i am a professional mechanic. been using the Pittsburgh color coordinated 6pt sockets for years and love them. I will try the spline drives based on what you said. I will never buy Snap on anything. just sole my 35 yo snap on tool box to a 20yo new mechanic. got the 72 us general. so happy.
I “learnt” the hard way about 12pt sockets. I went to change the oil on my wife’s van. I had a nice Kobalt socket set, 12pt. Some butthead at wherever she got her oil changed last must have put the oil drain plug on with impact wrench. Needless to say, I completely rounded over the head on the bolt. I then went out and purchased an Irwin damaged bolt remover kit. Still no luck. I had to take it to a garage, where they used an impact chisel to bust the bolt off. I boxed up all my 12pt sockets and have never used 12pt again. The Gearwrench Flex ratcheting spline wrenches work great for tight spots like fan belt pulleys and things.
When I started putting my tool box together 900 years ago spline drive wasn't available so I ended up with 6 and 12 point sockets. Since they've come out, I've picked a both an SAE and metric set and if they had been around years ago I would have passed on the 12 point and just went with them and the 6 point. As you said, the quality of the tool is critical. You can buy cheap 6 point tools and still have issues as the tolerances are so poor and the quality of steel so bad that you still end up rounding off the nut or breaking the socket. I've had very good luck with my spine tools. That said, I would never stick a cheater bar on a spline tool but for normal situations they have yet to fail me. Save your money on the 12 point sockets and go with spline instead.
Rich McQuiggan thank you so much for watching and commenting and sharing your thoughts on the situation. I also agree. I wouldn’t put a cheater bar on them either but have loved the spline drive so far.
I got a 1/2 set of splinedrive with craftsman I think 10-21 and one less but also SAE sizes I’m happy with it! I’m a Toyota guy so I don’t really run into 12 point but when I do I’ll be ready
Thank you. I just found out through trial and error recently! Had bought a ratchet set not knowing the differences, and it came with 12pt. sockets and what I needed was 6 pt. I appreciate your thorough explanation of them all - and I had never even heard of spline. But I do now! Thanks again!
dggd thank you for commenting and letting me know you found the video helpful. I really appreciate it. Thank you for watching as well I’m glad I could help
Also, I really like the 1st generation Kobalt tools made between 1996 and 2002. They were produced by J.H. Williams which is the same company that makes/made Snap-On. Really deep markings on them, beefy, and nice smooth chrome. Most folks don't know what they are and if YOU do, you can pick them up for a song.
My only experience with spline drive is a small Kobalt set I bought years ago thinking it'd be convenient not having to carry both metric and SAE. Came with a pass-through ratchet. I lost the ratchet almost as soon as I bought the kit, tried the sockets once, just recently through the remainder in the trash. But I'm willing to accept that the problem was Kobalt QC rather than spline drive. I can actually see spline drive making 12-pt extinct, at least in the DIY arena. 6-pt is the foundation of any socket set, but having spline available for 12-pt sockets would be handy because they also work with other drive styles. So one extra set of sockets gives you a lot of flexibility.
Very true. Ya I tried to mention that as well. Spline drive is great as long as you get a good set. And yes very handy to have for different style fasteners or fasteners with rust or corrosion. 👍
@@TonyTheTechnician yeah, your comments about the flexibility made me reconsider my view. I still think spline sucks for 6pt. But having it for everything else, stuff I rarely see, makes a lot of sense.
The best way to put a tool box together is to start going to estate sale auctions and bid on box lots of tools. I have obtained all of my Snap-on, S-K, Proto, Williams, Bonney, and other miscellaneous USA-made tools that way, plus a lot of vintage Craftsman =v= stuff. I also now have more USA-made screwdrivers than I know what to do with. I can usually win boxes of sockets for 25-cents per socket, and screwdrivers for around 50-cents each. $1 each tool on boxes of wrenches and, for some reason, quality files go for that too. FYI.
I have the zeon sockets and they do work on rounded fasteners. Used on a caliper mounting bolt that a 6 point could not grab, put a 20" 3/8 breaker bar and took it right off! I was suprised for such a cheap set but the do work well
Ya they just aren't as common or I should say weren't as common. Now they are becoming more common. Before it seemed like you would either get a really cheap set or really expensive. Now I'm seeing some good proceed sets
hey Tony thanks for the heart. I did use my new snap-on wrench set they are really good $200 hundred for 5 wrenches they should be. having said that I did get a lil deal cuz each wrench has two sizes so it's kinda like I have 10 for the price of 5. most important is they do work really well
I love spline drive. Sockets and wrenches. Been using them for years. I just ordered a new set of Nieko spline sockets. Haven't got them yet. But all the spline drive I have are great. In high torque application I use 6 pt. But I really like the spline drive. They're awesome!!
6-point only sucks if the fastener has more than 6 facets. Otherwise,6-point is superior in every way, to anything else. My spline drive sockets have slipped only once on an over torqued fastener with a dodgy head, which amazes me. 14mm is not 9/16", 14mm is slightly smaller.
