• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Why didn't somebody tell me about this before

TomMull

Darth Vader
Silver
Country flag
Offline
I've been rounding square plug and bolt heads using crescent adjustable, open end, box end wrenches and 8 and 12 point sockets for sixty years. Why didn't anybody tell me about this:

Take 2 sockets of the same size and matching a long nut used for connecting ready rod and available at any hardware store. In my example I used two 7/16 sockets with 3/8 drive. Line the sockets nose to nose with the long nut (7/16 OD in my case) in between and use the 3/8 drive end on the square plug or bolt and the other on the ratchet. You could also use a piece of hex stock between the sockets. Live and learn.

The tool is limited to the socket drive sizes, but 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 take care of a very high percentage of the square headed fastenings we'll encounter with our LBCs. The masking tape holds the sockets together on the nut. Live and learn.
square socket.jpg
Tom
 
D

Deleted member 8987

Guest
Guest
Offline
Probably didn't tell you because we buy square drive sockets to do the job.
View attachment 58684
That one is a tad over five bucks. You buy two sockets for five bucks apiece, then weld them together, and this is cheaper...and the weld won't fail.
 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Besides which, the most common square heads I deal with are not 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2. Eg, stock transmission fill plug is 7/16".
 
OP
TomMull

TomMull

Darth Vader
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Hey, the sockets are already in the toolbox, the nut to join them is less than a buck, there is no welding and I have a 7/16 square socket and a box end also which I use at least every other year. And I certainly didn't mean to suggest that this would change the way you do business. Actually kind of sorry I mentioned it.

Tom
 

LarryK

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Example: My nephew complained his car squirt gasoline all over him when he changed the fuel filter. I asked him why did he not eliminate the fuel pressure by releasing the schrader valve on the fuel line. He said, " No on told me!" I said, " you did not ask!"
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
P Things you didn't know about your car Other Cars 10
M Wanted I tried to post this earlier and it didn't seem to work so this might soon appear as Austin Healey Classifieds 6
doc50 TR2/3/3A DIDN'T BLOW the OD up [yet] Triumph 6
TomMull Post-War Other Herald 13/60: I didn't get the battery tray quite right Triumph 4
HealeyRick Why Didn't I Think of This? Austin Healey 15
K General Tech Why did MGB's come with oil coolers but Triumph's didn't? Triumph 17
PC didn't spot a 911 or a Javelin but did see a station wagon Spotted 1
S TR6 First drive in the TR6 went well...until it didn't Triumph 9
Lin Didn't realize ethanol had been available commercially for so long! Austin Healey 4
Steve Didn't Basil have one of these? Other British Cars 2
DNK And he didn't even stop! Spotted 18
stretchit2 Oh No I Didn't or the Dropped Not Blues Austin Healey 6
K Brake pedal doesn’t move mcylinder didn't fix Triumph 7
T I bet this didn't help its handling Triumph 9
T OK guys - I didn't buy the Quattroporte but... Triumph 29
T TR4/4A TR4A didn't use an exhaust manifold gasket? Triumph 5
Moseso I got exhausted -- at least I didn't get hosed. Triumph 7
C Today's Healey drive didn't happen Austin Healey 2
RickB Carpet - PO apparently didn't like glue... Spridgets 19
JPSmit did I mention I didn't take enough pics? Spridgets 1
jsneddon Scam - didn't somene here run into this too? Triumph 3
Mio I didn't think it was possible but.... Spridgets 21
timbn2 @$!&^%#*!!!!!!!!!!!! Why didn't you tell me... Austin Healey 10
B the picture I didn't take... MG 2
YankeeTR Yeah...I know I didn't need another sidescreen TR. Triumph 8
S New old car for me [& wife didn't even complain!] Other Cars 26
gsalt57tr3 I didn't drive it today, but maybe by the weekend Triumph 22
KLUTZ I didn't gap... What could happen? MG 14
gsalt57tr3 Didn't know the car, but recognized the motor... Triumph 13
ChrisS Jack - Just be glad you didn't buy my car Spridgets 16
Mickey Richaud Why Didn't I Think of This? Other Cars 9
TNMGB Gas pressure in tank?? Didn't happen before... MG 17
P Didn't like that fender anyway Triumph 2
philman [sigh] I didn't make it home Triumph 12
bluemiata90 Purchase that didn't get away, but... Triumph 1
Basil Tony - I didn't make it MG 1
Basil Spitfire So THATS why my Spit didn't seem peppy! Triumph 10
W Somebody needs to jump om this... Spridgets 2
F Somebody buy this owner's manual before I do Austin Healey 28
M gotta tell somebody Spridgets 10
W Somebody needs to gobble up this deal! Spridgets 17
DNK Somebody must want this... Lotus 7
Steve Somebody needs a good smack upside the head..... Austin Healey 9
jdubois Somebody check my timing sequence... Triumph 18
DNK Somebody with some spare time Triumph 3
DrEntropy Okay, somebody drag Drew out from under... Spridgets 7
Trevor Jessie Somebody in Cincy/Dayton Spridgets 9
T Somebody else is working on my baby Triumph 3
W Here's a deal for somebody! Spridgets 6
B somebody save this car Triumph 7

Similar threads

Top