Irwin Bolt Grips for rounded bolts

[andyKent]

Just for the sake of putting this in a place that will be easy to find when searching the forum in a state of panic about fatally rounded bolts;

Irwin Bolt Grips.

I got mine from homebase.

These surprised me as I had to deal with horribly rounded 'stretch bolts' (14mm caliper bracket bolts). The surprise is that when you put one of these bolt grips on the rounded bolt it doesn't look like it will go on 'properly'.

The grip (it's like a regular socket, but with 'teeth') is tapered (inside) so if it's the right size, it definitely won't go on 'properly'. After trying to get it to go on 'properly' for a while, you give up and just try it anyway at some half-cocked angle (what have you got to lose, it's rounded already). And then, when you least expect it, it just.... grips and the bolt comes out. Disaster averted.

Andy

[bobdabuilda]

Used these many times, great bit of kit

[andyKent]

...these also work on rounded/destroyed locking wheel nuts if one guy (sledge) hammers (to keep the socket engaged on the wheel nut) whilst the other guy turns the wrench with an extension bar.

Andy

PS - If, like me until recently, you have 13yr old locking wheel nuts I would suggest getting them out while you still can and putting them in the bin. I've now had awful trouble with 3 out of 4 (bad enough to have defeated more than one fully crewed garage)..... it's just so easy to do a job, have trouble getting them out, then put them back (because you don't have a replacement bolt to hand and are in a hurry) and forget one time too many - the worse they get, the more you fight them and the faster they get worse...

[MICHAEL HILL]

Used these many times even removed allen head screws no problem bought halve set from screwfix with case then bought rest of set to fill case brilliant tool
mick