Very nice. Ya my spline drives have been great. And agreed 6 point is best all around as long as it's a 6 point fastener. And 14 can be used as 9/16. Many sizes are roughly the same or very close. As seen by this spreadsheet www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.defender.com/pdf/metric-conversion_6-18-14.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj07Ifk5KHnAhWRGs0KHds7ATQQFjABegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2aQvhKYLJGW83bVD_OFiCr&cshid=1580059657365
Awesome video as always, Tony! Thanks for making them. I’ve find your videos and reviews extremely helpful for purchasing tools. I didn’t know about the zeon sockets until watching this, time to buy a set!
last 20 years my Go to set has been a Spline drive set never stripped ant fasteners never broke one and ima a Heavy duty Mechanic but love them the take up no room in my tool tray and well no deed to have specialty sockets because they fit every thing E-tork square 12 6 point and well some times the will bite on to stiped bolts .. an do not need to have 2 sets metric and SAE because 1 set does both sizes I got them in Deep and Standard 3/8 14/ and1/2 inch drive up to 32 mm.or 1 1/4
Great topic. I have a set of spline drive sockets and wrenches. I've never even tried them yet but now you have me thinking the would be good to keep in the to go box or the box kept in the car/truck. Never know what you'll need, be it six, twelve, metric or SAE. It would save some space. (unless all nuts and bolts were wingnuts (that cracks me up)) Thanks for another well done video.
Bruce L. Hahahaha that is actually a great idea. I didn't think of that either. It would save a ton of room to just have a set that works on so many different things. Lmao wing nuts would make everything so easy 😂
I like how you keep coming back to the quality issue. That's a real factor when buying just about anything but especially tools. I'm retired now but way back in the day we had an older fellow selling tools out of a Ford falcon van. He said one time that there's nothing more expensive than a cheap tool. I've always wondered how those spline drive wrenches and sockets worked out. I have very few 12 point sockets in my box but oddly enough very few 6 point wrenches, don't know why that happened. Anyway, you helped me by explaining the why's and the wherefores about spline drive wrenches. Very good video. Nice box in the back ground too by the way. Keep up the good work.
12 point I have a few for a few applications,one is a 12 point 12mm impact socket in 1/2 drive for Ford driveshaft bolts.A couple for headbolt applications,a 12 point 12mm and 1/2.Includes a 12 point 10mm,had to use for Honda pressure plate bolts.There are 12 point axle nuts too,VW and Toyota/Lexus use 12 point axle nuts and there are 12 point axle nut sockets for these applications
I only have 6 point sockets My wrenches and ratcheting wrenches are 12 point. Might get that small set of spline drive sockets soon. Or a pass through spline drive set to hit 2 birds with one stone.
6 point will always be KING.. Prof mechanic here... 12 points usage are very few and far between. If I need one I will buy one but for the most part 6 does 90% of everything
Thanks. I was looking at spline drives but I didn't see a reason since 6pt and 12pt works for everything I need. I use bolt extractors for really rounded off fasteners since they should be replaced.
exactly 6 point sockets on six point bolts / 12 on 12 point bolts and spline sockets for spline bolts. Didn't think they made those did ya? we had to use them while working on military jets otherwise I saw no point in buying them.
They all suck the industry needs to switch to the much superior wing nut IMHO. Carlyle actually does a 6pt in ratcheting and 6&12 in non-ratcheting wrenches.
I have a small set of spline drive sockets. I got them because they were on sale and I had only read about them and never used one, so I figured this would be a good opportunity. Well, I have never used them. They sit in a corner of the box and so far it was a waste of money. But I hold onto hope that one day I will run across a fastener that needs the spline drive to turn, so I am not getting rid of them.
Im looking for a tools kit for my motorbike and car. I found a kit by Gedora ( as i know one of best german manufacturers) with 6pts spline sockets, as they say it can be used for bolts both metric and imperial. Do you really think it will work so? Why than we need 6 pts sockets if it can be replaced by spline?!
I had a dog bone spline drive craftsman wrench that almost always rounded 13mm dodge oil drain plugs. It was cool for oil changes and quicker than trying to find a socket but terrible if the drain plug is too tight.
Spline drive are not good for anything that that takes more then 50 foot/ lbs to remove. They will shear off rusty corners instantly to the point where a 6 point might not work and then you need to use a bolt remove and chew it all up
Spline drive would be used on a rusty fastener that your standard 6 point would no longer fit on. Spline drive is definitely not best for all situations but still very handy to have.
@@TonyTheTechnician ive heard this argument but have never experienced it, i was suckered into a 500 piece spline drive set and its only good for bolts that are easy to remove or else it will just cleanly shear any rusty bolt round. I always go to my spline drive set first because i paid 1500 bucks for it but almost always end up having to use my 6 side impact set or bolt remover set. If it wont fit, ill hit it with a wire cup wheel, file, or chisel the faces clean.
Before i bought my impact set i was resorting to putting duck tape around tough fasteners. Then tapping the socket on with a hammer. This would greatly reduce the chance of rounding and shearing the corners... If it was something too tight to put tape on, i would jb weld the socket on and let it set for 10 minutes then take it off
6 and 12 pt. Odds are though if i need 12pt its impact grade on 12pt nuts and bolts (semi starters, drivelines etc) Did try passthru spline for little while but my application was too different to where wasnt any use for what i needed. Quality, as well as application make big difference.
wingnutx I’ve got two vintage eight point sockets from my Dad’s tools. I’ve only seen two sizes (5/8 and 9/16, I think), never run across a broader set of eight point. I think they were fairly common on old farm tractors - yours is the first I’ve heard on a more modern(ish :) vehicle!
Hank Jr. had a line in a song referring to women. ''I like em short, I like em tall, I like em all'' I feel the same way about six point, twelve point and spline drive. I like em all..
