You own the factory where the low profile ratchets are made? When did that happen. Sunex did sell the low profile sockets a couple months before you did IIRC. The retention grove seems to be in the standard location for hex drives, like many pass thru sockets. Is this coincidence?
Astro Pneumatic Tool Company
- Thread starter Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
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@Astro_Pneumatic_Tools chris can you guys make an adapter that lets you use a low profile nano socket with a regular ratcheting wrench without the inner clip piece? I seen some posts here of people making some but I’m kinda lazy tbh and it will look better if it’s factory made
just a anvil with a backing plate to keep it sliding out
just a anvil with a backing plate to keep it sliding out
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
Sunex did offer the 1st sets of these sockets for sale a couple months before us that's correct, the original goods did not pass our field testing and some sizes were breaking in half so we required web thickness changes before we'd sell them.
There's nothing standard about the retention grooves, most versions of pass throughs or similar at the time and still to this day had the retention ring at the top of the socket, until these came along.
We started working on more set types, and larger size range coverage in sets which is fairly clear by just how many different sets we have now, and eventually others wanted to do the same but not made in the same factory for exclusivity and also supply capacity reasons.
The retention grooves existed to work with a serpentine belt tool set we were asked to design for another brand and our own future ratchet as well. Why every brand didn't ask questions about why those grooves are on the sockets thereafter I do not know, happy accident.
There's nothing standard about the retention grooves, most versions of pass throughs or similar at the time and still to this day had the retention ring at the top of the socket, until these came along.
We started working on more set types, and larger size range coverage in sets which is fairly clear by just how many different sets we have now, and eventually others wanted to do the same but not made in the same factory for exclusivity and also supply capacity reasons.
The retention grooves existed to work with a serpentine belt tool set we were asked to design for another brand and our own future ratchet as well. Why every brand didn't ask questions about why those grooves are on the sockets thereafter I do not know, happy accident.
Lucid Moments
Well-known member
Maybe it is just me, but when I search on the Astro Tools website for part # 78320 I get nothing found.
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
Correct, it's still a few months out from debut. Fed saw it at SEMA
Chris,
Is Astro manufacturing these and private labeling?
olsatools.com
Is Astro manufacturing these and private labeling?
Stubby Impact Torx and Hex Bits | Professional-Grade | Olsa Tools®
Stubby impact bits combine compact design with versatility. Featuring hex and Torx profiles, these impact-rated bits fit tight spaces and come with color-coded aluminum rails for easy organization. Works with ratchets and impact guns—and when you need extra clearance, even your wrenches too.
olsatools.com
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
We make for several brands, so I cannot answer any one direct question of who do we make for.Chris,
Is Astro manufacturing these and private labeling?
Stubby Impact Torx and Hex Bits | Professional-Grade | Olsa Tools®
Stubby impact bits combine compact design with versatility. Featuring hex and Torx profiles, these impact-rated bits fit tight spaces and come with color-coded aluminum rails for easy organization. Works with ratchets and impact guns—and when you need extra clearance, even your wrenches too.
But I will say we'd never put so many drive sizes and lengths of sockets on one set that could all just be the same drive size and socket length.
Those who saw the prototype set at SEMA would see all the bit sockets are the same length and drive size.
Then the customer only needs 1 impact wrench or ratchet size to use them all.
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Chris I’m wondering how come all your stubby sockets aren’t the dual drive nano style? You got some stubby half size metric like 10.5 11.5 set that looks like a nano size but round and not dual drive at bottom
also you can’t answer for capri but they make a nano size socket set that isn’t dual drive
so I’m wondering does it cost more to machine that dual drive by alot or why don’t everything thats shallow or nano size got them?
also you can’t answer for capri but they make a nano size socket set that isn’t dual drive
so I’m wondering does it cost more to machine that dual drive by alot or why don’t everything thats shallow or nano size got them?
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
Most of the answer is the stuff pre dated our outside hex nano program, or we were working on when introducing the outside hex nano stuff.
