Dropping a 10mm socket into the engine bay is a common headache. A claw pickup tool helps you get it back. The flexible shaft bends around hoses and components to reach deep spots. Squeezing the plunger at the handle extends four spring-steel claws from the tip. Release the plunger, and the claws close around the dropped bolt or nut. Unlike magnetic tools, a claw grabber can pick up brass, aluminum, plastic, or rubber parts.
Mechanic Glossary
Claw Pickup Tool
A long, flexible metal tube with a spring-loaded plunger that extends small metal jaws from the tip to grab dropped objects in hard-to-reach areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most standard shop models are 24 inches long, which is plenty of length to reach from the top of the engine bay down to the splash shield.
They are meant for light objects like bolts, nuts, clips, and plastic trim. Heavy sockets might slip out of the claws if they get snagged.
A claw tool can grab non-magnetic parts like brass fittings, plastic push pins, aluminum washers, and rubber hoses.