Has anyone seen a Socket Wrench for an old Square Nut?

[Paintedcow]

On my old Farmall tractor I have square nuts on the drawbar attachments. The "bolts: that these are on, are not just bolts, but some special swivel device similar to an eye bolt. These square nuts are rather large and need a 1-1/4" open end wrench. The problem is that these nuts are right next to the transmission and there is no room to swing an open end wrench. The only way I can get these nuts off, is with a socket. But even looking at antique tools at auctions, I have never seen a socket for square nuts?

Normally, if it's just a regular bolt, I'll just use my angle grinder and grind the nut off, but this is not an option here.

Has anyone ever seen sockets for square nuts, and know a source to buy them? If they are available, I'm sure the socket would be cheaper than having to replace those special bolts.

(Once I get them off, they will be replaced with hex nuts).

[bob_villain]

I have a set of Crescent sockets that are square and hex...they look like an internal spline. But I don't know if they make larger sizes?

[bob_villain]

I got this set from Menards for $20.

[Vic Smith]

You want 8 point sockets. Expensive. But a cheap way is to use a pipe wrench.

[RonNNN]

Actually a standard 12 point socket would be a more common choice.

[David L. Martel]

Have you tried 12 point sockets? A lot of Liquid Wrench and a well fitting 12 point socket may do it. At a guess try 1 5/8". Or use a nut cracker and replace them with hex nuts. Don't focus on the inadequacy of your tool, focus on getting the job done. Your wife will thank you for this

Dave M.

[Vic Smith]

That'll work to round off the corners before you use the pipe wrench.

[Taxed and Spent]

When you find the socket you want to use (a 8 or 12 point should work), I suggest you use an impact driver to take it off, after applying WD40 or some such.

[RonNNN]

I'll make another suggestion, "PB Blaster" works really good on rusted nuts and bolts.

[trader_4]

I'd check out Sears. They have a bunch of sockets and such that are supposed to universally fit a lot of nuts and bolts. How well they actually fit depends on the bolt I guess. An 8 pt socket is one that will fit, they should have that too. Or if you want something cheap, HF perhaps.

[Paintedcow]

I would normally use a pipe wrench, but since there is not room to swing an open end wrench, there surely is no room to swing a pipe wrench.

[gfretwell]

Can you get a crow foot in there.

[Dean Hoffman]

Hot air will probably work if those fail. These little things are handy.

[Mr.E]

Make a LA (Lower Alabama) socket. Find a steel pipe that will fit or almost fit down on the square nut. Hammer the pipe square, fit over the nut and use a pipe wrench to turn it.

[RonNNN]

That's probably a tad bit more than the OP wants to spend to loosen one square nut though.

[Paintedcow]

I thought about a crow foot, but I would have to buy one. After trying all sorts of things for the last 3 days, I got aggressive and removed the entire drawbar from the tractor. Once it was off, I could easily remove that nut with an open end wrench, hammer and PB blaster. All I got to do now is buy a new hex nut, and put the whole thing back together. Sometimes the "long way" is the only way to do a job. It required removing 8 well rusted bolts, but I accomplished the job, and without any large expense. Every bolt will now get a dose of anti-sieze on the threads, so I can easily remove them in the future, and new lock washers. This Farmall tractor is 67 years old. I was actually surprised all 8 of those bolts came apart without a torch, (but did need a long pipe for leverage and a big hammer).

[Unquestionably Confused]

[snip]

I'd add another "solution" (both literal and figurative) and that's Kroil

Read about this stuff last year and bought a can. It makes regular penetrating oil and WD-40, etc. look like maple syrup. I think you could spray a VW Bug with this stuff and then pull it through an 18" culvert.

[RonNNN]

WD40 is good for drying out wet stuff and stopping squeaks, but doesn't work as a penetrating oil very good. I've always had good luck with PB. I've never tried Kroil before, but if it works as good as PB it's got to be good stuff.

[Ralph Mowery]

Where I worked we used the Kroil by the case. We had lots of things outside and if we knew we would have to work on them, we would spray them with Kroil the day before.

I have sprayed rusty bolts seveal days in a row and the usually come right off.

We had lots of high wattage bulbs of all kinds of light. The mercury vapor and others. A shot of Kroil oil up the base of them made them almost fall out.

[bob_villa]

Do a search for "ATF and acetone"...auto mechanics swear by it (but they swear alot anyway!)