Mayhew Tools 61360 Brass Drift Punch, 3-Piece Set

A brass drift is one of those tools you do not think about until you are trying to knock a hardened pin or a bearing race out of a case and do not want to leave a mark on it. Brass is softer than the steel parts you are driving against, so it takes the beating instead of the part. That makes this Mayhew set right at home on a transmission bench, where you are constantly tapping out roll pins, servo pins, checkball retainers and stuck bushings that a steel punch would burr or peen.

The set covers the three sizes you reach for most: a 3/8 inch by 6 inch, a 1/2 inch by 7 inch and a 3/4 inch by 8 inch. The bodies are polished solid brass with a double-knurled grip section so they do not twist in your hand when things get oily, and because brass is non-sparking they are safe to swing around fuel and solvents. All three are made in the USA, which is why this set has held its spot as a shop staple for years.

Use the small one for pins and detents, the middle one for driving seals and shafts, and the big 3/4 inch for knocking output shafts, sun shells and stubborn bearing races out of a housing. As the brass mushrooms over time you just dress the end flat on a grinder and keep going.