What do you use Nut Drivers for?

[98ramtough]

So with the new big shop I recently purchased with the new house, I have been on a bit of a tool buying spree lately. I've always just used Craftsman, but got a little @#$#$ when I got a USA tool swapped with chit. And that is how I ended up here. As I started sourcing a new brand of tools, every search page brought me here.... Anyway... Long story shorter- I have been buying Wiha / Wera screw drivers. Bought a Wera ratchet, some snapon stuff and recently have got to be friends with my local matco guy. I have bought some SK wrenches that I love..... I really only own random sizes in nut drivers. What do you use them for? With the swivel head ratchets are they useful or time savers in certain scenarios? Or do you just get by with the swivel ratchets?

I am not a mechanic by trade, just have a lot of toys that I end up working on. (boat, atvs, tractors, trailers etc)

Thanks!

 

[LB-1911]

The topic of nut drivers has been brought up a few times, a small sampling -

Why do you use nut drivers? same reason as screwdriver?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138148

Nut drivers vs Sockets
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204970

1/4 Drive Spinner and Sockets VS Nutdrivers
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193604

 

[BMW Rider]

I find them handy from time to time, but the one thing I always default to using a nut driver for is hose clamps (at least for the ones that have a hex drive).

 

[jjjrmx5]

What do you use them for? With the swivel head ratchets are they useful or time savers in certain scenarios? Or do you just get by with the swivel ratchets?

I'm not sure I understand you.

Nut drivers to me are screwdriver handles with a semi-hollow shafts and dedicated size hex drive ends used for removing and replacing low-torqued fasteners.

The swivel head ratchet comment got me all lost.

Please explain what you are looking for a liitle more please.

 

[turmlos]

I generally use them around the house in low torque situations. They are more compact & don't have the potential slop of a driver handle/socket combination. Decent ones have a hollow shaft so you can access deep nuts.

 

[Zeke]

They are handy for any hex fasteners and absolutely necessary in a couple of sizes for electrical and HVAC work. I'd only buy 1/4 and 5/16" at first.

 

[george4]

They are handy for any hex fasteners and absolutely necessary in a couple of sizes for electrical and HVAC work. I'd only buy 1/4 and 5/16" at first.

Good point, I think those 2 cover about 95% of my nut driver use. A 7mm would take care of most of the rest.

 

[Aberdale]

I use them for HVAC work. I use them for hose clamps, if the clamps have a hex head. I use them a lot for interior trim or under dash work. I use them on electronics.

Although I could use a 1/4" ratchet and socket, often I will defer to a nut driver for fasteners under 1/4" (7/16" head). I've found it can be pretty easy to over torque small fasteners with a wrench or ratchet and socket.

'dale

 

[Davefr]

I can't image NOT having nutdriver sets.

They're so much more efficient then using a ratchet/socket and get into much tighter spaces.

The hollow shafts are necessary for removing/installing nuts on long studs.

The magnetic tip versions are great for not loosing small fastener.

The little nutdrivers like those Xcelite sets go all the way down to 3/32".

Once again it boils down to using the right tool for the job.

 

[Steinmetz]

Radio and electronic equipment.

 

[Holt]

If younget nut driver get hollow shaft

hose clamps
Long studded electrical connections
phone wiring
hvac
any aera where you dont have motion to arc a ratchet
you will use sae more the metric.

you will find uses for them but hvac and electricians value them

 

[scaron]

i don't really use nut drivers much at all... back in the day when computers had lots of the D-sub connectors, i would use a nut driver to remove the retaining nuts on them if i ever had to, but that was about the only application i really ever found for them... if you already have a socket set with a spinner handle handy, some screwdrivers and a good sturdy pair of needlenose pliers, you can do anything a nut driver can do. most hex fasteners small enough to effectively be torqued with a nut driver will also have provision for being turned with a (typically slotted) screwdriver and the larger ones you will often want to put a ratchet or something on anyway to get a bit more leverage. maybe a few sizes are helpful if you are working on very old telecomm setups but a klein 11-in-1 will cover that and more...

 

[zkling]

Nut drivers are one of those things that I didn't intentionally purchase, and probably wouldn't purchase separately, but now that I have them, I can't live without them.

I have the 14ish piece craftsman set. Came in a large craftsman starter set that I bought back in my early teens starting out. They are just super handy around the house. Really for low torque applications, ~9/16" and smaller. Appliances, computers, misc household items, car interior, electrical. Basically anytime you wish you could use a screwdriver, but you need a hex drive.

