OT? - Offset 3/8" Square Drive Adapter?

Scottl · Nov 9, 2020

Hi all, asking here because I have no success with web searches and I know we have a lot of expert auto types.

What I am looking for is an offset adapter similar (at least in concept) to the Facom S.234 which is 1/2" square drive. I have one of the Facom units and it is an excellent tool but in order to use it with 3/8 drive I have to use two adapters which add to the almost 1-1/4" depth of the Facom tool.

Sometimes there is just not enough vertical space so I'm seeking a more compact solution.

If I can't find a commercial unit I will have to make something by cutting and welding a 3/8 extension but I try never to make anything I can buy so I thought I would ask here before going that route.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

gustafson · Nov 9, 2020

Chapman set?

serpentine belt ratchet?

what size and what are you trying to do?

David_M · Nov 9, 2020

This looks too expensive:

Snap-on Store

I'm sure with more looking you could do a lot better.

Scottl · Nov 9, 2020

David_M said:
This looks too expensive:

Snap-on Store

I'm sure with more looking you could do a lot better.

It is pricey but at least now I know such a thing exists. Thanks for the link.

PS: The Facom tool wasn't exactly cheap either but it is built like a bank vault. If they made one in 3/8 I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.

Scottl · Nov 9, 2020

gustafson said:
Chapman set?

serpentine belt ratchet?

what size and what are you trying to do?

This is for general use where fasteners are in tight places and a stubby wrench doesn't give enough leverage and a flex joint is at too severe an angle. One reason I bought the Facom unit was because it is reversible so you can put a stubby impact socket on something like a rear caliper mount and use an extension plus breaker bar at the front (turns the drive 180 degrees around an obstruction). Many times even my 3/8 impact gun won't fit and I don't have a lift so there isn't much room to swing a long handle.

gustafson · Nov 9, 2020

I see your point, I have a whole collection of ratcheting box wrenches, and flex head ratcheting box wrenches, and even curved ratcheting box wrenches, but there are still jobs where only a socket will get on the bolt head
I had to remove an intake manifold a few years ago and I have but one wrench that would get on it, a gooseneck combo wrench, essentially one 1/8 turn at a time

Oh, and you should get a lift, best thing I ever did, aside from almost getting robbed by the dealer, but that is another story

L Vanice · Nov 9, 2020

Mac makes an interesting ratchet with a locking swivel head in various drive sizes. Here are the 1/4 and 3/8 sizes. They were a brand new product when I got them around 20 years ago, marked Patent Pending. Also they have an offset ratchet head in 3/8 that might do what you want.

Larry

Mud · Nov 9, 2020

I remember torque wrench adapters like that that looked like bent straight extensions, one end up, one end down. So an easy way to make a custom adapter would be to heat and bend an extension to the shape you need. Seemed like all the wrenches I've heated and bent were plenty strong afterward, I've never broken one or bent one further.

Punkinhead · Nov 10, 2020

How about something like this? I've never used one so I'm not sure how much torque they can hold up to, but it looks handy.

Scottl · Nov 11, 2020

L Vanice said:
Mac makes an interesting ratchet with a locking swivel head in various drive sizes. Here are the 1/4 and 3/8 sizes. They were a brand new product when I got them around 20 years ago, marked Patent Pending. Also they have an offset ratchet head in 3/8 that might do what you want.

Larry

View attachment 304193 View attachment 304194

Is there a part number on that separate ratchet adapter with the 3/8 square female?

Mud said:
I remember torque wrench adapters like that that looked like bent straight extensions, one end up, one end down. So an easy way to make a custom adapter would be to heat and bend an extension to the shape you need. Seemed like all the wrenches I've heated and bent were plenty strong afterward, I've never broken one or bent one further.

I've already decided that if I can't find what I need commercially I'll bore holes in a piece of rectangular stock and weld in the cut off ends of a 3/8 drive extension. If I turn the OD of the female part to clean it up and then cut it so the recess is exposed from both sides the adapter will be reversible.

I agree about heating and bending wrenches. Many years ago I bent a stubby combination wrench into a U shape and welded a hex nut in the box end so I could insert a bolt (with a concavity at the end) to press exhaust parts out of the rubber hangers. I later bought the special pliers that do the same job but still find the DIY tool useful in tight spots.

