[heater core] THE tool!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 15
From: The light that never warms.
St. Jude Donor '12
[heater core] THE tool!
For anyone about to do the heater core thing, I have some valuable tool advice. No, it's not that 7mm bolt at the top left of the housing. That thing is a bear. I ended up using a 1/4" nut driver handle with a flex extension and then the 7mm socket. You have to sit on the ground, like so many have advised, and feel it with your right hand and guide the nut driver in and rotate with your left.
No, this concerns the 13mm nut at the top of the brace. I read the old posts and got some good advice through email. But it seems everyone ended up using a weird concoction of some sort. Well, I was at Sears to buy a 13mm crows foot. I thought this might be the answer. (It isn't. Can't even get the thing on the bolt.) But then I saw it! You see, a normal u-joint won't work. The combination of a u-joint and then a socket on the end of your extension is too deep. The plastic housing is too close. But...... Sears has sockets made WITH u-joints! It's an integral socket and u-joint. And the 13mm one works perfectly! No problem! Right on the bolt, and had it out in seconds!
My brothers, I have seen the light! And it is at Sears!
No, this concerns the 13mm nut at the top of the brace. I read the old posts and got some good advice through email. But it seems everyone ended up using a weird concoction of some sort. Well, I was at Sears to buy a 13mm crows foot. I thought this might be the answer. (It isn't. Can't even get the thing on the bolt.) But then I saw it! You see, a normal u-joint won't work. The combination of a u-joint and then a socket on the end of your extension is too deep. The plastic housing is too close. But...... Sears has sockets made WITH u-joints! It's an integral socket and u-joint. And the 13mm one works perfectly! No problem! Right on the bolt, and had it out in seconds!
My brothers, I have seen the light! And it is at Sears!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,228
Likes: 1
From: Dallas Texas
Sounds like the time I went to Sears in search of a tool to remove the rear exhaust manifold bolt on cyl 8 and the egr tube bolt which is attached to the rear of the passenger side head, both 14mm. It was then I discovered the gear wrench; clouds parted and angels started to sing. It was a glorious day.
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Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 16,489
Likes: 25
From: USA. Northern Virginia
Originally Posted by ninetyfivevette
Sounds like the time I went to Sears in search of a tool to remove the rear exhaust manifold bolt on cyl 8 and the egr tube bolt which is attached to the rear of the passenger side head, both 14mm. It was then I discovered the gear wrench; clouds parted and angels started to sing. It was a glorious day.
Amen to that brother!
...I bought the whole Heaven sent set after that 
I use them all the time!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by 69mako
Amen to that brother! ...I bought the whole Heaven sent set after that
I use them all the time!
...I bought the whole Heaven sent set after that I use them all the time!
Yes my Bretheren, perhaps it is time for me to "put on my Sunday's best" and make that all important pilgramage to "Sears"!
Bless'ed be thine toolset, for they shall rise up and say "thoust has suffered bloodied knuckles long enough"......
Peace be on to you my CF Brothers......
Last edited by MikeC4; Feb 4, 2005 at 09:39 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
I have nothing but Craftsman and I have those u-joint/sockets in standard but not metric,,,,, yet. I was wondering while doing my heater core if one of them would work, now I know. Just one more thing to buy at Sears.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Originally Posted by Ramrod92
Those are nothing new
I have mine all in Snap On, they costs more than twice the cost of the Sears sockets. But they are even more compact than the Sears version. So when a Craftsman socket may not fit a Snap On will. Is it worth it, some may ask.....well I haven't had a problem with that particular 13mm bolt you are talking about. Sears Craftsman tools are great and above all the price is much more affordable than the Snap On stuff. I got loads of Craftsman tools in my box as well. The new tool box I purchased wasn't a Snap on it was a large box made by a company called Shure. For the price of a comparable Snap On box I can buy 3.5 Shure boxes.Check them out here:
http://www.shureusa.com/products/auto/tc.html
The boxes you see on each end of the work benches with the stainless tops are the ones I purchased.
Last edited by tjwong; Feb 4, 2005 at 10:55 AM.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Kingman AZ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
All right, told the wifey I wouldn't use the Sears card any more and going to pay it off. WTF do I say when she sees next month's bill? You KNOW that I hafta buy these now that I know about them regardless of the cost!!!
"I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to." (Red Green)
"I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to." (Red Green)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,019
Likes: 568
From: Conroe Texas
i've got the swivel sockets in both standard and metric, but would like to get them in a deep socket as well. some of the nuts, with long threads protruding through, i can't get the standard socket to hold the nut, and a deep socket with a universal joint won't fit in the space. i don't know if sears makes them, did'nt see them there when i was looking for them, but i do know that snap-on does make them
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 4,763
Likes: 2
From: Connectivette
Originally Posted by corvetteronw
All right, told the wifey I wouldn't use the Sears card any more and going to pay it off. WTF do I say when she sees next month's bill? You KNOW that I hafta buy these now that I know about them regardless of the cost!!!
"I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to." (Red Green)
"I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to." (Red Green)
I can hear that Debate from where I'm sittin'........... " but Honey, I can use my Craftman Club Card this week and take 10% off"
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 2,875
Likes: 0
From: Olive Branch (Memphis suburb) MS
Cruise-In II Veteran
IF I made my living with my tools, there's no doubt there would be Snapon in my box. For the money though, I think Craftsman is hard to beat. Here's the Snapon swivel sockets. Hell, they have them in shallow, semi-deep, and deep. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 762
Likes: 2
From: Huntington ma
I used to "make a living" with the toolbox - as a mechanic. If it isn't Snap-On, it won't find a home in My box. Probably I'm a snob, but when you need it to work, not break and get the rusted, rounded, broken, impossible to reach thing apart - use a real tool! Yes it costs more. The best is worth it. You only buy them once - then use them for a lifetime. Remember the saying: The sting of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
