Facom 1/2" Drive Long-Reach Heavy Duty Convex 6-point Socket-17mm (NSB.17) - new for 2017. Facom finally increased the wall thickness of this socket (approx .75mm thicker) making it significantly stronger and more resistant to cracking with heavy duty impact use. Click on photos to enlarge. The Facom NSB.17 socket is the original factory tool for safe and effective removal of the convex ("flower head") lug bolts on late model Mercedes S-class (W221), GLK-class, M-class, CL-class and Maybach cars. The socket was included with the factory tool sets sent to each Maybach dealer. Use of standard 17mm hex impact sockets will likely damage these costly lug bolts. Surprisingly, very few Mercedes dealers stock this item.

I also stock the NS.MB Specialty Socket for the Mercedes vehicles with the flower head bolts. For lug bolts with little or no deformity of the aluminum cover, this socket will work fine and is quite a bit cheaper. For older bolts with deformity in the cover, you'll need to go with one of the NSB.17 convex sockets.

$25/socket damage replacement (includes return shipping) when purchased through Ultimate Garage. See comments below.

Warranty Comments - this socket was constructed the same as Facom's standard deep socket without the chrome plating. Since the wall thickness is a full 1.25mm thinner than Facom's standard 17mm impact, it cannot withstand repeated high torque and impact without eventually cracking. With the use of a breaker bar for lug removal and a torque wrench for tightening, the chance of socket failure is reduced to near zero. If your impact gun has torque settings, dial the setting back to under 200 ft lbs. Broken sockets can be sent back to Ultimate Garage for immediate replacement ($25 charge per socket to cover shipping costs to France) or returned directly to Facom in Europe.

Fitment Comments - this socket intentionally has a looser fit (8-9 degrees of play between the bolt and the socket) compared to the tight fit with a standard hex socket (3-4 degrees of play). The thin polished aluminum cover on the Mercedes bolts is easily deformed from the torque and impact blows during R&R. Once the cover is deformed, the tight fitting hex socket will no longer fit the bolt. The convex socket will be now required to remove the lug bolt. See photo details.