The gearwrench 120xp wrenches are not perfect, they are not reversible. When you are getting excited at loosening a nut or bolt, the wrench touches another part, you are totally screwed since it can't be removed. It happened to me once and I have to cut the wrench. It is not a gearwrench 120xp, but one with a similar non-reversible design. After that miserable experience, I got the mountain wrench set (90 tooth reversible ). I do like that the gearwrench has one side without ratchet tooth, and that side can be used to loosen nuts and bolts first. Be careful to use the ratchet side though, especially in tight spaces. As a tool addict, I will get the gearwrench set in the future.
Thanks ya that is a downside to the non reversible wrenches. But I have learned if you get into that situation try to slide the wrench down to the threaded portion and use another wrench with the open end to tighten the fastener again just enough to remove the wrench that was stuck. 👍
I overhaul VW I use spline drive tools most it works best with Euro vehicles cause the make up early Amer EUR mix between design it's best at my shops I was skeptical but we hired a technician from overseas it's amazing the tools they use where's he is from productivity is Job one
I bought a home depot brand socket set mainly for the 100 position ratchets. It came with the spline sockets. I gave the sockets away! I personally found them to be almost useless.
my craftsman spline ratchet wrenches with 0 offset are my go to.0 offset works so much better then trying to keep the angle under pressure.made in china does suck but there high quality.
I have the craftsman spline drive pass through set with the zero offset ratchet . I also have the craftsman 19.2 volt ratchet to go with them . They work great .
hey Tony I do have a confession I have a thing for those LX grearwrench long you know one end is boxed and the other is a flex ratchet. just the best price was 300. for a set and a free stubby. but to get both sae and metric that's a lot of money I'm not that in love lol hey have a great holiday weekend
Martin Schaffmeir haha ya I was going to pay around 200 for my metric set. Luckily I ended up winning them for free. Thank you I hope you have a great weekend as well
Well myself I would always go with a spline drive because like you said it don't grab the Fastener on the corners like a 6 and a 12 do and a 12 and a 6 grab it at the same spot every time and if you look at quality tools that have tested with a socket on a Fastener spline socket will never and I repeat never around the Fastener the six will the twelve will show my opinion and my comments you as a spline socket far superior they neither one of the other and it fits everything so going forward you should buy a spline set that is a quality built over 6:12 everyday cuz they should make a 6 or 12 at the splines available think about it why are three sets of sockets when you only need one and now one does not round them ever and I've been rushing for 45 years I know
With the advent of the spline drive, did that make 12 pt. obsolete? Can a spline drive do everything a 12pt. can do plus more? If you were a new tech or you were putting together your first set of tools is it possible to completely skip 12pt. tools and go with 6pt. for the bulk of your jobs and set of spline drives for the oddities and rounded fasteners?
I believe so. Most fasteners now are 6 point and then you have your random 12 pt and square and those other not so common fasteners where you could just use spline. Unless you work on a specific lineup of machinery or a specific vehicle brand that tends to use more 12 pt then anything else
Deep socket can it be used in the place were shallow socket are used .. some say deep socket do break .. which is stronger deep socket or shallow socket ..can deep socket can it be used in high torque bolt .. waiting for your reply
Im not entirely sold on the spline Drive the only experience I have with them is with those gearwrench wrenches. I mostly use 6pt but i do have full sets of 12pt. The only thing i do with 12 point sockets is when shit is real Rusty and you don't know what the fuckin size is anymore, that's the socket i pound on with a hammer
I have never rounded of a good nut with 12 point sockets, despite tremendous torque, I figure 6 point might be good for rounded or soft material nut, but again even the 6 point isn’t covering all the surfaces of the bolt head, you can clearly see the wear pattern in the socket wall.
Thanks for the informative video. If I'm choosing a socket style for fasteners in hard to reach places(upside down or hidden), is the 6pt still my best bet to prevent rounding? Or is there anything that helps the tool-to-bolt purchase when my own judgement, sight, and technique is hindered? Thanks!
It's the angle of all the "points" that differentiates 12 pt vs triple square. A triple square is, as the name suggests, 3 squares overlaid so each "point" has the 90 degree angle of the corner of a square. The "12pt" is 2 hex shapes overlaid so each "point" is the 60 degree corner of a hex
Thanks for the reply! So there are triple square recessed bolts (VW uses these?), and there are also twelve point bolts shaped just like a twelve point socket? Fascinating, haven’t encountered the twelve point bolts yet. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, much appreciated!
So I'm about to do brakes on my Mercedes. So a 12pt craftsman socket set will work on the torx screws? I don't wanna get into it to realize I don't have the proper tools.
Not all 12 points are going to work on torx it all depends on the sizes and its just best to use an actual e torx socket. But spline drive would be better then a 12 point. The last thing you want to do is round off the fastener
@@1ohmwrecker no problem. Ya e trox would definitely be best but if they are spline drive then it should work. Just be careful. If it starts to feel like it's not biting in then dont do it. You don't want to make the situation worse
I have SEVEN Spline bolts holding my brake calipers on which I have no idea how to take off?!! I thought at first they were E-Torx bolts but they have SIX points. I can email you a pic...please help!!
Im planning to buy a set of 12point standard socket, but im having a hard time deciding on which brand, snapon or stahlwille. Im an aircraft mechanic so i need a 12 point socket. Any input on which brand is better?
