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Question for mechanics

T

TampaSupremo

Hellbent for Glory-land
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
234
What is your method for cleaning the insides of a deep socket (10mm, 12mm,13mm, 14mm)? I can't find a brush small enough to get in there, but I don't want to leave it dirty.

TampaSupremo
 
I myself use brake clean just spray it directly in the socket
 
br174 said:
I myself use brake clean just spray it directly in the socket
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:thumbs:

or just use her tongue!

jessica_biel_tongue-thumb.jpg
 
Uhm, I just leave it the way it is because next week when something breaks on my POS it's just gonna get dirty again....
 
Clean the nut off, before you put the wrench to it. Problem solved.

Doc.
 
i would sometimes just shoot in some WD40 and lay it so gravity take care of it plus the WD keeps the wrench working better
 
Another brake cleaner guy chiming in. Watch your eyes though! Like my Dad said, a clean tool is a working tool! I keep mine clean too.
 
Hmmmm... obviously no one is working flat rate here??? In a shop environment where you're paid by the job, the inside of a socket isn't a concern-time is $$$, but if your working on street rods- chromed out wonders that have chrome acorn nuts on everything and plated bolts, etc. Then I'd use brake clean like br174 advised. Normally though, we get alot of undercoating/thick grease and when enough buildup is there to cause a fit problem, a small diameter round wirebrush works wonders in the solvent tank.

take care- D
 
If I was going to clean them I would use brake cleaner but on the farm I just leave them dirty so they don't rust.

At least that sounds better than saying I am to lazy to clean them.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I have some WD-40 and brake cleaner here so guess I'll get started on them tonight.

TampaSupremo

Edited to add:
I kust thought of something: a 10mm pistol bore brush would get up into the sockets just fine. Sweet.
 
No reason to clean a socket at all, the small amout of grease, dirt or oil in your socket will not currod(*spl) or in any way decrease the effectiveness or life of your socket. I have been in my trade for 10yrs with the same sockets that get used 8 hours a day 5 days a week and have never cleaned them. These sockets still work as good as the day I bought them and they undergo high torque.

If you want to keep them clean just for looks I would suggest any citrus based cleaner.

Good Luck

Mark
 
x20 on the brake clean...................If it's real bad, use a pocket screw driver and get the gunk out. Then spray the brake clean.

Someone else said it, but be careful, as it always seems to want to fly up in your eyes......................Man that shit burns.
 
LOCAL669 said:
No reason to clean a socket at all, the small amout of grease, dirt or oil in your socket will not currod(*spl) or in any way decrease the effectiveness or life of your socket. I have been in my trade for 10yrs with the same sockets that get used 8 hours a day 5 days a week and have never cleaned them. These sockets still work as good as the day I bought them and they undergo high torque.

If you want to keep them clean just for looks I would suggest any citrus based cleaner.

Good Luck

Mark
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Taking a good look with a flashlight, there does appear to be some corrosion from dirty nuts (ha!) which is what concerned me in the first place, more so than grease.

TampaSupremo
 
i usually only clean the inside of the socket with brake cleaner when something like brake fluid gets in there and i don't want to take the chance of it dripping where it doesn't belong. otherwise i just leave the sockets the way they are.
 
As I'm sure Anthony can attest, in the Aviation Maintenance field, we use some of the badest chemicals around. There isn't much that will take your skin off like Skydrol or Methyl Ethyl Ketone, MEK.

I clean my tools with Alchohol only to reduce the burning or corrosive effect of some of the chemicals I use. I do not however clean them to look good. If you do, to each his own. But tools that look like new, usually mean they aren't used much. :whistling: My tools are dirty fuggers. :sign:
 
JetDr said:
As I'm sure Anthony can attest, in the Aviation Maintenance field, we use some of the badest chemicals around. There isn't much that will take your skin off like Skydrol or Methyl Ethyl Ketone, MEK.

I clean my tools with Alchohol only to reduce the burning or corrosive effect of some of the chemicals I use. I do not however clean them to look good. If you do, to each his own. But tools that look like new, usually mean they aren't used much. :whistling: My tools are dirty fuggers. :sign:
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Don't let him bullshit ya. All he does is sit around and smoke cigars. He has the cleanest tools in the shop.
 
My husband is a mechanic both by trade and because he is in love with muscle cars. He uses WD 40 or citrus base cleaners for his tools with a brush when needed.
 
If you are a once in a while mechanic, your tools won't get dirty to the point of needing chemicals. I learned a long time ago clean after every use. Especially when you don't have your own tools. In the military you get your tools on a daily basis so you get clean tools and you return clean tools or else.

The other thing is a clean socket surface is needed to torque bolts to their specified tolerance. Wouldn't want to mess up torque values on a landing gear, flight control, engine or apu part, would you? On your personal vehicle a little off doesn't matter, especially since you don't get your home torque wrenches calibrated that often :whistling:
 
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