight European cars.

 

[bwringer]

I suppose this conversation is veering into different discussion, but you can find some very nice shorty sets on the shelf at any O'Reilly auto.

 

[M6erfan]

My G (circa 2000) series C'man USA sockets are very thin.

For thin and low profile, Zeal FTW.

 

[lardy1]

I bought some budget brand (OEM Tools) that are actually decent sockets. They lack the hex which I would have invested in if I thought I was going to be fighting for space a lot. They are fairly squat though.

 

[Draftpick1]

Proto makes a SAE super short set, koken Zeal is metric only if I’m not mistaken.

 

[Madc]

Snap On makes a low profile Ratchet and socket set, each person can make up their mind on the value of Snap On, personally I like a lot of their stuff, and enjoy nice tools but some are silly price-wise.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Absurdly expensive at $250 but can be found on sale for about $170. I actually reach for the set quite a bit working on areas with tight clearances.


Just an option, good luck

Mike
MADC