By: Joe Terrell
The trick to any project around the house, is having the right tools. And in this week's "Does It Work?" report, we have a tool that its makers say can replace numerous tools in your tool chest. You've probably seen it on TV. It's called the Gator Grip and we got a local mechanic to help us answer the question... "Does It Work?"
The Gator Grip is a universal, socket, touting "gator grippin' power". The package says it instantly grips any shape, and standard nuts and bolts up to 9/16s and 15 millimeters. Adam Florey works everyday with some of the best commercial tools around. He agreed to help us out. We started out testing it on a head bolt that had been worn down. Gator Grip did the job on the bolt...worn down and all.
The secret is the 30 retractable steel pins inside. "You push the little pins in, and when you push it in, whatever's rounded, the pins fall into place," Florey says. But as we found out, the pins also have a slight drawback-- can't handle a deep socket bolt. The Gator Grip also had trouble on some engine intake screws that were high torqued. "Too tight," says Adam. "More torque than it can handle."
And speaking of tightening, we tried that too. "Tightens pretty good...I was impressed," Adam says. So does it work? "I think it works," says Florey. "I would buy it and put it in my glove box." Good enough for us.
In this "Does It Work?" test, we give the "Gator Grip" a yes. We picked up the Gator Grip for just under 20 dollars.
