Is it worth the 20-some bucks or can I just use a regular socket to rotate the crankshaft?

 

I've always used the crank bolt. Just make sure to use a stack of washers/spacers so you don't goober the threads by running the bolt in too deep without the balancer installed.

 

What do you mean by use washers? How? Sorry I just forget what it looks like down there. The last time I went down to the crank was over a year for my opti.

 

The crank snout has a bolt in the end of it, to hold the damper hub on. Since you may not have the damper hub on it, you would add some washers between the crank bolt head and the crank snout, to prevent the bolt brom bottoming out in the crank. If the hub is on, you don't need anything other than the large stock washer.