You can't go wrong with either of those. The only other one I've use of quality would be tekton. Other then that I don't use alot of 12 point. But when I do they work well.
Thought I’d comment to maybe give you an idea. Honestly, the “high end” brand tool companies are normally great. But one of my teachers in school told me to just buy what works (hoping to help us new techs from buying a bunch of pricy tools that would cause us to collect debt.) A guy that I use to work with used a lot of Kobalt 12pts sockets and only broke one chrome 13mm in 3/8” drive while I worked with him for around 13 months. (This was 5 years ago so idk the quality now.) But he used an impact on them a lot. Lol I have many Kobalt and haven’t had any problem with them. (But I try to use 6pt more than anything, and I don’t like Kobalt wrenches also.) What I’m saying is you might can get good tools for half of the price of let’s say a Snap On if you do research. GearWrench/KD Tools, Sunex, Tekton, might be tools you could look at.
@@johnhawks7365 thank you. I am Only familiar with certain brands like stahwille and snap-on as they are the only brands I am exposed to, And tyey are the only one I used before. I definitely check your given brands.
spline are ok. when I needed them the only place I knew that had them was snap on. They work best on spline fasteners, which you find a lot in the aviation community
TonyTheTechnician I have been looking for ATG's Metrinch on Metric Impacts & can't find them. Also, do you know where I can get ATG's Torque Gauge with Bluetooth for less than $1,500.00? My last ATG's manual torque gauge cost me $1,000.00, that was over 11 year ago.
hey Tony how's it going ? great post the spine drive are new to me my son bought a set of spine wrenches and spine sockets I haven't really used then I may tho where ever I found then they did get a bit rusty
Pro tip: to prevent rounding off fasteners, make sure it’s not user error. Don’t blame a 12pt or a spline because you’re too lazy to get the correct size. Also, make sure you have a good 90° angle on the fastener.
i am a professional mechanic. been using the Pittsburgh color coordinated 6pt sockets for years and love them. I will try the spline drives based on what you said. I will never buy Snap on anything. just sole my 35 yo snap on tool box to a 20yo new mechanic. got the 72 us general. so happy.
I “learnt” the hard way about 12pt sockets.
I went to change the oil on my wife’s van. I had a nice Kobalt socket set, 12pt. Some butthead at wherever she got her oil changed last must have put the oil drain plug on with impact wrench. Needless to say, I completely rounded over the head on the bolt. I then went out and purchased an Irwin damaged bolt remover kit. Still no luck.
I had to take it to a garage, where they used an impact chisel to bust the bolt off.
I boxed up all my 12pt sockets and have never used 12pt again.
The Gearwrench Flex ratcheting spline wrenches work great for tight spots like fan belt pulleys and things.
Oh dang they must have really messed that thing up. Thanks for sharing that and your experience
Thank you so much, on my way to the hardware store to get a spline set now :-)
When I started putting my tool box together 900 years ago spline drive wasn't available so I ended up with 6 and 12 point sockets. Since they've come out, I've picked a both an SAE and metric set and if they had been around years ago I would have passed on the 12 point and just went with them and the 6 point. As you said, the quality of the tool is critical. You can buy cheap 6 point tools and still have issues as the tolerances are so poor and the quality of steel so bad that you still end up rounding off the nut or breaking the socket. I've had very good luck with my spine tools. That said, I would never stick a cheater bar on a spline tool but for normal situations they have yet to fail me. Save your money on the 12 point sockets and go with spline instead.
Rich McQuiggan thank you so much for watching and commenting and sharing your thoughts on the situation. I also agree. I wouldn’t put a cheater bar on them either but have loved the spline drive so far.
I got a 1/2 set of splinedrive with craftsman I think 10-21 and one less but also SAE sizes I’m happy with it! I’m a Toyota guy so I don’t really run into 12 point but when I do I’ll be ready
Thank you. I just found out through trial and error recently! Had bought a ratchet set not knowing the differences, and it came with 12pt. sockets and what I needed was 6 pt. I appreciate your thorough explanation of them all - and I had never even heard of spline. But I do now! Thanks again!
dggd thank you for commenting and letting me know you found the video helpful. I really appreciate it. Thank you for watching as well I’m glad I could help
Also, I really like the 1st generation Kobalt tools made between 1996 and 2002. They were produced by J.H. Williams which is the same company that makes/made Snap-On. Really deep markings on them, beefy, and nice smooth chrome. Most folks don't know what they are and if YOU do, you can pick them up for a song.
My only experience with spline drive is a small Kobalt set I bought years ago thinking it'd be convenient not having to carry both metric and SAE. Came with a pass-through ratchet. I lost the ratchet almost as soon as I bought the kit, tried the sockets once, just recently through the remainder in the trash. But I'm willing to accept that the problem was Kobalt QC rather than spline drive. I can actually see spline drive making 12-pt extinct, at least in the DIY arena. 6-pt is the foundation of any socket set, but having spline available for 12-pt sockets would be handy because they also work with other drive styles. So one extra set of sockets gives you a lot of flexibility.
Very true. Ya I tried to mention that as well. Spline drive is great as long as you get a good set. And yes very handy to have for different style fasteners or fasteners with rust or corrosion. 👍
@@TonyTheTechnician yeah, your comments about the flexibility made me reconsider my view. I still think spline sucks for 6pt. But having it for everything else, stuff I rarely see, makes a lot of sense.
@@johnterpack3940 ya any time it's a 6 point fastener it's definitely best to just use 6pt sockets 👍
That spline drive socket set is going to be my next buy.. great video bro...
