By Mike Berger

Photos courtesy of manufacturer

When I was first handed a set of Grip-Tite Super Sockets to test, I'll admit I was skeptical. I'd used other products before that promised to work on rounded-off nuts and bolt heads, and frankly, they left me disappointed. Imagine my surprise when the Grip-Tite sockets not only worked, but exceeded my expectations. Available in both SAE and metric sizes, these innovative sockets feature six internal cams that expand over and onto the bolt or nut. This expansion causes the cams to grab the bolt or nut, no matter how badly rounded the fitting in question might be, thus enabling the socket to remove the fitting. When I used the Grip Tite sockets on some badly damaged fitting on a project bike I was working on, and they worked every time. Even when put under high levels of torque, the sockets effectively grabbed each and every damaged fitting, saving me from all the headaches I would have suffered if I would have had to heat or cut the fittings away. Grip-Tite Sockets, (574) 272-6128, www.bt-andf.com/index.php