In fact I love the nut driver idea so much that two of my favorite tools are a 1/4" and short 3/8" breaker bar. 90° to break loose (you will get much more torque) and then quick flip to 180° to spin the fastener out. With a little practice I've gotten scary fast with these and quite often I will use these over a ratchet. Even a short 1/2" breaker for those large fasteners.

If all you do is brakes, oil change, suspension work and engine rebuilding, then nut drivers are probably not for you. But around the house and general repair I think they are very handy.

 

[monkeyspanners]

I use 6mm for hose clamps, 7mm for hose clamps and motor terminals and small fan motors, 8mm5/16 for hose clamps 2ba nuts on electrical cconnections and daikin air con screws, 10mm for nuts on small mounts.

Been tempted to get a 13mm but if i'm truthful it would be more to complete the set than to be useful!

I work on refrigeration and air con mostly and being in the UK we get a mix of metric and inch sizes.

I got my first one after stabbing my finger badly trying to undo a rusted hose clip and wished i had bought one years before!

 

[thoraudio]

I'm not sure I understand you.

Nut drivers to me are screwdriver handles with a semi-hollow shafts and dedicated size hex drive ends used for removing and replacing low-torqued fasteners.

The swivel head ratchet comment got me all lost.

Please explain what you are looking for a liitle more please.

I think he was talking about this kind of ratchet

Which can be used as a ratcheting nut driver, with the proper socket.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I don't own any nut drivers. Waste of money !

I have 1/4" metric and SAE standard profile sockets that I use with a hand spinner all of the time. Great on appliance, outdoor power equipment and many thing under the hood (bracket bolts, hose clamps, etc).

My hand spinner has a female 1/4" drive in the top of the handle so that if I need a bit of extra torque, I just pop on my 1/4" breaker bar. (I don't own a 1/4" ratchet). I alos have an old B&D electric screwdriver. Change the hex bit to a 1/4" square adapter and it is great for spinning nuts on and off.

 

[TJay]

I use my nut drivers all the time, 1/4" and 5/16" daily.

I work in telecom so all the phone demarc's are alot easier to work with using a hollow shaft nut driver than anything else. Not to mention when I am up on a pole the last thing I wanna deal with it sockets and ratchets, it's much easier to grab my Klein nutdriver out of the bag.

Outside of work I have only used them when fixing my fridge one day and on hose clamps.

I still would never want to go without them, they have their niche and they work great for it.

 

[tjmonsen5]

Two words. Briggs & Stratton.

I was introduced to nut drivers in highschool shop class, its almost as if they were designed by small engine manufacturers. I also use them on hose clamps, thats about it.

 

[young_buck]

I use them for hose clamps more than anything

 

[98ramtough]

The topic of nut drivers has been brought up a few times, a small sampling -

Why do you use nut drivers? same reason as screwdriver?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138148

Nut drivers vs Sockets
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204970

1/4 Drive Spinner and Sockets VS Nutdrivers
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193604

Thanks. I know how to use the search feature. Sometimes it's great to get some new input on stuff. What is the point of a web forum if everyone just reads old posts?

 

[98ramtough]

Thanks for the info. I never thought about certain fields where there were a bunch of common sizes. I could see them being useful for electrical or hvac stuff.

 

[cburnscrx]

I use them on HVAC repair, lawn equipment, washer and dryers, ect. They're great and easy. Sure I could use my sockets, but I like the fact that I don't have to worry about my socket coming off and sometimes the engagement of a sheet metal screw is so light a ratchet is pointless.

 

[dave12b]

I had but almost never grabbed my nutdrivers. For around the house, i keep in by gp kit a cheap 6n1 screwdriver,a snap on rat screwdriver, a bosch pocket driver,and a small zippered case containing an assortment of sae and metric nutsetters, sae and metric hex, small torx, and driver bits.

This makes quick work of most low torque household applications including but not limited to adjusting hose clamps on a dryer vent and assembling cheap Swedish furniture that comes in flat boxes.

If you find yourself using the same low torque fasteners over and over nutdrivers are great and convenient but i find nutsetters work just as well with lower cost and smaller footprint.

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

 

[CWP1616L]

Nut drivers are screwdrivers for hex head screws. They can also be used for nuts if they have a hollow shaft.

