"Dyna-drive" sockets vs bolt extractors - is there a difference?

[NCYankee]

(I am referring to the patented "dyna-drive" or Snap-On flank drive sockets that are designed to grip the sides rather than the corner.)

I did an excellent job of rounding off the frozen nut on my A/C idler pulley yesterday, so I have decided to invest in some better sockets.

Now Harbor Freight has a set of 9 bolt extractors for $20 which is a great deal - Advance sells a 5 piece set for $28. But for $65 Sams club sells a complete 136 piece set by Channellock that looks pretty decent and has the dyna-drive sockets.

http://www.samsclub.com/shoppi...03485

And here is the botl extractor set

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...96335

I was wondering if these sockets basically serve the same purpose as bolt extractors, and if anyone has exeperience with this set and how the quality is.

Thanks in advance.
Modified by NCYankee at 1:32 PM 5/20/2009

[nifares240]

always try to use six point sockets instead of 12 points. they less likely to round of nuts and bolts.try filing down the nut to the next smaller size.

[NCYankee]

I wouldn't think the 12 point sockets would be a problem with the side grip feature - I know I would have loved to have one when I was trying to torque down a suspension bolt with my beam torque wrench a few days ago, I didn't have enough room to do an entire 60 degree arc and had to keep switching the socket to my 1/2" drive and realigning the bolt head.

Filing it down is not really a possibility here, not enough access. I am really hoping someone has used this Channellock set and can tell me how they work - of course, with Sam's return policy there is no risk to buying them, if they're junk then back they go.
Modified by NCYankee at 10:39 AM 5/22/2009

[Ramius83]

Snap-On makes a much better set of bolt/nut extractors than that of the Harbour Freight ones. I personally have a set (I am a Cert-Tech at Nissan) and everyone in the shop is always asking me to use them. There is hardly a time that they don't work, or they break (life-time warranty).

[blacksrjdm]

(I am referring to the patented "dyna-drive" or Snap-On flank drive sockets that are designed to grip the sides rather than the corner.)

I did an excellent job of rounding off the frozen nut on my A/C idler pulley yesterday, so I have decided to invest in some better sockets.

Now Harbor Freight has a set of 9 bolt extractors for $20 which is a great deal - Advance sells a 5 piece set for $28. But for $65 Sams club sells a complete 136 piece set by Channellock that looks pretty decent and has the dyna-drive sockets.

http://www.samsclub.com/shoppi...03485

And here is the botl extractor set

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...96335

I was wondering if these sockets basically serve the same purpose as bolt extractors, and if anyone has exeperience with this set and how the quality is.

Thanks in advance.

Modified by NCYankee at 1:32 PM 5/20/2009

Just so you know, the tools at harbor freight are not meant to be really torqued on. They are cheap for a reason. Now, I might recommend an ebay exhaust. But I would never recommend buying sockets from any of those retailers.

At the very least, go to Sears or Kmart and pick up a set of sockets from Craftsman. They are quality tools, at least a hell of a lot better quality then Harbor Freight or Sams, or godforbid those terrible kits advanced sells.

I understand that you want Quality tools as you stated. Although, your posts so far have consisted of two harbor freight options. This time, the sockets and last time an air compressor to paint a car. I would ask that you spend some real time, and learn what a quality tool and/or part would be.

[NCYankee]

The air compressor was not to paint a car.

I have bought a few things at Harbor Freight over the last few years, and some of the stuff there is decent, maybe not tools I would want to rely on if I was making my living using it every day but for a weekend mechanic like me they are fine. True that some is junk, I can generally tell the difference - though to be honest, for the stuff I only rarely use such as the air compressor, which I might use once or twice a month, I am not necessarily looking for top-quality stuff that will cost an arm and a leg.

I have old school craftsman ratchets, wrenches and a jack - but have bought things like a pittman arm puller and pickle forks at HF for a really cheap price. I got a great price on a rear caliper retracting set, and it seems very solidly built and worked like a charm to push back in my cailper which had slipped off the threads - for $20 I love it. I got a set of three thumbwheel ratchets on sale for $3, handy to have at times and not the type of tool where quality is really an issue since they dont get torqued on. A 6 inch magnetic parts holder for $1.99. The list goes on and on - so far the only tool I have bought from them that I am not sure about is the valve spring compressor, it doesn't look like it would be all that durable - but I would probably only use it once, to do my valve seals, but I will be sure I have a backup car available in case it comes apart LOL.