BEARDED YAKIN thanks bro. Glad you enjoyed. Don't get yelled at bc of me though lol
The best way to put a tool box together is to start going to estate sale auctions and bid on box lots of tools. I have obtained all of my Snap-on, S-K, Proto, Williams, Bonney, and other miscellaneous USA-made tools that way, plus a lot of vintage Craftsman =v= stuff. I also now have more USA-made screwdrivers than I know what to do with. I can usually win boxes of sockets for 25-cents per socket, and screwdrivers for around 50-cents each. $1 each tool on boxes of wrenches and, for some reason, quality files go for that too. FYI.
Tony, good content and as always good content. Every time I think I have my mind made up about something you make me think. This is what I appreciate.
Emery chiszar thank you emery. I always enjoy your comments and all your support. And I'm really glad you enjoy!
Exactly!
I have the zeon sockets and they do work on rounded fasteners. Used on a caliper mounting bolt that a 6 point could not grab, put a 20" 3/8 breaker bar and took it right off! I was suprised for such a cheap set but the do work well
Very nice that's great to hear!!
it's a good idea to have a good set of 6 point wrenches for stubborn fasteners
Ya they just aren't as common or I should say weren't as common. Now they are becoming more common. Before it seemed like you would either get a really cheap set or really expensive. Now I'm seeing some good proceed sets
You're a good teacher Tony. I always learn a lot from your videos. Keep up the good work. Thanks. Tom
Tom Zorn thank you I'm really glad you enjoy
This help me a lot. I was confused and you enlightened me. Thank you Tony!!
Glad to hear it. Thank you!!
hey Tony thanks for the heart. I did use my new snap-on wrench set they are really good $200 hundred for 5 wrenches they should be. having said that I did get a lil deal cuz each wrench has two sizes so it's kinda like I have 10 for the price of 5. most important is they do work really well
Martin Schaffmeir nice that is a good deal for the snap on double ended wrenches. Thank you for sharing
I love spline drive. Sockets and wrenches.
Been using them for years. I just ordered a new set of Nieko spline sockets. Haven't got them yet. But all the spline drive I have are great.
In high torque application I use 6 pt.
But I really like the spline drive.
They're awesome!!
Very nice. Glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing
6-point only sucks if the fastener has more than 6 facets. Otherwise,6-point is superior in every way, to anything else. My spline drive sockets have slipped only once on an over torqued fastener with a dodgy head, which amazes me.
14mm is not 9/16", 14mm is slightly smaller.
Very nice. Ya my spline drives have been great. And agreed 6 point is best all around as long as it's a 6 point fastener. And 14 can be used as 9/16. Many sizes are roughly the same or very close. As seen by this spreadsheet
www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.defender.com/pdf/metric-conversion_6-18-14.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj07Ifk5KHnAhWRGs0KHds7ATQQFjABegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2aQvhKYLJGW83bVD_OFiCr&cshid=1580059657365
@@TonyTheTechnician true, 14mm fits just a wee bit tighter on a 9/16 fastener thus can help in case the fastener is in rough shape.
@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259 very true!! 👍
Awesome video as always, Tony! Thanks for making them. I’ve find your videos and reviews extremely helpful for purchasing tools. I didn’t know about the zeon sockets until watching this, time to buy a set!
Geremy thank you and ya I haven’t used them much but they seem to work good on a normal basis
last 20 years my Go to set has been a Spline drive set never stripped ant fasteners never broke one and ima a Heavy duty Mechanic but love them the take up no room in my tool tray and well no deed to have specialty sockets because they fit every thing E-tork square 12 6 point and well some times the will bite on to stiped bolts .. an do not need to have 2 sets metric and SAE because 1 set does both sizes I got them in Deep and Standard 3/8 14/ and1/2 inch drive up to 32 mm.or 1 1/4
Very nice!!! Glad you have had great experiences with them. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Great topic. I have a set of spline drive sockets and wrenches. I've never even tried them yet but now you have me thinking the would be good to keep in the to go box or the box kept in the car/truck. Never know what you'll need, be it six, twelve, metric or SAE. It would save some space. (unless all nuts and bolts were wingnuts (that cracks me up))
Thanks for another well done video.
Bruce L. Hahahaha that is actually a great idea. I didn't think of that either. It would save a ton of room to just have a set that works on so many different things. Lmao wing nuts would make everything so easy 😂
I like how you keep coming back to the quality issue. That's a real factor when buying just about anything but especially tools. I'm retired now but way back in the day we had an older fellow selling tools out of a Ford falcon van. He said one time that there's nothing more expensive than a cheap tool. I've always wondered how those spline drive wrenches and sockets worked out. I have very few 12 point sockets in my box but oddly enough very few 6 point wrenches, don't know why that happened. Anyway, you helped me by explaining the why's and the wherefores about spline drive wrenches. Very good video. Nice box in the back ground too by the way. Keep up the good work.
Thank you and I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. And really glad to hear you enjoyed the video. 👍
12 point I have a few for a few applications,one is a 12 point 12mm impact socket in 1/2 drive for Ford driveshaft bolts.A couple for headbolt applications,a 12 point 12mm and 1/2.Includes a 12 point 10mm,had to use for Honda pressure plate bolts.There are 12 point axle nuts too,VW and Toyota/Lexus use 12 point axle nuts and there are 12 point axle nut sockets for these applications
wafrederick yes indeed I forgot about those axle bolts and ya fords live using those 12 points on the driveshaft. Thank you for sharing!
