Bolt remover socket

[30-9]

Hi Gents

Another stripped bolt....ugh

Thinking about buying ABN bolt and nut remover sockets. Anyone have? Anyone suggest a reasonable priced set?

[Jack E/NJ]

If you've got the room, a pipe wrench. If not, a jacobs chuck, Or homedepot, lowes and amazon have extractor socket kits for about $25. Jack E/NJ

[30-9]

Thanks - No room for pipe wrench. The ABNs are on Amazon.

Trying to determine if they work or if someone here has a set and recommend

[banjoQ]

I have and have used extractor sockets. I would say they have a 50% success rate with me. Be sure to use all the tried and true methods first. Heat would be my first attempt, striking the bolt head with a hammer and drift to break up any corrosion. Then heat it up again and tap on the extractor socket. Gently try to back it out being careful not to break it off. Have had some success with an impact wrench, short blips. Other then that, soak it with a good penetrating oil and repeat. Remember that too much muscle usually results in snapping it off. Good luck.

[JSeery]

I'm with banjoQ, it sorta depends on what you are working with. Sometimes they work and sometime not. Rusted in studs or bolts are hard to remove with just an extractor of any kind. You really need something to break the rust bond, like the weld method. Anything that exceeds the bolt/stud strength is going to break bolt/stud again.

[30-9]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Ok thx. I’m in no rush. I don’t know how to weld. I’ve been pb blasting, torch and vise grips. Just don’t want to round it anymore than it is. I’ll try again tomorrow and if no luck I’ll order ABN.

[FL&WVMIKE]

What size is it? Sometimes you can pound on a metric socket that is just a tad smaller. Have you tried a 6 point socket? Impact wrenches are FAR more successful at busting loose stubborn nuts/bolts if you haven't already rounded them off.

Be sure to use proper form... Socket on STRAIGHT, and pulling straight/square while supporting the head of the ratchet.

[old31]

What about something like this. I have used it many times and it worked out well.

https://www.amazon.com/ARES-70016-Da...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[rockfla]

"Sometimes".......you can try tightening the bolt "Slightly" and that will help break the hold of it, then loosen it.....at this point what do you have to loose....PLUS the tighten side of the flats are "Less" buggered up than the "loosen" side!!!

[1948F-1Pickup]

Might not have the luxury of doing this but I've cut mangled bolt heads off and welded on a nut..... if the bolt head is flush, you won't be doing that though.

[Tim Ayers]

Heat is also your friend. If you don't have a torch set, a MAPP gas set from Home Deport is pretty cheap and can get it some what hot enough to loosen the grip of rust. Repeated heating and cooling helps to loosen bolts. I also wick wax along the bolt while it's still red hot.

[frnkeore]

If I'm getting this right, the hex of the bolt head is rounded, until a socket spins on it?

If that is the case, the way that I go about it, is to use a prick punch and a hammer to turn it. It usually works, if the bolt isn't to rusted on the threads.

Make a indentation, at the outer edge of the bolt head first. Then, with sharp, hard blows, drive it CCW, until it will turn by hand or pliers.

I'm surprised I don't hear this method mentioned on this forum. It's a old mechanic/farmer method I learned from my mechanic dad, when a teen and have used it in this way and flush, broken bolts and suds.

Sometimes, it's the only way to tighten a bolt, too.

[Jacques1960]

++ on red wrench / linear impact / PB combo

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by frnkeore

If I'm getting this right, the hex of the bolt head is rounded, until a socket spins on it?

If that is the case, the way that I go about it, is to use a prick punch and a hammer to turn it. It usually works, if the bolt isn't to rusted on the threads.

Make a indentation, at the outer edge of the bolt head first. Then, with sharp, hard blows, drive it CCW, until it will turn by hand or pliers.

I'm surprised I don't hear this method mentioned on this forum. It's a old mechanic/farmer method I learned from my mechanic dad, when a teen and have used it in this way and flush, broken bolts and suds.

Sometimes, it's the only way to tighten a bolt, too.

Works well if the bolt/nut (I tend to use this method more on nuts) are large enough and it a location you can get good access to.

