Spark Plug Socket
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: State of Misery (Missouri
It's good. I believe (not in front of me right now) that it's about 1/2" shorter. It is also stronger as the universal is not a locking style (ever had a spark plug socket stay in one of those deep recesses on today's foreign cars?). The spark plug I wish Sears carried, is an extended one. They are made by, Snap~on, Matco, Mac, S&K, and Great Neck (longer than the others) and work on vans and trucks really well.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: State of Misery (Missouri
Originally Posted by Mr.Ford 351W
is Great Neck still good? i looked at some Great Neck sockets and wreches, they look like crap!
IMHO, these sockets are the only semi decent thing I've seen, but in an emergency I found some old stock. Personally, the only ones I have seen were Mac and Snap~On and the Mac was the better design.(you could still use it with a wrench)
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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Just make sure that your plug socket has a rubber bushing inside to hold on to the plug, and protect it during install or even removeal if you are to reuse it.... It is a lot easyer to crosstread a plug if you are missing the rubber bushing, it helps line up the plug with the socket.
AND REMEMBER NEVER USE A WENCH TO START A PLUG, just start with your fingers and then ad the wench to tighen to the proper spec.... I do use the socket and a extention to start spark plugs, but the wench is sitting on the table untill it is time to tighten them up and replace the wires.... I have to make sure that I do not forget the wench on the extention from one plug to the next.
Da'Moose
AND REMEMBER NEVER USE A WENCH TO START A PLUG, just start with your fingers and then ad the wench to tighen to the proper spec.... I do use the socket and a extention to start spark plugs, but the wench is sitting on the table untill it is time to tighten them up and replace the wires.... I have to make sure that I do not forget the wench on the extention from one plug to the next.
Da'Moose
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Joined: Sep 2005
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they work good to loosen up the head bolts when you're taking a head off...because they are long enough to reach down past the rocker arms etc. but not too meaty to fit in between them. tightening head bolts is another story. just my .02
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: State of Misery (Missouri
Originally Posted by da'Moose
Just make sure that your plug socket has a rubber bushing inside to hold on to the plug, and protect it during install or even removeal if you are to reuse it.... It is a lot easyer to crosstread a plug if you are missing the rubber bushing, it helps line up the plug with the socket.
Da'Moose
Da'Moose
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Joined: Sep 2005
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yeah, but let me repeat the important part: only use it to REMOVE head bolts because a spark plug socket aint strong enough to work right with a 1/2 drive torquewrench, to torque them down. it will absorb some of the torque from the wrench instead of applying the full amount that the wrench is set for.
so after all your plug holes are cross threaded from starting your plugs from a wrench, all you need is a 3/8 socket, a 1/2-9/16 in combo wrench and a spark plug socket to remove the heads for re-tapping: lmao.
so after all your plug holes are cross threaded from starting your plugs from a wrench, all you need is a 3/8 socket, a 1/2-9/16 in combo wrench and a spark plug socket to remove the heads for re-tapping: lmao.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: State of Misery (Missouri
I should clarify on one point! The reason I like the Mac one with the head that you can use a WRENCH on as well as a Socket, is due to removal in tight spaces! If you look at a normal spark plug socket, you'll see it has a back that you can put a socket on, to extend it. The Snap~on deep well is straight, and I was unsure about the S&K's because no one carried them locally. This was the only time I prefered Mac over Snap that wasn't due to the service of the driver!
If you go here (the drawings dimensions aren't right) you could see the difference between the two!
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
If you go here (the drawings dimensions aren't right) you could see the difference between the two!
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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Well I guess I have been doing it all wrong for the last 20 years or so....
I am still using the same old Snap-On plug sockets for the last 20 years and I have more of a problem getting the socket off of the 20 year old extension than the plug itself. I have never cross-treaded a plug during an install but, I have removed the treads during a removal. (You just have to love the early aluminum heads) The trick is to not hurry during this process and pay attention to what the tool is telling you about the starting of the treads and to clean the area around the plug before you remove the old one. If you take the proper prep time life will be better all around. For that reason I will never work or have work done FLAT RATE, It just is asking for a problem that I am not willing to pay for…..
I will have to try the hose trick next time I need to get in to a tight area or a hemi style head it should work well I would think….
Da’Moose
I am still using the same old Snap-On plug sockets for the last 20 years and I have more of a problem getting the socket off of the 20 year old extension than the plug itself. I have never cross-treaded a plug during an install but, I have removed the treads during a removal. (You just have to love the early aluminum heads) The trick is to not hurry during this process and pay attention to what the tool is telling you about the starting of the treads and to clean the area around the plug before you remove the old one. If you take the proper prep time life will be better all around. For that reason I will never work or have work done FLAT RATE, It just is asking for a problem that I am not willing to pay for…..
I will have to try the hose trick next time I need to get in to a tight area or a hemi style head it should work well I would think….
Da’Moose
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: The Big, Oregon
If you hold the headof the ratchet, there is no reason the plug should break. None of my sockets have the rubber in them anymore. I use locking extensions, so that's not the problem. Usually, they are removed and discarded when they come off with the plug.