Air ratchet.....chrome sockets?

[franzdom]

If it's not a hammerhead, just a regular air ratchet, chrome sockets are good, correct?

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Yeah, they don't generate nearly enough torque to be a problem.

 

[outdoorsman310]

thats fine. I am usually breaking loose and snugging the bolt up by hand with the air ratchet. Not trying to break stuff loose by smashing the trigger and not over tightening things leaving the trigger on too long. Chrome sockets are ok and I use chrome swivels on my 1/4 air ratchet.

 

[Skin]

Chrome sockets will mushroom out over time. Better off using impacts if you care about that sort of thing.

 

[jim1987]

Chrome sockets will mushroom out over time. Better off using impacts if you care about that sort of thing.

Only if its an impact ratchet. My IR puts out.... wait for it... 50' lbs of torque! That's right. 50'! Lol.

Chrome sockets are fine

 

[Skin]

Only if its an impact ratchet.

Nope, they mushroom with regular air ratchets. By their very nature they have kickback which bounces the anvil a little in the drive. It does take a toll over time and eventually they'll look just like they've been on an impact wrench.

If you care about the cosmetic condition of your chrome sockets don't use them on power tools, period. My OCD got the better of me so now I only ever use chrome if I don't have an impact socket that will fit the application.

 

[cheechi]

I have seen first hand what Skin is talking about. Know a guy who loves his air rat. I figure with mine being HF impacts, they don't owe me anything anyway and the warranty is easy too. So I try to use impacts even on a non impacting air rat or even my M12 rat. It's easier to carry the M12 ratchet & impact with 1 set of sockets anyway.

 

[AndrewV]

Dos no bueno.
The action of an air ratchet leaves light impacts from rotations. Only a little, but will eventualy(6+ months,years) creat micro fractures in the hardened sockets.

Now i only ever use chromes, on my 25lbs of nonbrute power 1/4, there freaking gw sockets, and i loose the 1/4 after 3 months. So they're replaced regularly

 

[abvw]

Socket drive ends will always mushroom whether you use air tools or hand tools.

I've never seen a socket split at the drive end.

 

[tbaggz]

it is the difference in the way the torque is applied. constant torque vs impact torque.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

See people do it all the time. Even seen and have used myself larger sockets like 3/4'' drive + that were not impact on impact guns. That doesn't mean it is smart. The sockets will break/deform easier than impacts, and there is far greater chance of injury.

 

[NewEdgePerf]

Ever slice your finger open with a peeling chrome socket on a impact or air tool? I have and it hurts!

At my old tire store, a few chrome sockets got in the rotation of removing lug nuts with an impact...they never lasted long. The drive end would "mushroom" and had a couple split. The Snappy Man would always cover us since we bought a fair amount from him. Sears would kick and moan about it, but I always promised to " never do it again".

 

[jim1987]

it is the difference in the way the torque is applied. constant torque vs impact torque.

Most air ratchets don't have impact force.

 

[joejeep92]

I do...however that is not an endorsement from your local tool dealer...

 

[rshadd]

I'll use my chrome sockets on my air ratchet if that's all I have, but use impact sockets most of the time. I once used a chrome swivel in my air ratchet and it spun so fast that it knocked the pin right out of the swivel.

 

[franzdom]

Now that is the real question, I guess it's time for impact swivels.

 

[MG44]

I use chrome on mine. But then again when I bought a set of 1/2" Metric Impacts 10 years ago they skipped 15mm and 18mm. So I filled those in with.... wait for it.... CHROME 15 and 18 Duralast sockets that have been used on an impact everyday for 10 years. Are they mushroomed? Eh a little. They haven't cracked, exploded, or killed kids in Africa.

Point being you should be fine with chrome on an air ratchet.

 

[rshadd]

Now that is the real question, I guess it's time for impact swivels.

Agreed. I've added universal impact swivels to my collection.