Warning: The new 'universal' O2 sensor socket from Harbor Freight is a total waste of $22

Bought it for a job on a 2012 Ford Escape, and the walls were so thick it wouldn't fit into the tight space around the sensor. Ended up rounding off the sensor and had to cut the whole thing out, which cost me an extra hour and a new sensor. Has anyone found a decent thin-wall sensor socket that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

james_ramirez1mo ago

Had the same problem with my old Civic. Grabbed a cheap crows foot wrench from the parts store and it did the trick. Much slimmer and got into that tight spot.

seanjohnson1mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah the crows foot trick is a lifesaver. My buddy had the same issue with his Corolla's brake line fitting, regular wrench just wouldn't fit in there. He found one at the bottom of his dad's old toolbox and it worked perfect.

wendy7221d ago

Blew out a brake line on my old Ford Ranger last summer and spent 45 minutes wrestling with a standard wrench before giving up and driving to Harbor Freight. Felt like a total idiot when I realized a crows foot would've saved me all that frustration, @seanjohnson. Ended up using it to get at a stuck caliper bolt too, definitely worth having one in the box even if you look dumb not buying it sooner.