Need help choosing correct Allen or Hex tool

socket

I need to loosen a 3mm hex bolt in side an appliance. The simple"Allen Hex "L" shaped key does not let me reach and turn the bolt located in a tough position inside the appliance

Have been told to get
" a 1/4" drive socket with extension and an allen drive socket"

I need a 3mm "hex bit" as I have always called them.It has to be a "male" shaped bit as the bolt is female.
I need a holder for that bit
And I need an extension arm

But nothing is called that when I look on line
What is a "socket"? Is that another term for the bit?
What is socket wrench? Is that another name for the holder
Why do I see so many female hex "sockets" and such few male ones?

All help will be appreciated. What do I ask for?

Best Answer

I believe you're looking for an allen head ratchet set, like the one below. A trip to your local hardware or home improvement store might be in order so you can see some products to get a sense of whether or not they can fit in the small space you have before you make a purchase.

enter image description here

(http://chapmanmfg.com/ , also available on Amazon)

I've never used this particular manufacturer's tools (and this kit might be a little expensive for a one-time job) so I'm not necessarily recommending this particular kit, but the kit includes a low profile ratchet that may work well in a tight space. There are other kits out there that use a similar small ratchet.

enter image description here

Many ratchet sets use a standard 1/4" ratchet with an adapter socket that takes the allen wrench insert, so it ends up being a little bulkier than this ratchet above appears to be. Here's an extreme example, this looks like a 3/8" ratchet with a 1/4" adapter on it, then the 1/4" adapter has a hex bit adapter, then the hex bit is on the end:

enter image description here

Another option - flexible drive for a socket wrench:

If you do get a standard ratchet with a 3mm hex bit, then you might be able to use a flexible drive for your ratchet to get into a tight space -- it can bend around obstacles while still being able to turn a fastener:

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(Image from Amazon)

One more option - a ball-head allen wrench:

Another tool that might be useful would be a ball-end allen wrench:

enter image description here

(image from Amazon)

The ball-end lets you insert it into the bolt at angle instead of having to go straight in. However, the ball-end doesn't fit in the fastener head as securely as a standard squared off wrench, so you may not be able to give it enough torque to break loose a tight fastener. Here's a closeup of the ball-end:

enter image description here