 

[spacedoutbob]

I use my nut drivers mostly for underdash work and on RV's.

Bob

 

[crewchief888]

1/4" 5/16" & 7mm for hose clamps

11/32" for guage wiring

7/16" for starting grease zerks

 

[NHBandit]

1/4" 5/16" & 7mm for hose clamps

11/32" for guage wiring

7/16" for starting grease zerks

^^^^ This. And alot of the small screws used under dashboards are 7mm as well especially on GM stuff. I have a complete SAE set & the 9/32 works just fine in place of 7mm. Basically I use them any time low torque is needed for small screws & nuts.

 

[crewchief888]

for me it's much easier to grab a nut driver out of the drawer of my main box, than to open up another compartment in my service truck, get out a blow molded box grab a socket, ratchet, & extension...


instead of just one thing to drop in the mud, snow or oil,

i have 3




i have been known in the past to remove hose clamps with an impact or cordless drill

 

[RCStocker]

I am sorry but you use them for nuts.

Electrical panels and many things like hose clamps, computers and a million other things you want to take apart quick. You can use a handle and sockets but if you use them a lot it is nice to have the nut drivers. I have quite a few sets and I never use them. I have insulated ones that I use for Electrical work and construction remodeling. Almost in any industry you will find a use for them. The socket will not stick or fall of the handle.

I have a miniature set I use on model trains and clock repairs. They work great.

 

[BFHtime]

In a pirate voice, "To drive me nuts, of course".

 

[mickeyone]

11/32 for fluro ballasts,1/4 and 5/16 for everything else.No pieces to lose a necessity in the electric field.

 

[Spareparts]

R/C cars, they are a lifesaver there, and also in electrical panels, their are a lot of brass studs in the ones we have and a 1/4" ratchet will twist them off easily.

I had some scrap 1 1/2" X 3" Teflon blocks and drilled the appropriate blind holes in them for both my SAE and Metric nut drivers and they rest neatly at the back of my bench.

 

[shampoop]

For electrician kind of work they are very nice. When I was a mechanic I NEVER used them or wished I had them because for auto/mechanical work you have a HUGE set of sockets, ratchets and extensions right with you that have WAY more power than a nut driver and can be however long you want.

 

[mike13u]

Tapcons.
A nut driver bit and hex Tapcons make quick and easy work of the concrete fastener.
...And if you have ever used phillips #2 Tapcons...you know why you love you some hex Tapcons and nut driver bits.

 

[Jim C.]

I don't use them too much, but when I do, it's mostly on hex head sheet metal screws, hose clamp screws, and applications where low torque is required. They provide a good feel for small fasteners that could be easily stripped if over tightened.

Jim C.

 

[mech-tech]

Hose clamps and distributor caps.

 

[nicksnothereman]

So with the new big shop I recently purchased with the new house, I have been on a bit of a tool buying spree lately. I've always just used Craftsman, but got a little @#$#$ when I got a USA tool swapped with chit. And that is how I ended up here. As I started sourcing a new brand of tools, every search page brought me here.... Anyway... Long story shorter- I have been buying Wiha / Wera screw drivers. Bought a Wera ratchet, some snapon stuff and recently have got to be friends with my local matco guy. I have bought some SK wrenches that I love..... I really only own random sizes in nut drivers. What do you use them for? With the swivel head ratchets are they useful or time savers in certain scenarios? Or do you just get by with the swivel ratchets?

I am not a mechanic by trade, just have a lot of toys that I end up working on. (boat, atvs, tractors, trailers etc)

Thanks!

You don't really need them if you have socket extensions (serves a similar function). You can buy them though, they're not that expensive. On lower torque bolts it's slightly quicker to remove bolts versus a ratchet and I mean SLIGHTLY (if you're a turbo screwdriver guy).

Pretty much worthless on most automotive bolts in my opinion. Maybe something like screw in battery cables (where a wrench or socket usually works 1000x better due to space limitations because they're usually side screw-in) and mounting bolts where torque isn't critical (stereo head? aftermarket stuff). Usually you can do it another way even if you have nutdrivers which is why I don't really use them except for worm type hose clamps where a slotted screwdriver will also work. However, those are AFTERMARKET hose clamps.

For a homeowner they could be useful for putting together furniture or other things that use bolts instead of screws. But there's not that much of that.

 

[BFBOB]

Mostly for wall decorations, and to expand my Penncraft collection