Thinnest wall 12-pt socket

[Tonellin]

Who makes the thinnest wall 12-pt socket? Price doesn't matter as I only need one 13mm socket.

There are three 12-pt wheel bearing bolts on a wrangler front axle, with upgraded shafts there is very very little room for a wrench even when I've indexed one side of the wrench. It's still a nightmare to use a thing wrench because you only get a few degrees each turn so I need a socket going forward

 

[tvtaurus]

I've ran into something of this sort before. I was doing a hot section of a PT-6 engine and the bolts to split the case were 12pt 1/4" or 3/16" bolts. Couldn't fit a 12pt socket on the nut side. Had me wondering if there was such a thing as 12pt open end wrenches.

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[Finky198]

They make 12pt line wrenches I have em but they didn't fit or provide enough torque.
I thought I had found an alternative use but.... no such luck.

I usually use an old school Craftsman chrome 3/8 dr 13mm 12pt on my grand Cherokee, but I have stock axels... and the longest ratchet I can fit in 3/8 or 1/2 with an adapter.

A quick google search yielded this says thin wall 13mm 12pt not sure of the fit but an option
http://apexbits.com/13mm43-d-apex-3-8-square-drive-socket-metric-thin-wall-standard-length.aspx pic does match but could just be an error.

 

[Tonellin]

12-pt line wrenches are interesting but I'd imagine they would still be pretty frustrating to use and like you said Finky they wouldn't provide much torque. These hub bolts are frustratingly long too

The stock axles were a close but moving the knuckle around you could get most 12-point sockets would fit. However the clearance on RCV axles is so tight you have to grind down a significant amount of the knuckle and 'index' most of the wheel bearing bolts by grinding off their shoulders

That Apex has a 19.1mm diameter I'll have to measure that against my other 13mm sockets and see how big that is..thanks

 

[nbpt100]

A similar topic came up recently and someone said Proto makes thin walled sockets.
Someone also suggested grinding down a socket. I hope this helps! Ohter wise you will be looking at removing that axle.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=360346

 

[Farmerjonathan]

My wife's 86 Ford Ranger Indiana Edition had a V6 and there was a nut behind/beside the distributor cap that needed a specialty socket that was thin wall. Bought a cheap socket and put a drift pin in it, and ground it thin on my pedestal grinder. Threw that socket in the glove box and the next guy got it.

 

[Tonellin]

A similar topic came up recently and someone said Proto makes thin walled sockets.
Someone also suggested grinding down a socket. I hope this helps! Ohter wise you will be looking at removing that axle.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=360346

Thanks for the link..I'll research some proto 12pts.

You need to remove the wheel bearing to remove the axles which hopefully won't need to be done on this rig often but I wrench on plenty of friends rigs that justify having the best tool

My wife's 86 Ford Ranger Indiana Edition had a V6 and there was a nut behind/beside the distributor cap that needed a specialty socket that was thin wall. Bought a cheap socket and put a drift pin in it, and ground it thin on my pedestal grinder. Threw that socket in the glove box and the next guy got it.

Never really thought about grinding down a cheapo socket but that does seem like a good solution. Although these are torqued to 75ft/lbs so I'd better keep a couple spare sockets haha

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Gear wrench offset XL wrench - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UDZOVY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

85913 is the 13mm. They also have a full set, which is fantastic. They're one of my go-to tools for those bolts.

 

[Finky198]

I was gonna suggest the snap on version of that Xdhrm13 ^^^ I own a few and the box end is very thin but at $50+ New Its not a cheap option...

Last time I pulled my hubs I didn't have that wrench. The rachet end isn't going to do you much good, but the box end is the smallest I've seen or own...

https://store.snapon.com/Ratcheting-Box-0-Offset-Heads-mm-12-Point-13-mm-Hi-Performance-Combination-Metric-Ratcheting-Box-Wrench-P650268.aspx

Box end is 18.2 so u save a .9 mm over the socket I posted.

 

[Loscaldazar]

Kokken thin wall 12 Pt impact sockets. I got a 3/8 and 1/2 drive set for 12 point bolts and love them.

 

[Tonellin]

Gear wrench offset XL wrench - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UDZOVY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

85913 is the 13mm. They also have a full set, which is fantastic. They're one of my go-to tools for those bolts.

That looks like an awesome set..I can imagine they come in handy for a lot of bolts especially with that leverage and reach

I was gonna suggest the snap on version of that Xdhrm13 ^^^ I own a few and the box end is very thin but at $50+ New Its not a cheap option...

Last time I pulled my hubs I didn't have that wrench. The rachet end isn't going to do you much good, but the box any is the smallest I've seen or own...

https://store.snapon.com/Ratcheting-Box-0-Offset-Heads-mm-12-Point-13-mm-Hi-Performance-Combination-Metric-Ratcheting-Box-Wrench-P650268.aspx

Box end is 18.2 so u save a .9 mm over the socket I posted.

Thanks!! I appreciate the diameter, .9mm might seem silly but it's such a crazy tight clearance I have to constantly fight to get my current 12-pt wrench on and off

Kokken thin wall 12 Pt impact sockets. I got a 3/8 and 1/2 drive set for 12 point bolts and love them.

Awesome thanks I'll check them out

 

[Finky198]

That's correct It's silly until your in a bind then its I have a tool for that.

 

[md21722]

I do those with impact sockets, such as Matco pinless impact BUP13M2B $44.30.

 

[Tonellin]

I do those with impact sockets, such as Matco pinless impact BUP13M2B $44.30.

18.7 OD nice! the swivel would be nice to clear the top of the boot too

 

[md21722]

When they get rusty and crusty and the 3/8" gun won't zip them out I use a 5" reducing extension such as Matco CXP5BBA $34.95.

 

[Strouty]

I too grind cheap sockets for clearance. I used to cut deep sockets down to fit odd locations, now I own shallow, mid, and deep sockets for that same reason. I would think that a 1/4" drive would be the best option to keep the thin wall.