My dad called my wrench setup 'a good way to strip a bolt'

I was using a regular wrench with a pipe for more force on a rusty car bolt in my driveway. He walked over and pointed out I was putting all the pressure on the wrong part of the bolt head. He said, 'You're just rounding it off. Use a six-point socket, not that open-end wrench.' I switched to the socket set and it came right off without any damage. Anyone have a better fix for really stuck bolts besides just more force?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan2651d agoMost Upvoted

Ever see what a rounded-off bolt head looks like after someone went at it with an open end wrench and a cheater pipe? It's a nightmare. His dad wasn't just giving one way to do it, he was giving the right way that doesn't ruin your parts. More force with the wrong tool is how you turn a simple job into a huge headache.

beth_sanchez471d ago

Honestly sometimes you just gotta get the bolt off and a little pipe on the wrench works fine. People act like using the "wrong" tool is a crime but if it gets the job done without breaking anything, who cares. Your dad's method is one way, not the only way.