The gearwrench spline grips!
I only have 6 point sockets
My wrenches and ratcheting wrenches are 12 point. Might get that small set of spline drive sockets soon. Or a pass through spline drive set to hit 2 birds with one stone.
Walter Welch ya that is a good idea. Thank you for watching and sharing your plans.
6 point will always be KING.. Prof mechanic here... 12 points usage are very few and far between. If I need one I will buy one but for the most part 6 does 90% of everything
Thanks. I was looking at spline drives but I didn't see a reason since 6pt and 12pt works for everything I need. I use bolt extractors for really rounded off fasteners since they should be replaced.
Noah R thank you I'm glad you enjoyed
exactly 6 point sockets on six point bolts / 12 on 12 point bolts and spline sockets for spline bolts. Didn't think they made those did ya? we had to use them while working on military jets otherwise I saw no point in buying them.
They all suck the industry needs to switch to the much superior wing nut IMHO. Carlyle actually does a 6pt in ratcheting and 6&12 in non-ratcheting wrenches.
DOYLECLEVERLOBE1 haha wing nuts on everything!!!
Right wing nuts or Left wing nuts?
@@davidvines6498 It depends on which side of the car you install them on.
I have a small set of spline drive sockets. I got them because they were on sale and I had only read about them and never used one, so I figured this would be a good opportunity. Well, I have never used them. They sit in a corner of the box and so far it was a waste of money. But I hold onto hope that one day I will run across a fastener that needs the spline drive to turn, so I am not getting rid of them.
Im looking for a tools kit for my motorbike and car. I found a kit by Gedora ( as i know one of best german manufacturers) with 6pts spline sockets, as they say it can be used for bolts both metric and imperial.
Do you really think it will work so?
Why than we need 6 pts sockets if it can be replaced by spline?!
Aircraft are using spline fasteners. The spline socket/wrench is the only tool that will fit. I'm betting those will make it to other markets as well.
Very true. Thanks for watching
I had a dog bone spline drive craftsman wrench that almost always rounded 13mm dodge oil drain plugs. It was cool for oil changes and quicker than trying to find a socket but terrible if the drain plug is too tight.
Jan Michael Pilario oh damn. Thanks for the heads up!!
That's cuz dodge guys change oil with a visescrips or crescent wrench. If they change it at all lol
"NO, YOU CAN'T BORROW MY TOOLS. " hahaha i like that...
👍😂👍
@@TonyTheTechnician I SUBSCRIBE Bud! less than 15 minutes i learned a lot with your video, thanks...
Spline drive are not good for anything that that takes more then 50 foot/ lbs to remove. They will shear off rusty corners instantly to the point where a 6 point might not work and then you need to use a bolt remove and chew it all up
Spline drive would be used on a rusty fastener that your standard 6 point would no longer fit on. Spline drive is definitely not best for all situations but still very handy to have.
@@TonyTheTechnician ive heard this argument but have never experienced it, i was suckered into a 500 piece spline drive set and its only good for bolts that are easy to remove or else it will just cleanly shear any rusty bolt round. I always go to my spline drive set first because i paid 1500 bucks for it but almost always end up having to use my 6 side impact set or bolt remover set. If it wont fit, ill hit it with a wire cup wheel, file, or chisel the faces clean.
Before i bought my impact set i was resorting to putting duck tape around tough fasteners. Then tapping the socket on with a hammer. This would greatly reduce the chance of rounding and shearing the corners... If it was something too tight to put tape on, i would jb weld the socket on and let it set for 10 minutes then take it off
@@mordyfisher4269 what brand is your spline drive set?
6 and 12 pt. Odds are though if i need 12pt its impact grade on 12pt nuts and bolts (semi starters, drivelines etc) Did try passthru spline for little while but my application was too different to where wasnt any use for what i needed. Quality, as well as application make big difference.
Bearded Seabee82 very good point thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts on the topic.
Spline drive works great on the square nuts holding the rails on the wooden bed of my 58 GMC. Husky brand socket FTW.
wingnutx I’ve got two vintage eight point sockets from my Dad’s tools. I’ve only seen two sizes (5/8 and 9/16, I think), never run across a broader set of eight point. I think they were fairly common on old farm tractors - yours is the first I’ve heard on a more modern(ish :) vehicle!
Hank Jr. had a line in a song referring to women. ''I like em short, I like em tall, I like em all'' I feel the same way about six point, twelve point and spline drive. I like em all..
Snap Mac hahaha very nice analogy!
Should have shown a 12 point bolt! I'm going out right now to buy me a Good set of Knurl Grip sockets!
Great video Tony. The only spline drive tools are my kobalt pass thru sockets.
David Young ohh nice a multi purpose set. Thank you
Very informative. Thank you!
Very helpful video. Thumbs up!
The gearwrench 120xp wrenches are not perfect, they are not reversible. When you are getting excited at loosening a nut or bolt, the wrench touches another part, you are totally screwed since it can't be removed. It happened to me once and I have to cut the wrench. It is not a gearwrench 120xp, but one with a similar non-reversible design. After that miserable experience, I got the mountain wrench set (90 tooth reversible ). I do like that the gearwrench has one side without ratchet tooth, and that side can be used to loosen nuts and bolts first. Be careful to use the ratchet side though, especially in tight spaces. As a tool addict, I will get the gearwrench set in the future.