It also allowed us to use S2 tool steel and cryo-treating we were not able to do in outside hex nano sockets.
For the 1/2 size sockets 10.5-19.5mm set that'd be the one exception that's just different. No one would make them, I had to shop around my designs to a lot of sources before someone was willing to agree to my hair brained plan to make the togther. It worked out, we sell a ton of them, but I don't hold it against our usual factories for saying that's crazy - it did sound strange.
Hohn
Well-known member
I use use my 22mm or 17mm box ends. I have the capri extra long zero offsets and they are perfect for break-loose duty on tight or rusty stuff. For less stuck things, I use a shorter box end. In fact, I bought a tekton ratching box 22mm specifically because I recall reading Astro was never going to make something like the 78218, so I figured I get a ratcheting box end and live without the retainer clip.
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
I mean, we can. What do you guys want on the other end, a handle? A 22mm?
Personally I’d like a 17 and 22 on the same wrench so could use with the 1/2 drive nanos or 3/8 drive
and either two lengths maybe like 10“ for the shorter one and 18” for the long one or if just one length maybe something in between like 14”
or maybe make something like Tektons new ratcheting wrenches that got one fix end and one ratcheting end
and then on a single wrench you got 3/8 fixed or ratchet, and on the second wrench you can do 1/2
maybe you can find the factory that makes the Tekton and just change the ratcheting ring to have the retainer part idk if that’s unethical or how that kind of stuff works if Tekton bought the tooling and now the factory can’t use it for anyone else stuff
or team up with Tekton and make a double branded collab tool that works with Astro sockets but is Tekton tooling and they can sell it and split the profits with you and both your names are on it
forgot about 11mm for 1/4 I’d be into that too tbh
Hohn
Well-known member
Personally, I would do a long DBE zero offset with 17mm on one end and 22mm on the other, with retaining clips.
The Nano Breaker.
Hohn
Well-known member
I’m not sure I see the value of the 1/4” nano setup, but I’m not a very good representative of the market, they will probably sell well.
At least that 11mm wrench you never use can now have a purpose
Question: I have purchased like 4 sets of your 52SL lights (so like 8 lights) for myself and friends. Love them. However after a bunch of use the hinge point are getting pretty loss. Is there any fix to tighten the hinge back up? The batteries and of lights still work great but the heads are flopping around. Thank you in advance
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
Yes, 52SLMAX has a new revised hinge material we're rolling out for both lights, Shoot me a pm
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
This is what I was thinking
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
You break it free with the ratcheting end as God intended. Pretty sure the pin for the flex head is bent in my 18" wrench, still works great though.
I’m not sure I see the value of the 1/4” nano setup, but I’m not a very good representative of the market, they will probably sell well.
At least that 11mm wrench you never use can now have a purpose
They're actually pretty nice. Impact rated for your 1/4 hex driver. Then use the VIM handle or the Astro handle. Vim is shorter and reversible, Astro is longer. SAE set is nice for keeping my thread chaser setups as short as possible. It's like a shorter version of Koken Zeal sockets since the height of the ratchet is essentially removed. Snake it down a bumper cover, remove the condenser bolt or hood latch with the bumper still on, etc.
^^^ This
Works for me
WWheeler
Well-known member
You can add me to the list of 'Will buy' one of those.
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
We have small 5pc adapter sets coming out in 1/4" 11mm outside hex and 17mm 3/8" outside hex that has a lot of cool ultra stubby adapters
A "no ball" 3/8 and 1/2 square insert for the 78318 and 783105 handles to turn them into a low profile belt tensioner tool would be sweet.
Is 78320 going to be hex bits with outside hex drive? That's kinda bittersweet. I like my hex/torx/e-torx, but I don't know if I can justify re-buying them just for the outside hex.
if you can’t justify a second set then honestly man you aren’t trying hard enough
how about a backup set in case one breaks?
a road box?
pluck and pull box?
have one set in garage and another set somewhere idk maybe in your kitchen?
