Baystate Jeepers

Got a couple bolts that are giving me a hard time. Looking for opinions on bolt extractor sockets. Craftsman has a (5 piece) set for $20 or I could go HF and get a (9 piece) Pittsburgh Tools set for the same price. Any real life experience with either of these? Or other recommendation?

http://community.craftsman.com/Craftsma ... ab=details

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-38 ... 67894.html

I own the Craftsman set and it has never failed me, I've even used it to extract frozen brake bleeder screws before I learned the trick for them. To be honest with you, I don't really like the looks of the HF set, they don't look like they'll grip as well as the Craftsman set does. The Craftsmans are tapered, the opening is bigger at the bottom of the socket and tapers to get smaller, so as you turn it, it digs itself in tighter.

What are the bolts holding on? I've had good luck welding nuts on.

DDewar53 wrote:I own the Craftsman set and it has never failed me, I've even used it to extract frozen brake bleeder screws before I learned the trick for them.

Can you share the trick?

ZAEDOCK wrote:What are the bolts holding on? I've had good luck welding nuts on.

AC compressor bolts. Easy to get to, and one came loose but the next two, they're fighting me. I gave up pretty quick. Between the heat, humidity and not wanting to completely round off the heads, I walked away. They bolt head doesn't look rounded but the socket definitely 'skipped' a few times. Craftsman 6 pt, I thought maybe it was cracked, but she looked OK. Now I'm thinking, give it one more try with a 1/2" drive impact socket. WTH, it's light out and I've got nothing better going on.....

MONEY! Pounded a 1/2" drive impact socket on the bolts and with a breaker bar, they slid right out. Well, 3 slid out. One of them broke but that's ok, I can live with that

Ah yes.... the joys of steel sitting in aluminum!

DOUG wrote:

DDewar53 wrote:I own the Craftsman set and it has never failed me, I've even used it to extract frozen brake bleeder screws before I learned the trick for them.

Can you share the trick?

Heat and impact. Warm the reservoir up with your propane torch, doesn't have to get too hot. Use propane, not Mapp as Mapp might get it hot enough to damage the caliper, propane doesn't get that hot. Heat the caliper, not the bleeder screw. Then use a good quality, correct size 6 point socket on a 3/8ths drive sliding T breaker bar. Tap GENTLY on the head of the T while applying rotational pressure to the handle, they'll come right out.