Snap-On Flank Drive Xtra - doesn't fit on some bolts?

[The Critic]

I just picked up a set of Snap On's Flank Drive Xtra (FDX) sockets. These have been on my radar for a while, but I finally found a set that was priced low enough to move forward with.

These are interesting. I tried the 10mm and 12mm sockets on some fasteners on my wife's Honda. All of the fasteners are OE and in pristine condition with no rust. The 10mm socket fit some fasteners very tightly, but on others, I was unable to push the socket onto the fastener -- the socket just would not fit. Same story for the 12mm. I think the finish of the fastener had something to do with it.

Is this normal for FDX?

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Yup, a drop of corrosion and they're a fight to get on.

They're a godsend product, but not daily users.

 

[Wamsutta]

Perhaps they're salt belt sockets that you have to hammer on.

 

[The Critic]

Perhaps they're salt belt sockets that you have to hammer on.

Negative.

 

[Wamsutta]

Negative.

So are they for nuts with rounded off corners? The regular Snap-on sockets work fine for those.

 

[The Critic]

So are they for nuts with rounded off corners? The regular Snap-on sockets work fine for those.

Snap-On claims they can be used as an everyday socket.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

So are they for nuts with rounded off corners? The regular Snap-on sockets work fine for those.

Rounded, rusted, corroded.

SOME drivers and SO reps claimed they were higher performance everyday sockets. I disagree with this, their fit is too tight and a pain to use normally. Perhaps on pristine hardware, yes. But even on brand new stuff, they often require a bit of coaxing to install. Counterintuitively to their inherent design premise, this can cause incomplete engagement, leading to slipping off of the fastener.

These are objectively superior to anything I've tried when the going gets rusty. It was a 17mm nut when new, I'm hammering a 12mm on it, and you can see the threads of the rotten exhaust stud poking through the thinner areas.

I would not recommend trying to "daily drive" a set.

 

[Wamsutta]

Snap-On claims they can be used as an everyday socket.

Turn them back in and get something else. I bought a whole set of Flank Drive Plus combination wrenches and turned them back in because they don't work well for everyday use.

 

[joel63]

Snap-On claims they can be used as an everyday socket.

Don't believe it, the tolerances are very tight.
My dealer told me no.

 

[Buckgnarly]

No way I would use them for everyday, but they sure have saved my *** on rusted junk.

 

[Wamsutta]

No way I would use them for everyday, but they sure have saved my *** on rusted junk.

Did you hammer them on?

 

[tamaraw]

Snap-On claims they can be used as an everyday socket.

Clearly that's not true if they don't fit on clean fasteners.

 

[merkyworks]

Hammers are your friend……..

 

[T45]

Put a caliper on the bolts that fit vs the ones that don't and post up results

 

[dchawk81]

I've had to scrape paint off fasteners just to get a normal everyday socket or wrench on.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Did you hammer them on?

Some may have gotten a few love taps, but nothing like a twist socket or anything.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Some may have gotten a few love taps, but nothing like a twist socket or anything.

So I guess I'm abusing mine then?

 

[Buckgnarly]

So I guess I'm abusing mine then?

There is no such thing as abusing Snap On stuff...well, at least when you have a great driver!

 

[AEAdam]

This, IMO, is a non-issue. If the tight sockets don’t fit, use a regular socket. Snap On has said these are not intended to be the only sockets one has.

Good to have some feedback from an actual use case confirming what snap on has said. Thanks Critic for sharing your experiences.

Snap Ons normal sockets are among the tightest fitting sockets in the world. A tighter version is going to be…..tighter.

My recommendations: when you guys are shopping for and comparing sockets, look for low clearance (tight fitting) and high hardness strength/diameter. Both contribute directly to ensuring the sockets will function as intended. Beware of highest strength independent of other criteria. This could indicate bigger tools or whacky insides that will damage bolt heads. This goes for both wrenches and sockets.

Last TTC video I watched indicated Snap On and Williams had similar clearances but differing strengths, which fits the story many of us have heard. Differences are in processing. Ultimate strength is an indicator of a great socket, but not necessarily relevant provided the socket is more capable than the requirement. I would choose Snap on FD level clearance as the first priority. Icon isn’t quite there, but some others are. Williams remains great on paper and users experiences here indicate their excellence. But use this criteria to find other gems.

 

[The Critic]

This, IMO, is a non-issue. If the tight sockets don’t fit, use a regular socket. Snap On has said these are not intended to be the only sockets one has.

Good to have some feedback from an actual use case confirming what snap on has said. Thanks Critic for sharing your experiences.

Snap Ons normal sockets are among the tightest fitting sockets in the world. A tighter version is going to be…..tighter.

My recommendations: when you guys are shopping for and comparing sockets, look for low clearance (tight fitting) and high hardness strength/diameter. Both contribute directly to ensuring the sockets will function as intended. Beware of highest strength independent of other criteria. This could indicate bigger tools or whacky insides that will damage bolt heads. This goes for both wrenches and sockets.

Last TTC video I watched indicated Snap On and Williams had similar clearances but differing strengths, which fits the story many of us have heard. Differences are in processing. Ultimate strength is an indicator of a great socket, but not necessarily relevant provided the socket is more capable than the requirement. I would choose Snap on FD level clearance as the first priority. Icon isn’t quite there, but some others are. Williams remains great on paper and users experiences here indicate their excellence. But use this criteria to find other gems.

Thanks for the thorough explanation.

Listed below are two demos that I performed using the 10mm on two pristine fasteners. There was no way that socket would have engaged without a moderate amount of downward force —- with a locking extension.

 

[Zewnten]

Why not use twist/turbo sockets?