I haven't looked at the bolt extractors yet, and the Channellock stuff at Sams is in a package - but if I would get it and it is cheap junk, it would go back, trust me. Just by looking at it, it seems to be higher quality than the set they sell at Costco with the "Crescent" brand name on it, which really appears to be junk.
Modified by NCYankee at 12:24 PM 5/22/2009

[blacksrjdm]

All those tools that you had bought were probably great for a few times use, and I would have also given them a shot. Although, sockets and socket wrenches normally see more use, even for a weekend mechanic. All I am trying to say is that I would choose craftsman and maybe $40 for a set rather than take my chances with a Harbor Freight piece, but to each his own.

[NCYankee]

I know what you mean, I have definitely gotten a lot of use out of my Craftsman sockets over the last 20 or so years - but they are just basic 6 point sockets and I have occasionally had some problems with them rounding off frozen or rusted nuts, that is the main reason I am looking at these other flank-grip type sockets or the bolt extractors, which again would probably only see occasional use. And the Channellock stuff does come with a lifetime warranty - but I know one busted knuckle is not worth the price of cheap tools, even if they have a lifetime warranty.

One thing I was curious about - it would seem the 72 tooth ratchet is a nice feature for tight spaces, but do you sacrifice some strength and durability when the gear teeth get that small? My Craftsman 1/2" drive has 30 teeth and the 3/8" has 24.
Modified by NCYankee at 1:16 PM 5/22/2009

[blacksrjdm]

A 72 tooth ratchet isnt normally gonna be used to tighten and/or loosen anything extremely tight, or extrememly large. But, depending on the brand you might be sacrificing some quality, although, for what it is meant for, that is another one of those use every now and then tools. Personally, I have built sr 240s, 1jz,2jz 240s, and rb 240s and have never had a use for a ratchet of that stature.

Wouldnt mind picking one up though, might have made some tight things easier.

Also, as far as a socket that would grab the flat part rather than the edge are available through Craftsman, and also there is a company called Metrench, I bought a set of those off of TV years ago as a christmas present to my dad and got 2 sets for the price of one. I wouldnt torque too much on the ratchet they provide, although, I never once broke any of those sockets, and I also never rounded any bolts off with them.

[NCYankee]

Metrench? I remember those from the informercials, I also have an odd set of SAE combi wrenches I picked up somewhere years ago with that feature, the open end is very odd looking - the name on the side is Skillcraft, I don't remember where I got them but it might have been Sam's Club. I googled that name but didn't find any reference to them.

If I'm not mistaken, all these - Dyna-drive(TM), flank drive(TM), metrench, bolt extractors - are just variations on the same idea, grabbing the bolt by the flat sides rather that the corners. The bolt extractors just appear to be a little more extreme in their odd appearance.

Do impact sockets also do this? I have an air impact set I picked up a little while ago that also looks like it uses the same concept.

[blacksrjdm]

They probably make impact sockets, but the tolerances on the sizes must be closer, because my Metrench set, the socket fits, but it does have some play, naturally, because of the way it grabs the head. If I put that on my impact, I would imagine the constant back and forth on the socket would fatigue it quickly. Most impact sockets have tighter tolerances for that same reason.

Hey man, good talking to ya, only post on here at work and get off soon, so, good luck with it.

[NCYankee]

Thanks - and on a whim I went down and tried it with the 14 mm impact socket and my 1/2' drive, and it came loose. I had also tried with that metrench-type wrench, and the 9/16 wrench actually gripped the nut OK but I couldn't get enough torque to get it loose.

I may be wrong about the impact sockets, it could be an optical illusion because the thing is so black it's hard to see - but it definitely gave me a better grip than the reg socket, which might be getting a little worn out from 20 yrs of regular use.
Modified by NCYankee at 2:29 PM 5/22/2009