Hohn
Well-known member
Did brakes for a friend today and that 10.5 inch 17mm ratcheting flex head is so sweet. Fits where only it and a ratcheting box end will. The 18” was too long.
Lack of reversibility imho is a total non-issue. I love that it doesn’t randomly switch ratcheting direction on you. I have to think a reverse switch makes it physically weaker too.
My Makita work light died so I’m upgrading to a combo of 100sl, 52sl max, and wireless pad for them to occupy.
Lack of reversibility imho is a total non-issue. I love that it doesn’t randomly switch ratcheting direction on you. I have to think a reverse switch makes it physically weaker too.
My Makita work light died so I’m upgrading to a combo of 100sl, 52sl max, and wireless pad for them to occupy.
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drokihazan
Well-known member
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- Apr 8, 2018
- Messages
- 264
What's up with 78313 skipping E11? I really like nanos and I'd love to buy the nanos for E-Torx, but the only size E-Torx bolt I've ever found on my personal vehicle (LR3) is an E11 so it feels ridiculous to buy a nano set that skips that size.
Hohn
Well-known member
Maybe nice but I can’t see a huge value add for a socket. Very few 12pt heads in the wild.snap on basic etorx set don’t even include e11 tbh
im young and still learning from the pros here but it’s my understanding 9 and 11 aren’t common sizes in either regular hex or e torx because 10 mm is so common. That your always using 10 on every vehicle somewhere
and if your also using a 9 or 11 on the same vehicle as a 10 the sizes are so close that you can’t tell by eye and even by feel it’s not off by that much you might accidentally use a 11 on a 10 or a 10 on a 9
so to avoid that they just skip 9 and 11 and if you can’t use a 10 which is m6 because it’s just too small then you’d upsize to a 12 or 13 head In m8
and if the 10 head is too big you’d drop down to a 8 which is m5
correct me if I’m wrong here guys but that’s why on any car you don’t see two sizes of heads with the same mm. You see 8 10 12 14 17 19 on Japanese. And maybe 8 10 13 15 on iso or din idk offhand.
so engineers using fastener sizes just one millimeter apart from each other are the ones you should be mad at. Not poor Chris
he would include 11 which adds a few bucks to the cost and most people would be wasting it. snap on does sell an E11 just not in there basic set. So maybe drop the $20 on the single socket from them esp if it’s the only one you need to work on your personal car.Snap-on Store
Interesting enough it seems completely random when it comes to sets that an include E11 and those that do not.
Snap On and Matco sets don't include it, but Tekton and the Icon deep etorx set both do.
My assumption is it's not a common size, although etorx in general is becoming more common.
OP
Astro_Pneumatic_Tools
Well-known member
We've been making ETorx tools for some time now for other customer brands and each time their list did not include E11 nor have we got requests from them to make it individually available, so I'll admit I sort of just put together what we normally would size wise without E11 even occurring to me
Hohn
Well-known member
I believe some of the e-torx confusion comes from not having an ISO standard for them, unlike the ISO 10664 that governs normal internal-drive Torx.
So there's nothing dictating which bolt size gets which E-torx by ISO standard, or (from what I can tell) DIN, JIS, SAE, or any other major standardization group.
So there's nothing dictating which bolt size gets which E-torx by ISO standard, or (from what I can tell) DIN, JIS, SAE, or any other major standardization group.
oldwino
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I work on race cars with ARP fasteners (12 point). 12 point would be a blessing
Hohn
Well-known member
that would be the classic case where 12pt is a must have. ARP likes them because, in general a 12pt head will be a bit better in creep and bolted joint stability. Super critical on rod bolts, main and head studs. Helpful but not a must have on other bolts with low dynamic loads.
Can you elaborate some more on this? I assumed that bolt tension was bolt tension, no matter the type of head found on the bolt.
Hohn
Well-known member
I'll PM since this is the Astro thread.