What's the biggest socket/wrench you used?

[toolaholic]

I recently installed a new harmonic balancer on my daughter's 3.1 v6 lumina. I used a big sunex 33mm wrench to turn the bushing(nut) to drive big washer to seat balancer. Before that my biggest was a 24mm to turn pivot shaft nuts on upper control arm(dakota R/T). Biggest socket used is 21mm lug nut(toyota yaris). I have wrenches to 26mm box end. I have a 1 1/4x1 5/16 and a 30x32mm open end. My sockets(1/2 drive 12 point) go to 1 1/2 and 36mm. I recently aquired grey pneumtic 12 pt axle nut impact socket set(29,30,32,34,35,36,38,39) for future use if my yaris or dakota needs hub nuts removed. So how bout it, what's the biggest socket or wrench you used?

 

[n8n]

I've used a 36 before probably on some axle nut... but I tend to work on little tiny cars so you may need larger if you work on the big stuff.

 

[davesnothere]

Just used a 1 5/16 yesterday on a chebby pitman arm.

 

[JBradley500]

Probably 2-9/16" sheet metal socket on Dana rear axles.

 

[Jawn]

I have a need for a 2 3/16" now... spindle pulley nut on my mill.

 

[jakemac]

The largest socket I've had to use was 1-5/8" for a screw-in heating element on a water heater.

The largest combo wrench I've had to use is the 1-1/2" trailer hitch wrench I use to change balls on my hitch.

Recently, I needed a 1-5/16" wrench for a nut on 7/8" threaded rod that was used to secure the posts on my deck rail. It took me a week of searching to find one. Then, of course, I NEEDED to buy every large wrench I could find - just in case I needed one later. That damned railing cost me a lot of money.

 

[see pictures]

2 3/8" socket on 1 1/2" drive impact

 

[-Brent-]

54mm hub socket for Toyota axles is probably the biggest I've used.

 

[cassidy]

4 1/2" on big rigs

 

[crewchief888]

biggest socket i have is a 2 3/8" 3/4" dr.

i bought it for a reason, 'cept i cant remember what it was

 

[bobcatdan]

I have up to 2" in sockets and wrenches, not including axle but sockets, I have one that is 4" and something. Ive used larger sockets my set, but too rarely to need my own.

 

[wyo george]

working on oilfield equipment I use hammer wrenches up to about 4-1/2" or there abouts and my 1" impact set goes up to 3-1/2" if memory serves correct. It could be larger, I really don't pay close attention to the sizes.

 

[k-os]

46mm on my rear spindle nut.

 

[ZRX61]

About 6in on some aircraft undercarts. The wrench for the prop dome on HamStd props is probably 10-12in. I'll check next time I have one in my hand.

 

[rusty65]

The biggest I've used was 1 5/8 on a Caterpillar crankshaft. And it just happens I picked up a new snap on 1 5/8 wrench for 20 bucks yesterday off a pawn shop.

Sent directly from the Snap On Kool Aid factory

 

[rlebroke51]

4-13/16 on our chip trailers

 

[CJM8515]

54mm hub socket for Toyota axles is probably the biggest I've used.

Yep, I used 2 1/8 (same size pretty much) as 54mm to do the same. Largest actual wrench size I got I think is 1 5/8 unless you count the trailer hitch specialty wrench I got for the ball hitch.

 

[Ruger_556]

4 1/2" on big rigs

Same ^^^ Biggest wrench probably 2" on some hydraulic fittings.

 

[ozyborn]

I think is was about a 6" but that was back in the Army days when working on the torsion bars of a M60A3

 

[davethorik]

Probably 2-9/16" sheet metal socket on Dana rear axles.

x2, I have a 2-9/16 socket made by OTC for the wheel bearing locknuts on a Dana 60 front axle.

I helped my dad with something on his Farmall M and it was a big 3/4" drive sae socket, forget the size.

I purchased a deep well 36mm socket when I had my old '96 Honda Accord and used it, but I forget if it was for the crankshaft or the axle nuts.

Some of the machines that are at my workplace are Old American Iron and they take some huge fasteners to hold castings together, but I have never worked on them.

 

[franzdom]

my e46 has 34mm inner tie rods, open end of a combo wrench, and 46mm front hub, love the Snap-On 46mm socket because it's 1/2" drive (their largest 1/2") meaning I didn't need an adapter to use my breaker & torque wrench.