[Yoyodyne]

Originally Posted by frnkeore

If I'm getting this right, the hex of the bolt head is rounded, until a socket spins on it?

If that is the case, the way that I go about it, is to use a prick punch and a hammer to turn it. It usually works, if the bolt isn't to rusted on the threads.

Make a indentation, at the outer edge of the bolt head first. Then, with sharp, hard blows, drive it CCW, until it will turn by hand or pliers.

I'm surprised I don't hear this method mentioned on this forum. It's a old mechanic/farmer method I learned from my mechanic dad, when a teen and have used it in this way and flush, broken bolts and suds.

Sometimes, it's the only way to tighten a bolt, too.

Chisels work too. A couple blows on a sharp cold chisel next to the corner, then use a blunt square ended chisel to continue without cutting the corner completely off. We be crude n'stuff, but sometimes it will get you home. If you ever see a nut that's all chiseled up, this is probably what happened. Especially a large one. Sometimes you can just sharpen the corners enough to get a socket to grab again.

[aussie merc]

have a hunt thru your local tool store there are sockets made to do exactly this , for want of a better description an easy out that work on the outside the exact name escapes me but they do work and they grip tighter they more you turn

[RKS.PA]

In one of Mart's videos, he used a "stud remover" that clamps over the bolt and attaches to a 1/2 socket bar. Looked pretty handy to me so I bought one but haven't had a need to use it yet.


It tightens down on various sized studs and bolts, so it can be used for more than just a single size.

[swedishsteel]

Take a cold chisel and hammer and split the nut, either from top or side. Works every time.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by swedishsteel

Take a cold chisel and hammer and split the nut, either from top or side. Works every time.

Or use a nut splitter if you are wanting to go that way.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

I've got one of these sets of sockets to deal with rounded off bolts. You should be able to get these at any hardware store. Looks expensive but that because this is in NZ bucks.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/irwin-8-p...r-set_p6320764

GB

[drolston]

I use a battery powered impact wrench. It has three power settings.
Start with the lowest setting. Give it 1 second burst of tighten, followed by two second loosening. Go through that routine maybe five times. If does not work, go up one power setting and repeat the routine. And again.

I wrung off 7 head bolts on the driver's side using a long bar and brute force. Bought the impact wrench and all 24 came off of the passenger side cleanly, using the above technique.

[Bud28]

I have a complete set of craftsman extractors both socket and wrench type I use and stand by . I believe in the working it back and forth tighten and loosen method (feeling it click by click ) tapping head flat (no ball peen ) each time it loosens another click and use a good penetrating oil. I use kroil its the best in my opinion . hope you can get er out .

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by drolston

I use a battery powered impact wrench. It has three power settings.
Start with the lowest setting. Give it 1 second burst of tighten, followed by two second loosening. Go through that routine maybe five times. If does not work, go up one power setting and repeat the routine. And again.

I wrung off 7 head bolts on the driver's side using a long bar and brute force. Bought the impact wrench and all 24 came off of the passenger side cleanly, using the above technique.

This. Impacts knock the nut/bolt loose... and is FAR more effective than simply pulling on a breaker bar.

If the head is rounded off, sometimes a similar metric socket, especially a 6-point will grab. For example, a 14mm is just a touch smaller, and fits tighter than a 9/16". Sometimes you can tap on a metric socket that will grip more tightly. If that won't work, a set similar to the Irwin linked a few posts back works well. They are a one way (off) socket that slips over and digs into the flats of the head with sharp, angled edges. Increasing torque makes them dig into the flats of the bolt head. I have a set, and are what I use for rounded off heads. They look like the picture below. Full sets of the smaller ones are between $20-$30, and are available at parts stores, Amazon, etc. Search for 'bolt extractor' or 'extractor socket'.



These sockets/extractors are for removing nuts/bolts with rounded off heads. If the bolt is truly frozen at the threads to the point the heads are rounding off, the impact is the first go-to, then if it is set on breaking, you can try days of penetrating oil... but HEAT is the go-to... and a propane torch won't cut it. You can often get the threads/interface RED HOT, and it will disable the rust bond, and the bolt will screw right out.

Good Luck