Thanks ya that is a downside to the non reversible wrenches. But I have learned if you get into that situation try to slide the wrench down to the threaded portion and use another wrench with the open end to tighten the fastener again just enough to remove the wrench that was stuck. 👍
I always get KingTony sockets super quality for the price.
I overhaul VW I use spline drive tools most it works best with Euro vehicles cause the make up early Amer EUR mix between design it's best at my shops I was skeptical but we hired a technician from overseas it's amazing the tools they use where's he is from productivity is Job one
Very nice and great to know. Thanks for sharing
I bought a home depot brand socket set mainly for the 100 position ratchets. It came with the spline sockets. I gave the sockets away! I personally found them to be almost useless.
my craftsman spline ratchet wrenches with 0 offset are my go to.0 offset works so much better then trying to keep the angle under pressure.made in china does suck but there high quality.
megaeverything101 ya the spline 0 offset is great. Never used the craftsman ones but really glad they work well for you!
I have the craftsman spline drive pass through set with the zero offset ratchet . I also have the craftsman 19.2 volt ratchet to go with them . They work great .
We also have a lot of bad tools from China in Russia. I buy a Jonnesway tool (Taiwan) and its quality is more or less good.
Which brand of spline drive wrenches do we avoid?
I have a mixed set of wrenches I have a lot of 6 point because they work same as the spline drive
Dan Bates very nice. Thank you for sharing!!!
hey Tony I do have a confession I have a thing for those LX grearwrench long you know one end is boxed and the other is a flex ratchet. just the best price was 300. for a set and a free stubby. but to get both sae and metric that's a lot of money I'm not that in love lol hey have a great holiday weekend
Martin Schaffmeir haha ya I was going to pay around 200 for my metric set. Luckily I ended up winning them for free. Thank you I hope you have a great weekend as well
I wish i never had to use another 12pt tool again 6pt on everything and spline when i need it
JNJdestruction haha ya I know what you mean 😂
Love tekton long wrench 6 point
Same here 👍
Does universal wrench mean spline drive?
Well myself I would always go with a spline drive because like you said it don't grab the Fastener on the corners like a 6 and a 12 do and a 12 and a 6 grab it at the same spot every time and if you look at quality tools that have tested with a socket on a Fastener spline socket will never and I repeat never around the Fastener the six will the twelve will show my opinion and my comments you as a spline socket far superior they neither one of the other and it fits everything so going forward you should buy a spline set that is a quality built over 6:12 everyday cuz they should make a 6 or 12 at the splines available think about it why are three sets of sockets when you only need one and now one does not round them ever and I've been rushing for 45 years I know
With the advent of the spline drive, did that make 12 pt. obsolete? Can a spline drive do everything a 12pt. can do plus more? If you were a new tech or you were putting together your first set of tools is it possible to completely skip 12pt. tools and go with 6pt. for the bulk of your jobs and set of spline drives for the oddities and rounded fasteners?
I believe so. Most fasteners now are 6 point and then you have your random 12 pt and square and those other not so common fasteners where you could just use spline. Unless you work on a specific lineup of machinery or a specific vehicle brand that tends to use more 12 pt then anything else
Why not grey pneumatic duo sockets so you don't have to buy two sets, both impact and regular sockets.?
Deep socket can it be used in the place were shallow socket are used .. some say deep socket do break .. which is stronger deep socket or shallow socket ..can deep socket can it be used in high torque bolt .. waiting for your reply
Im not entirely sold on the spline Drive the only experience I have with them is with those gearwrench wrenches. I mostly use 6pt but i do have full sets of 12pt. The only thing i do with 12 point sockets is when shit is real Rusty and you don't know what the fuckin size is anymore, that's the socket i pound on with a hammer
fuzzy wuzzy haha ya I know what you mean. Don't want to destroy your 6 points lol. Thank you for sharing you experience and opinion. 👍🏻
I have never rounded of a good nut with 12 point sockets, despite tremendous torque, I figure 6 point might be good for rounded or soft material nut, but again even the 6 point isn’t covering all the surfaces of the bolt head, you can clearly see the wear pattern in the socket wall.
David Gruen very true most the time it catches the corners of the socket or close to them
Thanks for the informative video. If I'm choosing a socket style for fasteners in hard to reach places(upside down or hidden), is the 6pt still my best bet to prevent rounding? Or is there anything that helps the tool-to-bolt purchase when my own judgement, sight, and technique is hindered? Thanks!
Those PowerBuilt sockets came in those holders ?
Wally G. Yes they did.
What is the difference between 12 point and triple square? The angles are different by design so they shouldn’t be interchangeable, should they?
It's the angle of all the "points" that differentiates 12 pt vs triple square. A triple square is, as the name suggests, 3 squares overlaid so each "point" has the 90 degree angle of the corner of a square. The "12pt" is 2 hex shapes overlaid so each "point" is the 60 degree corner of a hex
Thanks for the reply! So there are triple square recessed bolts (VW uses these?), and there are also twelve point bolts shaped just like a twelve point socket? Fascinating, haven’t encountered the twelve point bolts yet. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, much appreciated!
@@billk5296 no problem. Yes indeed. I see alot more 12 point then I see triple square but that's bc I don't work on many vw's 👍 thanks for watching
Tony I’m using a E8 sized socket for a torx bolt ummm it’s rounded a little and hard to get at should I try spline in this case?