 

[chipper]

Switching out my water heater I used a 1 1/2 (or 1 1/4 cant remember)wrench sure I could of used some some pliers or adjustable but why not use it if ya got it

 

[MikeF2316]

Like lots here, I've used a 2 3/8. Funny that's such a "common" size. Mine was on engine mounts for a 5000 hp diesel-generator set that was on its way to a gold mine on Baffin Island.

 

[Farmall450]

biggest socket i have is a 2 3/8" 3/4" dr.

i bought it for a reason, 'cept i cant remember what it was

Same here, makes a nice pen cupholder

 

[OutsideMachinist]

6 '' roughly probably largest so far.

 

[Bobcat753]

I've had to use a custom from the OEM 12" socket. It was 1" drive impact. We had to change out the ******** on the massive screener. It took an excavator holding the impact with a strap and another to catch the bolt when it came off. And there where 4 of them!

 

[bigcaddy]

I picked up a set of old Cornwell combo wrenches from a retired mining engineer. Biggest in the set is 2 7/8". I use quite a few of them on some of the large valves at work when I'm breaking them down for repairs or scrap

 

[Rogue1987]

3 1/2 inch deepwell we had to make with a normal socket and a length of pipe!

 

[Strouty]

I've had to use a custom from the OEM 12" socket. It was 1" drive impact. We had to change out the ******** on the massive screener. It took an excavator holding the impact with a strap and another to catch the bolt when it came off. And there where 4 of them!

That is awesome, I love big heavy stuff. I am amazed that 1" was able to handle that size nut.

3 1/2 inch deepwell we had to make with a normal socket and a length of pipe!

I love making tools, the problem is I sometimes forget what I made them for.


I have up to 3 1/2" sockets and I have used it on the base of a tower. It is 1" drive.

 

[Rogue1987]

I love making tools, the problem is I sometimes forget what I made them for.

This was an anchor bolt as well, we didnt have a slugging wrench but we had some pipe, a socket, a 1" impact and a welder and it had to finished now. Sometimes ya just make due.

 

[Strouty]

This was an anchor bolt as well, we didnt have a slugging wrench but we had some pipe, a socket, a 1" impact and a welder and it had to finished now. Sometimes ya just make due.

Agreed. It amazes me how a simple thing can stop an entire job.

 

[Matt Irvine]

5-3/4, 1 1/2 drive on a uni-joint bushing retaining nut, M80x3 thread, on a stump munchers that gets pulled behind a Cat D9
I quite often use 2- 3/8 on bolts to hold the false flanges on windtowers at work

My box has a 3/4 socket set upto 55, loose socket to 2 1/4, wrenches to 2" and 60mm

 

[snapmom]

I use it as a door stop.

 

[wvrailroader]

2 3/16" double square socket on a 1" hydraulic impact wrench to tighten bolts on frogs.

 

[Mooky]

26" open end wrench, 5 feet long used on very large reciprocating compressor piston rod to cross head lock nut. Lifted by an overhead bridge crane, torque measured by a scale attached to the crane hook.

 

[bcradio]

The largest socket I've had to use was 1-5/8" for a screw-in heating element on a water heater.

The largest combo wrench I've had to use is the 1-1/2" trailer hitch wrench I use to change balls on my hitch.

Recently, I needed a 1-5/16" wrench for a nut on 7/8" threaded rod that was used to secure the posts on my deck rail. It took me a week of searching to find one. Then, of course, I NEEDED to buy every large wrench I could find - just in case I needed one later. That damned railing cost me a lot of money.

I like the way you think.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Traditional socket /wrench -- 4" on hydraulic tank suction filter.

I have a few homemade 2 to 3 foot long deep sockets for certain component rebuilds.

Gone up to 8" on pipe fittings - double up 2 chain wrenches with cheater pipes.

 

[Jim C.]

I recently used a 1 1/4" deep socket to remove the nut holding the table in place on an old 17" Delta drill press. I know that's not very big when compared to other sizes describied in prior posts, but for an average DIYer, that's usually the outer limit when it comes to using large size tools. 90% of the sockets/wrenches I use fall between 7/16" and 3/4".

Jim C.

 

[Elvenhome21]

either 6" or 6 1/2" I cant remember off the top of my head. But put it this way, we had a 5 foot long 4" I beam attached to it with a 5 ton hoist to torque the bolt down.

 

[Askme42]

36 mm axle nut