I am trying to re-torque an ARP rocker-stud, but there isn’t enough clearance between the rocker-stud and the Comp Cams valve guide to get my Craftsman 3/8-inch drive deep socket over the stud. The stud size is 11/16 inch. I have looked for thin-wall and extra thin-wall deep sockets, but the only thing that keeps coming up is 1/2-inch drive impact sockets, which I doubt are thinner than a 3/8-drive ratchet socket. I need an extra thin-wall 3/8-in drive deep 11/16-inch ratchet socket. Any source for this? How are the ARP rocker-studs installed with Comp Cams valve guides with so little clearance where the rocker-stud screws in? Is there a specialty tool for this?

Thanks
Pat

 

I ran out to a couple of the auto-parts and home-improvement stores. No one had thin-wall sockets, but grabbed a couple of sockets that looked thinner than my Craftsman socket. The Autozone Duralast socket turned out to be just thin enough to engage the rocker-stud. Not optimal, but gets the job done.

Pat

 

Matco and snapon have thin walls and are very good sockets.More money but if you use them everyday can be worth the price.

 

Grind down the outside of a socket until it works. I have a few different sizes I've ground down for different uses.

 

Grinders can make any Socket into a thin one.

 

Yaa....then these tools go into the "specialty tools" box.
I have made several custom welded wrenches, shortened wrenches, and adjusted screwdrivers for this kind of work

 

Do you have a harbor freight nearby? Thin wall used to mean cheap chinese crap that would split. Now they're specialty. Ha. How the times change. Most of their stuff is the same as craftsman and has a lifetime warranty as well. Big thing is, they are cheap and if you have to grind it thin, it wont be expensive. Good luck.

 

How about using a crowfoot? It's like an open end with a really short handle that has the 3/8 or 1/2 square drive.

 

I tried a crows foot on an ARP intake bolt and it rounded to bolt head. They just arent stiff enough for the torque and the sides spread. I ended up throwing them all in a box as I want all the bolts to match.

 

I have all Snap-on and MAC crows feet and never had an issue. Craftsman, on the other hand......

 

Snap on and MAC arent easily available though, but you are correct!!!

Maybe on ebay

 

That was my thought too; a lesser priced socket would possible be thinner. The Duralast socket did the trick. I was in Harbor Freight a few days earlier, looking over a set of offset box wrenched. I noted that they won't as sturdy as my craftmans, but the thought did come to mind that they may work better in tight clearance situations.

Thanks everyone for the help and advise.

 

I'm going to go the other way around on this one. Generally thin wall tools are the better quality and the thick heavy ones are not. I would expect a Snap-On socket to be thin as its made from a higher quality steel. The Thick ones are made from a poor quality and there fore to get the strength they need more of it. Ever see a Craftsman Wrench set made in the 1950's ? They are about 1/3 lighter than the stuff made since the 1970's. They were made of a higher quality steel.

 

It goes both ways today. The thick cheap ones have the warranty. The thin cheap ones dont. Theres many different types on the market. Barring MAC and Snap-on, most are made in china, probably in the same factory. Kobalt, harbor freight, craftsman. Most you can put side by side and they alll look identical. The cheap use cheaper materials in the same molds, the higher the quality the better the material. Its the same with mills, welders, drill presses. All the same specific factories, just different levels of material.

I got this info from the company that had my mill made. They went over and got the tour and had it all explained. They evem listed the other companies that were in that factory, higher and lower competion. They sell the metal upgrade gears to replace the plastic ones in the cheaper models.

My poiny being ,you are right, you can buy the expensive thin wall sockets or you can buy the cheap throw aways if you wont be using them alot. It is also a good way to get started if you cant afford the good stuff up front. I started a good handyman businesss with the cheap harbor freight tools and when I could , I replaced their crap with dewalt and Makita.

 

I use permatex adhesive sealant on my ARP 7/16 (nut size) tall shaft rockers while setting up my guide plate clearance.

You use deep non impact wrench 12 point sockets they are thinner than 6 point or impact sockets