Tool Review: GEARWRENCH 1/4" and 3/8" Drive Bolt Biter Impact Extraction Socket Sets
The review
Removing rusted or rounded fasteners without causing them additional damage can be a job in and of itself ... and being able to reuse or tighten that fastener is another matter altogether.
Lou Fort, lead technician at K.A.R.S Inc. in Huntingburg, Indiana, says the GEARWRENCH 1/4" and 3/8" Drive Bolt Biter Impact Extraction Socket Sets can be “more than a time saver; [they] can be a job- and day-saver.”
“I have used damaged fastener removal sockets with the twist style grip, both in impact and not,” Fort says. “But I have never used a twist grip to install and reuse a damaged fastener. Having the ability to do so is going to be a game changer.”
Fort used the sockets mostly when performing exhaust manifold replacements in the shop. He noted for one job he was working on a 2009 Dodge Dakota, which uses a special bolt to mount both the manifold and heat shield.
“The [GEARWRENCH] sockets let me reuse the special bolts,” he says. “Not having the sockets would have meant waiting a day to get replacement hardware from the dealer or eliminating the heat shield.”
On another job, he used the sockets to remove rusted fasteners on a Ford F-150. He says the GEARWRENCH socket grabbed them with no problem.
Fort also notes the sockets are just as easy to use as other sockets of a similar design. However, the half sizes, or as GEARWRENCH calls them, “minus-size” sockets are a feature he really likes. According to the company, the “minus-size” sockets are designed to fit onto fasteners worn down past their original size.
“Say you’re working on a heavily rusted 13mm bolt,” Fort says. “GEARWRENCH straight up shows you they have a 13- mm socket.”
All the sockets in the set can be used with a ratchet or wrench. When dealing with a deep well application, the bolt biter sockets can also be used as pass-through sockets, Fort adds.
No setup or manual is needed with the socket set, he notes. They come on a rail packaged in a snug fitting cardboard box. All information is found on the packaging, including the specifications and lifetime warranty. GEARWRENCH claims the set can be used to reuse damaged fasteners in a pinch, a statement that Fort believes is important enough to be given more real estate on the box.
One thing that Fort is not fond of is the gold-colored plastic rings around each socket. He said a few were damaged; he would suggest painting the rings on.
Overall, Fort found the GEARWRENCH Bolt Biter Impact Extraction Socket Set to be unique and a great tool to have.
