Is it worth buying a 36mm socket for my oil change?

Wild Brambles

Wild Brambles

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I want to change the oil filter on my van, and the use of a 36mm socket is recommended. I may have a ring or open ended spanner if I can find it, but I'm tempted to buy a new socket for the job. However, will I get any future use out of the socket? I gather 36mm is used for axle nuts, but mine is 55mm, and I already have one for that. I can buy a cheap one for oil filter changes, or I can pay a couple of pounds more, and get a heavy duty 3/4" drive one. I don't mind buying the more expensive one if there is a possibility of using it in the future, but I can't see a use at the moment.
 
Why buy something when you already have something? And do you have a breaker bar? Its something else you have to carry.

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¾ drive socket......do you have a ¾ drive bar......

I assume the filter housing cap is plastic.... DON'T use an open ended spanner.
If there's room for a ring spanner that will do just as well as a socket unless the cap needs tightening to a specific torque....many do and if not torqued correctly will most probably leak. .
 
I've got a 1/2" breaker bar, and a 3 foot long 3/4" torque wrench ( that should do the job :) ). Slight problem. I found the ideal socket on Amazon. Only 3/8" drive, but that should be OK for a filter. Only problem is that the minimum order is 2. Who buys two identical sockets?

Does anyone here need a 36mm socket for an oil filter? :)
 
Wild Brambles said:
That was the one I wanted on Amazon. I wonder if Ebay will sell me a single one.
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I’m sure they will.
Or maybe you could borrow one? Save you a fortune!

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Just go to Halfords. Their tools are very high quality and come with lifetime guarantee like snap-on. All my sockets/spanners/ratchets ect are from Halfords. You really can't go wrong. Wouldn't advise buying any tools off ebay.
 
Kev and Carolyn said:
SERIOUSLY? IF You cant decide then you should be doing something else!
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The main decision is whether I give it storage space in the van.In order to decide that, I need to find out how useful it will be in the future. Hence my question, which was really - who has 36mm nuts? I only know of one application.
 
MANGOFORTH said:
Just go to Halfords. Their tools are very high quality and come with lifetime guarantee like snap-on. All my sockets/spanners/ratchets ect are from Halfords. You really can't go wrong. Wouldn't advise buying any tools off ebay.
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I’m not a full time mechanic, so have no need to buy high end tools that only get used once or twice a year. I’ve bought quite a few odd size sockets for oil filters, wheel bearing nuts and so on, including a set of impact sockets. So far nothing has broken. i can’t see why you would dismiss eBay.
 
andyman said:
I’m not a full time mechanic, so have no need to buy high end tools that only get used once or twice a year. I’ve bought quite a few odd size sockets for oil filters, wheel bearing nuts and so on, including a set of impact sockets. So far nothing has broken. i can’t see why you would dismiss eBay.
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Agreed.
Some good, some tat.

I have a cheap HILKA socket set (af/whit/metric) bought 40 years ago and apart from a ratchet and a couple of sockets the set and tin box it came in are original.
That set has done everything from spark plugs to engine removal and rebuilds over the years.
The only reason the ratchet failed, I used it as a breaker bar with a 2ft tube attached.

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andyman said:
I’m not a full time mechanic, so have no need to buy high end tools that only get used once or twice a year. I’ve bought quite a few odd size sockets for oil filters, wheel bearing nuts and so on, including a set of impact sockets. So far nothing has broken. i can’t see why you would dismiss eBay.
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Halfords tools are very affordable and have a solid warranty. Why would you argue against that?

Ebay didn't exist 40years ago ?
 
Wild Brambles said:
The main decision is whether I give it storage space in the van.In order to decide that, I need to find out how useful it will be in the future. Hence my question, which was really - who has 36mm nuts? I only know of one application.
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My nuts are bigger than that on a warm day.
 
If you need it for the job just buy it

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The rule I have always adopted. If I need to do a job and require a tool that I haven't already got, is it cheaper to buy the tool and do it myself or pay a professional? If the former, I've saved money and have a tool that I may need to use again or could sell if I wanted.
These days, the lack of trust I have in many so called professional workshops means that I usually pay to do the job myself even if it does cost more, as at least I know that it has been done correctly and to the standard I expect, which has not been my experience of many main dealer workshops.
 
Once again, it seems I have to explain my reason for starting a thread. I guess it's unfortunate that I need to perform some research before I start a job, but after nearly 60 years in the computer industry, it has become instinctive.

This oil change is the first one I have done with a filter that is other than the metal spin-off canister type. So I did a bit of reading to get a feel for potential problems. The last thing I want is to end up in an unused industrial site with no oil in the engine, and a broken filter housing. The prices for potential tools range from £1.50 to £180 for a heavy duty socket. Whilst the job is usually simple and straightforward, I did see a video where the plastic housing was stuck to the sump, and it is in cases like this that the advice given by pappajohn is wise - I've seen a lot of plastic nuts with rounded corners. The shallow Sealey one is probably the best one for me, as it is shallow, and can be used on vehicles with restricted clearance. However, this is not a problem for me, The suggestion that the socket can be used as a bearing driver is also a useful one. If possible, I like to carry dual purpose tools in the van to save space. During this discussion, I have also learnt that there may be a small screw in the centre of the "nut", and this can be used to drain the oil in the filter before removal. A handy tip to avoid spreading oil all over the road.

I haven't rejected Ebay, but I find that Amazon lockers are the most convenient way for me to buy online.
 
If the height of the male nut on the filter is short and the chamfer on the socket a bit big you might find it will want to round off the corners.
It might be worth grinding the socket back a couple of mm to get back to sharp corners on the socket.

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Jake Royd said:
If the height of the male nut on the filter is short and the chamfer on the socket a bit big you might find it will want to round off the corners.
It might be worth grinding the socket back a couple of mm to get back to sharp corners on the socket.
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Good tip - the Sealey one looks fairly flat, so that would seem to be another point in its favour.
 
Figaro said:
Some supermarkets and other retailers have delivery lockers for Amazon, very useful for people traveling
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I use these, and they are brilliant. The one in Matalan is in the ladies' changing room though, so I have to be a bit careful there. Morrisons in Cowplain has one in the car park, so there is 24 hour access. Amazon gave me a free prime account, so delivery is often free.

Ebay has a click and collect service for some sellers, and this lets me collect from Argos when they are open. This one is a bit odd though, as they seem to use 2nd class postage to send the items to Argos.

I'm probably going to buy the Sealey docket, but I'll go up to my garages to see if I have already got a 36mm socket, or perhaps there is an A/F or BSW equivalent. I found this conversion table for spanners -
 
pappajohn said:
The only reason the ratchet failed, I used it as a breaker bar with a 2ft tube attached.
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Ohhhhhhhhhhh Uncle PPJ, such an admission. :gum: Tools in the hands of fools. :xrofl:

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