tool consideration

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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i am working on a project to revive some old tool boxes i found at a flea market and replace the newer style plastic tool cases that sears sells now.

so i went to Harbor freight and found some socket organizers that fit on the bottom level of the metal box but as i was transfering tools from the plastic case to the organizer for the metal box i noticed something.

some of these newer tool kits that sears sells come with either 6 point or 12 point sockets.

so my question out of that is:

if your on the side of the road with a small tool box which would you rather have .....a set of 6 points or a set of 12 points

does anyone know the advantages of each one and which one has a higher probability of being used more?
 

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The six points are best. 12 points are only good for square nuts and for rounding off hex nuts that have been rusted in place.:violent1:

You only need one set of 12 point sockets, but make all the rest 6 points!
 
12 points are for those situations where you only have room to turn the ratchet 2 or 3 clicks at a time -- it can be hard to get a 6 point on it in these situations. Otherwise, 6 point is stronger and obviously less likely to strip your nuts.
 
mvh said:
12 points are for those situations where you only have room to turn the ratchet 2 or 3 clicks at a time -- it can be hard to get a 6 point on it in these situations. Otherwise, 6 point is stronger and obviously less likely to strip your nuts.
Click to expand...

what he said
 
1 advantage to a 12 pt socket is it usually has a thinner wall to it so if need be you can get it into tighter confined spaces with it. I always go with the 6 pt sockets as a set & then just buy a 12 pt socket when I need one.
 
In the beginning ( seems like 100 years ago ) I bought a full array of chrome 12 point sockets. After cracking quite a few of them I discovered impact grade 6 point cost less and may last a lifetime. Lesson learned.
There are some head bolts, etc.., that require a 12 point.
 
if your on the side of the road with a small tool box which would you rather have .....a set of 6 points or a set of 12 points

Rani, I don't think you will ever need them. If you get stuck on the side of the road, every Mopar person from coast to coast knows of the famous Rani from FABO, and within minutes you would have a few dozen of us helping. LOL
 
RedFish said:
There are some head bolts, etc.., that require a 12 point.
Click to expand...

Very true RedFish. My turbo 2.3 (Ford) used them on the heads. I'm sure there are other special use items that only a twelve point will do, but practically 99 times out of 100, a 6 point will be better.

Don't you just love women who even know enough to even notice this?????

Rani, you are a rare woman indeed (I'll bet the Cudachick knew this too!). Glad you both are members here.
 
Rani the six points are stronger than the 12, but the 6 point can still be broken just sayen
 
Lonewolf3165 said:
1 advantage to a 12 pt socket is it usually has a thinner wall to it so if need be you can get it into tighter confined spaces with it.
Click to expand...

Does it really have a thinner wall or does it just appear to be thinner because since a 12-pt socket has twice as many points it doesn't have the thick wall where the flat is located? I bet if you mike them you'll find they both have the same outside diameter.
Which also leads to the question if a 6-pt socket is actually stronger than a 12-pt. since the wall thickness at the point may well be the very same. A 6-pt socket will obviously have more "grip" on the flat of the nut or bolt head which is why they are much less likely to round off the points on either nuts or bolt heads.
 
Hi Rani,
I don't think you would be fixing anything on the side of the road that specifically requires a 12 point socket, as most mention 12 point have there advantages. If space and weight isn't a problem carry both.
Hope you get around to replying to my last PM.
johndart
 
Both if possible.
If not 6 point set with a spare 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16 12 point added to the arsenal. If you don't have separate ones you can pick them up cheap at pawn shops.
 
mvh said:
12 points are for those situations where you only have room to turn the ratchet 2 or 3 clicks at a time -- it can be hard to get a 6 point on it in these situations. Otherwise, 6 point is stronger and obviously less likely to strip your nuts.
Click to expand...

Exactly X2
 
ocdart said:
Does it really have a thinner wall or does it just appear to be thinner because since a 12-pt socket has twice as many points it doesn't have the thick wall where the flat is located? I bet if you mike them you'll find they both have the same outside diameter.
Which also leads to the question if a 6-pt socket is actually stronger than a 12-pt. since the wall thickness at the point may well be the very same. A 6-pt socket will obviously have more "grip" on the flat of the nut or bolt head which is why they are much less likely to round off the points on either nuts or bolt heads.
Click to expand...

Very well said. You could be a tool man Ken.
 
You do alot of the work on your car yourself, so think of all the work you do and see if there is anything you would need to use a 12pt on. Try taking out all the 12pts out of your toolbox next time you work on your car and you'll find out if you really need them. I completely disassembled a 76 Duster without using any 12pt sockets, well except for the engine and trans which came out as one assembly. Normally on the engine I would use the box end of a wrench, which we know is 12pt, for tight places that a socket would normally not be able to get into anyway. JMO and that with a quarter won't even get you a cup of coffee :coffee2:
 
Hi Rani, Six point is preferred as they don't round the bolt head as easily.


Unless you like the feel of skinning your knuckles, then go with the 12 point and stock up on Band-aids and Neosporin....
 
Pop Quiz...do you have any ARP fasteners on your car?

I'm thinking...(May take awhile) and I can't recall any factory fasteners that are 12-point. 6 point ftw.
 
krazykuda said:
Hi Rani, Six point is preferred as they don't round the bolt head as easily.


Unless you like the feel of skinning your knuckles, then go with the 12 point and stock up on Band-aids and Neosporin....
Click to expand...


well OMG ....look who it is ...Mr. Krazykuda ....am i looking at an old thread or is it really him .....long time no see ....great to see you posting again :toothy7:
 
No 12 point fasteners that I can remember on older Mopars.
 
Lonewolf3165 said:
1 advantage to a 12 pt socket is it usually has a thinner wall to it so if need be you can get it into tighter confined spaces with it. QUOTE]

I feel that the 'thinner wall' also lets the socket expand easier on tight bolts and contributes to it slipping and rounding off of the bolt head and skinning my knuckles (which we learn to ignore and keep working if you've been doing this long enough). Then we get to "feel the burn" when we are finished and go inside and wash our hands...
Click to expand...
 
RaniDart70 said:
well OMG ....look who it is ...Mr. Krazykuda ....am i looking at an old thread or is it really him .....long time no see ....great to see you posting again :toothy7:
Click to expand...

You're looking at an old thread...

Yeah, It's me. Asa told me to come back as it is not as "hostile" as it was getting a while back. I decided to stop in and check it out for a "test drive".

Good to see you again, Rani. The "Mistress of 4 speeds" and big blocks is still at it....
 
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