Bill D · Nov 11, 2020

A distributor wrench might work if you can find one of the correct size. In aircraft work thy make what is called a pancake drill. it has an offest gear or chain drive head but only for threaded drills. I suppose you could make a 1/4 socket adapter.
Bill D
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_...MI79n_4_j67AIVTvDACh0nDgK6EAQYBSABEgLEbPD_BwE

Long Offset "Pancake" Drill Attachment - 30 Degree Left Hand Attachment | Brown Aviation & Aircraft Tools

L Vanice · Nov 11, 2020

"Is there a part number on that separate ratchet adapter with the 3/8 square female?"

It is XR100. But Google can't find any for sale or by searching the Mac Tools website. There was one on eBay described as "rare" months ago and no longer visible.

Mine is unused, new condition, and I will sell it for $70 including shipping.

Larry

Mud · Nov 11, 2020

This just flashed into memory - Kelsey Hayes made this for tightening the head studs in the valley of a 426 Hemi. Maybe one of the OEM tool suppliers will have the adapter you want? Kent Moore, OTC, etc?

Scottl · Nov 11, 2020

L Vanice said:
"Is there a part number on that separate ratchet adapter with the 3/8 square female?"

It is XR100. But Google can't find any for sale or by searching the Mac Tools website. There was one on eBay described as "rare" months ago and no longer visible.

Mine is unused, new condition, and I will sell it for $70 including shipping.

Larry

Thanks for the info.

Interestingly enough McMaster has similar size ratcheting 12 point torque adapters in various SAE sizes for around 30 bucks. If I milled a hex on the cut off end of an extension I could probably secure it in the 12 point socket with a washer and screw and have the same function. I also thought of doing something similar with a non-ratcheting 12 point torque adapter But I think I'll go the cut/weld route with rectangular bar as I can make several offset lengths for fairly short money and I prefer the compactness and rigidity of a non-ratcheting adapter.

Guest · Nov 11, 2020

David_M said:
This looks too expensive:

Snap-on Store

I'm sure with more looking you could do a lot better.

Expensive and back ordered.

gustafson · Nov 11, 2020

Mud said:
This just flashed into memory - Kelsey Hayes made this for tightening the head studs in the valley of a 426 Hemi. Maybe one of the OEM tool suppliers will have the adapter you want? Kent Moore, OTC, etc?

View attachment 304363

Saw a set of those for sale when looking for stuff for this thread,. I think Scott ought to buy the ratchet offered just cause its cool

EPAIII · Nov 12, 2020

Why not just get a breaker bar handle? This one does both 1/2" and 3/8" drive.

https://www.amazon.com/MAXPOWER-2-I...=VBece&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0_title

They come in many different lengths so you can pick and choose. Or even get two.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3/8+driv...+breaker+bar,aps,209&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_1_21

reggie_obe · Nov 12, 2020

EPAIII said:
Why not just get a breaker bar handle? This one does both 1/2" and 3/8" drive.

https://www.amazon.com/MAXPOWER-2-I...=VBece&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0_title

They come in many different lengths so you can pick and choose. Or even get two.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3/8+driv...+breaker+bar,aps,209&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_1_21

Because a breaker bar is nothing at all like this: https://www.amazon.com/Facom-S-234-Désaxeur-1-2/dp/B00B1C7BV2

gustafson · Nov 12, 2020

I totally get where he is coming from, bolt head what you cannot get a box wrench on and then the whole assembly is boxed in so that yeah, you can get a ratchet on it, but cannot swing it even one click. Oh, and it has been there 20 years so you need to get some torque on it. And then the one on the other side is boxed in the opposite way so you are going to make two different special tools to get at it.

Scottl · Nov 12, 2020

reggie_obe said:
Because a breaker bar is nothing at all like this: https://www.amazon.com/Facom-S-234-Désaxeur-1-2/dp/B00B1C7BV2

Yup that's the one I bought and that was several years ago before Amazon started carrying it. I paid about $50 total and if they made a similar one in 3/8 drive I would buy it also. The problem with the 1/2" drive unit is that by the time you add two adapters, one on each side you are creating more potential height problem plus more joints to flex. Try sometime loosening a tight bolt with a 12" extension and then do the same with two 3s and a 6 stacked and you will see what I mean.

And I have multiple breaker bars including a 25" one but they are useless when the fastener is tucked in a pocket behind curved body trim that prevents straight access and even a wobble extension won't work.

The Facom piece excels when you have to do something like come down on a suspension bit tucked in a wheel well and you can reach up with a breaker bar and long extension (a 180° setup). That is also the only way I can torque rear caliper brackets to spec as without a lift there is no room to swing the torque wrench.

OT? - Offset 3/8" Square Drive Adapter?

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