Locking extensions...what kind do you prefer?

[bmwpower]

Any ideas? Looking for a set...

[kartracer55]

I just got an SK 6inch locking... From TTW... not a flaw on it. Locks pretty solid too, Im very impressed.

Wobble extensions are nice as hell too. I picked one up off the snap on truck today. I asked my dealer what he though about them, He basically told me "YES you absolutly need one, but Dont waste the $$$ on a full set. Just get a short one"

Id look at those too

Jim

[ImportTuner]

I have a full set of Husky's from Home Depot and a full set of Craftsman from Sears ... both are excellent and does not break the bank .. :)

[bmwpower]

So, how do all these different kinds work?

The Craftsman ones look like they have a black button near the end. Do you push the button to release the socket?

The Husky and SK ones look like there is a sleeve of sorts. Does this work the same way?

Any chance of the button or sleeve getting accidentally bumped, releasing the socket, on any of these models? ie, is one stlye better than another? Sorry for being anal, but I've never used one.

[wantedabiggergarage]

The Craftsman has a black button that you pull back, and the ball bearing in the end, falls back in the drive, and allows the socket off.

The SK/Mac/Snap style is quite a bit larger, and you pull a collar back, and it pops in some (not bearing, and not sure of the proper term/) pins for lack of a better term.
The Craftsman ones are fine, for low end work, but I believe the other one is designed for more torque (longer extensions with transfer from impact guns). You can buy adapters in at least 1/4"and 3/8", see this number

SK Hand Tool 45195

[george4]

So, how do all these different kinds work?

The Craftsman ones look like they have a black button near the end. Do you push the button to release the socket?

The Husky and SK ones look like there is a sleeve of sorts. Does this work the same way?

Any chance of the button or sleeve getting accidentally bumped, releasing the socket, on any of these models? ie, is one stlye better than another? Sorry for being anal, but I've never used one.
I have used the 1/4 craftsman with the black slide button many times, never had a socket come off unintentionally.

[eschoendorff]

geez.... maybe I'm in the minority, but I have never had a problem with a socket popping off a regular extension. For taht reason, I have never considered locking extensions. Then again, I am also the guy who doesn't won any extensions over 12".... if I need them longer, I just pieces them together, like legos! :lol:

[wantedabiggergarage]

geez.... maybe I'm in the minority, but I have never had a problem with a socket popping off a regular extension. For taht reason, I have never considered locking extensions. Then again, I am also the guy who doesn't won any extensions over 12".... if I need them longer, I just pieces them together, like legos! :lol:


The need arises for various reasons. My 10" extension is a locking one and the most used, I don't normally need the lock, but there have been times when it's been handy.
As for the longer extension, the two most common uses for the 24" is to drop tranmissions and going through the fender cover to change the spark plugs.

[Deafautotech]

i own 36in, 24in, 12in, and 5in adapter extensions 1/2 to 3/8 (matco, mac, and snap on as i got it from ebay. it is very handy for myself to pull transmission and engine. also i use lot of craftsman locking extensions (1/4dr set and 3/8dr) it is very handy for me because i have old craftsman extensions and it just keep drop socket or easy to slip out of socket when i pull extension.....

[kartracer55]

Oh I forgot about the craftsman locking extensions.

The main advantage to these is that there is no huge sleeve over the extension like the SK/Snap On etc. However they do not lock nearly as well as the SK does.

It is relativly easy to pull the socket off the craftsman, slightly more force than a regular extension. There is no way in hell you are pulling the socket off the SK. Unless your a gorilla, its not coming off. THis is one instance where I would say skip the craftsman version. Youll thank me sometime haha

[bmwpower]

geez.... maybe I'm in the minority, but I have never had a problem with a socket popping off a regular extension. For taht reason, I have never considered locking extensions. Then again, I am also the guy who doesn't won any extensions over 12".... if I need them longer, I just pieces them together, like legos! :lol:

Changing spark plugs comes to mind. Some engines have deep holes thru which the plugs go. With that rubber bushing inside the spark plug socket, most of the time the socket comes off the extension when you try to pull it out of the hole.

[Canadian Charlie]

I have the same problem with the spark plug sockets, everytime I install a plug with a normal extenion between the ratchet and the socket the spark plug socket sticks to the plug and then the ratchet and extension are on thier own. I need the needle nose pliers to pull them out.

Noticed Snap On has a spark plug socked already mounted to an extnsion. I'll keep my eyes open at eBay of a set

[volvo]

I use a cheaper set I got from a cornball truck and paid about $45 for the three piece set a good 15 years ago. They have helded up real well and use the slide type retainer system. After all these years of heavy use on the end of a 1/2 "or 3/8" impact guns pulling trans and engine assemblies that the roll pins have started to fracture and need to be replaced, I actually caught a piece of a roll pin fall into a hemi type cylinder head while removing a plug once. I got real lucky that I saw it happen and was able to remove it with a dab of dum/dum sealer on the end of a long welding rod. Another must have tool...H

[ImportTuner]

I have the same problem with the spark plug sockets, everytime I install a plug with a normal extenion between the ratchet and the socket the spark plug socket sticks to the plug and then the ratchet and extension are on thier own. I need the needle nose pliers to pull them out.

Noticed Snap On has a spark plug socked already mounted to an extnsion. I'll keep my eyes open at eBay of a set
Snap On spark plug set with extension is nice but sometimes you need different length extensions; that's why I prefer separate extensions from the spark plug socket .. :)

[bmwpower]

I use a cheaper set I got from a cornball truck and paid about $45 for the three piece set a good 15 years ago. They have helded up real well and use the slide type retainer system. After all these years of heavy use on the end of a 1/2 "or 3/8" impact guns pulling trans and engine assemblies that the roll pins have started to fracture and need to be replaced, I actually caught a piece of a roll pin fall into a hemi type cylinder head while removing a plug once. I got real lucky that I saw it happen and was able to remove it with a dab of dum/dum sealer on the end of a long welding rod. Another must have tool...H

This brings up another good point....do they make impact grade locking extensions?

[ImportTuner]

This brings up another good point....do they make impact grade locking extensions?
Yep, I have a Snap On impact grade locking extension; picked it up from eBay .. :)

[kartracer55]

Armstrong makes them too.

[Deafautotech]

as danaher made it too for matco, armstrong, craftsman, KD, and else....

[Canadian Charlie]

Snap On spark plug set with extension is nice but sometimes you need different length extensions; that's why I prefer separate extensions from the spark plug socket .. :)


With a little luck I just found a seller with those sockets already on the extensions and grabbed hem up. A 5/8 and a 13/16" plus a set of 60 degree off set metric box wrenches


Yes all Snap Ons at half the price

[wantedabiggergarage]

This brings up another good point....do they make impact grade locking extensions?


They don't make them as long, to my knowledge. I had been looking for a locking 24" impact grade one, for dropping transmissions. Couldn't find it.

The Forementioned SK locking adapter add on, is on my list, to add to my 1/2" to 3/8" extension, for transmission work.

[ImportTuner]

They don't make them as long, to my knowledge. I had been looking for a locking 24" impact grade one, for dropping transmissions. Couldn't find it.

The Forementioned SK locking adapter add on, is on my list, to add to my 1/2" to 3/8" extension, for transmission work.
Did you try Snap On ..
Extension Adaptor, Impact, Locking, 24"
Stock#: IMSFXL24

[wantedabiggergarage]

That is the same thing as the one I am making, for less. I picked up my 1/2 to 3/8" adapter for less at a local junk store. The Impact locking adapter I WAS looking for, was strictly 3/8".