You’ve probably seen these — or some like them — online and thought, “Why would I ever need a hex driver that big?“ Answer: To remove the sensor plugs on the top of a Chevy small-block intake manifold. After those plugs’ve been sitting there happily Loctited in there for ten or eleven years, it’s going to take more than some kind of cobbled-together home tool to get them out. Trust us; We just found out.
After spending a significant amount of time trying to “beat the system” by making a tool for the job or using something similar, we finally just broke down and visited the friendly local Snap-on truck to pick up the tool for the job: a 14mm hex socket just like the one you see in the picture (but a bit shinier). At about $23, it seems expensive, but believe us when we tell you it’s worth every cent.
When we got back to the show, we popped this baby on the end of a breaker bar and — after some extreme grunting — removed the plug in question. Having seen the controlled force requried to break it loose, we’re convinced we’d never have broken it with the lesser methods we attempted.
Socket Driver, Metric, Hex, Standard, 14mm, FAM14E [Snap-on]
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6 Responses to Finds: Snap-on’s 14mm Hex Socket
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I used a cut off hex bolt in a socket one when I was working on a old VW, and it only just worked. It was a lot of work making it work. I was glad when I finally bought a set of these. It is so much easier to use than my old homemade tool, & I have every size I have ever needed. The set I bought also included TORX, & 12 point sockets, & as well as the hex sockets like this. I never thought I would use it as much as I have. The Snap-On set is pretty expensive, but the tool quality is top notch. If this is a tool you will only use once get a cheaper one, but if you use it often get a snap-on tool or a craftsman one.
[...] We gushed about the only Snap-on tool I can afford. (PS: I’ll send a pair of gloves to the first person — who doesn’t write for TM — who guesses correctly in comments which project I bought it for.) [...]
You bought it for project Yukon I bet
I guess the BMW Air Head
I’m glad that you could buy a Snap-on tool. I’ve not had service in over 18 months. I’m not a big enough stop. 2 man. I’ve bought Snap-On tools since 1974. I hate to think that i’ve become expendable. Home office won’t give an address to send my broke tools back. Matco gladly took up the slack. I doubt I’ll ever go back to Snap-On again. Sales without service= out of buisness
Hey, we can now order Snap on tools through our local military Grainger store! And we pay much less than what our local Snappy was raping us for…