Better question is what size am I looking for in a E8
Do they work with 8 points?
So I'm about to do brakes on my Mercedes. So a 12pt craftsman socket set will work on the torx screws? I don't wanna get into it to realize I don't have the proper tools.
Not all 12 points are going to work on torx it all depends on the sizes and its just best to use an actual e torx socket. But spline drive would be better then a 12 point. The last thing you want to do is round off the fastener
@@TonyTheTechnician i do think they're spline, I gotta check. But thanks for the info man! I really appreciate it!
@@1ohmwrecker no problem. Ya e trox would definitely be best but if they are spline drive then it should work. Just be careful. If it starts to feel like it's not biting in then dont do it. You don't want to make the situation worse
@@TonyTheTechnician oh I know. And anything for Mercedes-Benz sucks to replace lol. I really appreciate you taking your time to help!
@@1ohmwrecker haha ya very true. No problem at all
I have SEVEN Spline bolts holding my brake calipers on which I have no idea how to take off?!! I thought at first they were E-Torx bolts but they have SIX points. I can email you a pic...please help!!
If they have six points that would just make them a normal six point bolt. Am I missing something?
@@TonyTheTechnician My bolts have SEVEN points not six.
@@TonyTheTechnician I made a quick video: here is the link: ruclips.net/video/dRaMbmeMTro/видео.html
great video brother
Wrenching with Kyle thanks man!
Im planning to buy a set of 12point standard socket, but im having a hard time deciding on which brand, snapon or stahlwille. Im an aircraft mechanic so i need a 12 point socket. Any input on which brand is better?
You can't go wrong with either of those. The only other one I've use of quality would be tekton. Other then that I don't use alot of 12 point. But when I do they work well.
Thought I’d comment to maybe give you an idea. Honestly, the “high end” brand tool companies are normally great. But one of my teachers in school told me to just buy what works (hoping to help us new techs from buying a bunch of pricy tools that would cause us to collect debt.)
A guy that I use to work with used a lot of Kobalt 12pts sockets and only broke one chrome 13mm in 3/8” drive while I worked with him for around 13 months. (This was 5 years ago so idk the quality now.) But he used an impact on them a lot. Lol
I have many Kobalt and haven’t had any problem with them. (But I try to use 6pt more than anything, and I don’t like Kobalt wrenches also.)
What I’m saying is you might can get good tools for half of the price of let’s say a Snap On if you do research.
GearWrench/KD Tools, Sunex, Tekton, might be tools you could look at.
@@johnhawks7365 thank you. I am Only familiar with certain brands like stahwille and snap-on as they are the only brands I am exposed to, And tyey are the only one I used before.
I definitely check your given brands.
What brand were your short spline drive sockets in the red case
Roof RT those were power built. From like autozone or oreillys
will the spline drive sockets work on torx nuts/ bolts?
Yes they will
Great vid man
Benlukeriggs riggs thank you Riggs!!!
spline are ok. when I needed them the only place I knew that had them was snap on. They work best on spline fasteners, which you find a lot in the aviation community
desertdispatch thank you for sharing you thoughts on the alpine drive
TonyTheTechnician
Have an answer for my question, 6 months ago?
Or have you ever seen or use Metrinch?
angelisone I’m sorry what is your question? And yes I have heard of and seen the metrinch sets. I have heard good things of them but never used them.
TonyTheTechnician
I have been looking for ATG's Metrinch on Metric Impacts & can't find them.
Also, do you know where I can get ATG's Torque Gauge with Bluetooth for less than $1,500.00?
My last ATG's manual torque gauge cost me $1,000.00, that was over 11 year ago.
angelisone is this the torque gauge your talking about ?
www.amazon.com/Tohnichi-Torque-Gauge-600ATG-S-60-600/dp/B003BGE934
Do you know where I can buy ATG's Metrinch in Metric Impacts?
angelisone sorry sometimes RUclips doesn’t tell me I have new comments. Also I searched for these and found many different sets on amazon.
i also like that no you cant borrow my tools lil sign lol. what kinda tool chest is that?
Cesar Salazar haha thanks it’s the husky 52 inch tool box
really like your videos, very informative, keep them coming, THANK's
hey Tony how's it going ? great post the spine drive are new to me my son bought a set of spine wrenches and spine sockets I haven't really used then I may tho where ever I found then they did get a bit rusty
Martin Schaffmeir ohh nice. Hope you enjoy them. I have been doing good. Happy that it's Friday and we have a 3 day weekend.
i like that jegs matt. where can i get one
Cesar Salazar either jets.com or eBay or amazon.
Pro tip: to prevent rounding off fasteners, make sure it’s not user error. Don’t blame a 12pt or a spline because you’re too lazy to get the correct size. Also, make sure you have a good 90° angle on the fastener.
I have a kobalt set of spine drive. They suck. I prefer 6 point.
Will a 12 point work on a 7 point?
No sorry but a 13 point will work on a 8.5 point
Can I use a 6 point torx bit in a 12 bit female bolt?
I sure wouldn't!
👍👍👍 Tony
Harry Dickson 👍🏻 thank you!
Who watches RUclips on the 🚽
Steve Jones I am right now. 👍🏻
Everybody
Absolutely. Never quit leaning no matter where you are.
Can I borrow a tool..🐿
brain dead New Yorker hahaha for you I'll make an exception.
TonyTheTechnician Nice 👍
monyettttt