I'll start with this ill-conceived monstrosity.
I'll start with this ill-conceived monstrosity.
In reply to Grtechguy :
Wtf is that?
In reply to Furious_E :
Used to retract screw out brake calipers
Those can kinda work ok if youre used to them.
Adjustable wrenches.
They work (poorly), but we all keep using them, don't we?
Grtechguy said:In reply to Furious_E :
Used to retract screw out brake calipers
I’d argue that the guy that came up with the screw in piston should have a special place in hell. I much rather have ebrake be shoe operated.
Maybe it's because I don't work on old American cars but the "brake pliers" found at every parts store are the most worthless things I have encountered.
That's it, blame the tool....
Jumper K Balls (Trent) said:Maybe it's because I don't work on old American cars but the "brake pliers" found at every parts store are the most worthless things I have encountered.
I have 3 sets for some reason, but the best tool for drum brake springs is the long flat screwdriver mixed with a side of vise grips. I should put all 3 sets in the next new years game box.
The bits are never strong enough and break the ears off at the slightest hint of torque.
Also, why are these used on a residential grade squirrel cage floor fan that requires cleaning.
Just stupid all around 
How about "Let's blame the engineer that designed something that required a terrible tool to fix it" instead.
Tamper proof torx screws require the tamper proof torx bits which Euro manufacturers love to utilize. So we can blame BMW and VAG for having to use said tamper torx bits.
Plastic push clips that can neither withstand engine bay heat nor any climate and can brake/fail/disappear after only a year.
Plastic timing chain guides.
I was going to say don't blame the tool, blame the moron that designed something that needed a special took made.
I almost launched my caliper retractor tool into the stratopshere a couple weeks ago. I bought it to use on a Honda or maybe the RX-7 about 15-18 years ago. Used it that one time then put it away and didn't need it. Suddenly, I was trying to fiddle with the brakes on the wifemobile and Mazda has screw-in calipers on the back of the MZ5. Great! I drove over to the shop, grabbed that tool, blew off all the dust, and bought it back to the house where I was working on the car.
Good news, everybody! That's got 6 different patterns on it, right? Apparently there are at least 7 different patterns in use by auto manufacturers. So much for having the special tool.
Really, the special place in hell needs to be for the design engineer that decided that he needed to make up his own fastener and not use one that was already on the shelf and in popular use.
Brett_Murphy said:Adjustable wrenches.
They work (poorly), but we all keep using them, don't we?
Professor_Brap said:
Nothing wrong with triple-squares except that they're different. They center well, they don't strip, and you can put a monster amount of torque through them.
In reply to DirtyBird222 :
Just use a punch to knock out the pin in the tamperproof torx and you've instantly improved the design.
volvoclearinghouse said:Brett_Murphy said:Adjustable wrenches.
They work (poorly), but we all keep using them, don't we?
+1
I thought I was the only one who knew about those.
codrus said:Professor_Brap said:
Nothing wrong with triple-squares except that they're different. They center well, they don't strip, and you can put a monster amount of torque through them.
Ill disagree, on both my mk4 golfs they came either prestripped, or the bits broke.
Needle nosed vise grips are my caliper tool. Set the width and lock it down. Done.
In reply to wae :
I took a grinder and a file to my “brake cube” to make it fit different profiles. Also, I chuck it up with a big c-clamp and use a big screwdriver or pry bar to turn it for the first turn or two. After that, the piston will usually turn back into caliper without too much drama.
Professor_Brap said:
I love these. Tbey can take a lot of torque, but they won't round out like internal hex and they won't break the tool like Torx.
Never use an impact gun on a Torx socket unless you are a broken tool enthusiast.
In reply to Knurled. :
Using a manual impact driver worked well getting the Torx bolts out of the Xterra intake. Trying to just spin them without the impact factor just rounded out the bolts.
codrus said:Professor_Brap said:
Nothing wrong with triple-squares except that they're different. They center well, they don't strip, and you can put a monster amount of torque through them.
Definitely another "blame the auto engineer, not the tool engineer" but they absolutely do strip out when porsche decides to use them on super shallow head M8 (I think?) clutch bolts that require an almost unreasonable amount of torque. Also things like axle bolts that tend to clog up with oil/grease and turn it into a shallow head bolt would strip almost immediately and then get replaced with a bolt that takes a regular hex key. The one good thing about the triple square tools is that they work pretty well as bolt extractors. Once you've wiped out the hole in the bolt, hammer in the next size up tool and it usually worked.
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