Remove The Most Damaged Bolts With A Top Rated Set From Harbor Freight

Few things are more frustrating than a damaged or rusted bolt when you're working on the car or tackling those overlooked lawnmower maintenance tasks that everyone forgets. If rust is the problem, then WD-40 can sometimes do the trick, but it's not foolproof. If the bolt or nut is badly damaged, then there may not be anything in your collection of tools every homeowner should have that can grip it firmly enough to apply the necessary pressure to remove it. Fortunately, Harbor Freight has a top-rated bolt extractor socket set that is both effective and affordable.

If you've struggled to get a firm hold on a stubborn, damaged bolt, you'll find these tools surprisingly easy to use. One end fits a standard ⅜-inch socket wrench or a ⅜-inch adapter for a power drill. Unlike an ordinary socket, the other end is not hexagonal but fluted for extra grip, with a slight taper to make it easy to fit over the bolt's head. Some people like to tap them on with a hammer or mallet. Once securely seated, the bolt can be removed just as you normally would.

Auto mechanics sometimes use sockets like these with an impact wrench for even greater power, and the Quinn 9-Piece Metric Bolt Extractor Socket Set is made from impact-rated chrome moly steel to withstand the forces generated. It comes on a convenient storage rail and costs $29.99. An SAE set is also available to fit standard nuts and bolts.

Harbor Freight's Quinn bolt extractor socket set scores an average of 4.5 stars with customers, and 88 percent would recommend it. Typical comments revolve around how effective these tools are: "My oil drain plug rounded off too bad to remove it. Bought this and removed it with no issues," and, "Worked perfectly first try, my hours of frustration were fixed in under a minute." The value for money was frequently mentioned too.

There aren't many complaints, but a few people found that the sockets didn't grip well enough. It can happen. While there are a number of handy tools you can try to remove rusted bolts, sometimes the bolt heads are just too badly damaged for anything to get a proper hold. There can also be times when the socket extractor grips but just breaks the head clean off the bolt, leaving the rest still in place. That's not the end of the road, though. If that happens, the bolt can still be drilled out and a screw extractor used to remove it. Tools like Harbor Freight's Icon Multispline Screw Extractor Set are designed to work when all else fails.