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Rust on Snap On Impact sockets warranty?

Blwnsln

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Nov 29, 2008
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Ive got quite a few sets of Snap On impact sockets
(1/2,3/8 Shallow and Deep). Most of them havent been used much, some have no use at all. It seams some of them have some deep rust on them, would this be warrantry?

Im asking this becuase my dealer can be a pain about this stuff, now most of these are new and unused, and I would like to send them into snap on for warranty.
 
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bmwpower

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Hmmm. I would think if it's a failure of the chrome, then yes, it should be replaced. But if they were abused (left out in the weather) that could be an issue, but not sure how they would tell exactly why they rusted. Gonna be subjective without detailed picts.

I know I didn't really help you.... :dunno:
 

seth_man

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my snap-on impacts did the same thing shortly after i got them, the ones that dont get used developed some surface rust on them, took the rust off with a wire wheel and it never came back. that was 3 years ago.
 

wrenchr

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I've noticed if the black oxide finish is rough with a textured surface they tend to rust easier.
 

sk farmer

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take a rough rag and soak it in some wd -40 or similar solvent. put the socket on your impact and carefully run it while holding the socket in the rag. light rust should rub off and the solvent should coat and soak in to the finish. the light friction and heat should take most of the rust off and polish them. i have made som crappy looking sockets look pretty good this way. i would think rusty impact sockets result from lake of care and would not be warranty.
 

Mike83

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Regular use will prevent rust as well :)

I can usually wipe surface rust off with an oiled rag and the oil protects the tool from further corrosion.
 

cruiser808

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take a rough rag and soak it in some wd -40 or similar solvent. put the socket on your impact and carefully run it while holding the socket in the rag. light rust should rub off and the solvent should coat and soak in to the finish. the light friction and heat should take most of the rust off and polish them. i have made som crappy looking sockets look pretty good this way. i would think rusty impact sockets result from lake of care and would not be warranty.

This is coming from a guy that makes his living in agriculture. I certainly will stand up, take notice. and take his advice Thanks SK! :thumbup:
 

Hiball

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take a rough rag and soak it in some wd -40 or similar solvent. put the socket on your impact and carefully run it while holding the socket in the rag. light rust should rub off and the solvent should coat and soak in to the finish. the light friction and heat should take most of the rust off and polish them. i have made som crappy looking sockets look pretty good this way. i would think rusty impact sockets result from lake of care and would not be warranty.

Oh Man i can see this going bad.... Rag grabs Socket, hand gets twisted up... Oh boy. Maybe thats just my impact, Its doesnt have a "Carefull" setting.
 

Shadowdog500

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i coat my impacts with air tool oil once a month, and i have sockets that are older then me but look like new

I used to work in a shop with a guy who left his tools greasy and grimy and never wiped them off when he was done using them. He used to work on salt water boats and it was the only way he could keep them from rusting.

Chris
 
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Paullew

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Where are they being stored? A damp place?

Also if your really picky wire brush them and then paint them with black grill paint.
 

mossyboy6

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Where are they being stored? A damp place?

Also if your really picky wire brush them and then paint them with black grill paint.

that would be even worse than leaving them rusty...

About 2 weeks later your going to be flaking black paint all over the work area.
 

autoace

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Snap-on impact sockets are the most disappointing tool they have. I "upgraded" to full sets of 1/2 and 3/8 drive, SAE and metric SO impact sockets,years ago. They were soft, wore terrible, and rusted like the Titanic. I had old sets of HF, Campbell Hausfeld, and PT impacts that were over a decade old, with hard use, that were ALOT better then the Snap-on impacts.

If you want truck tool impact sockets, buy Matco, or Cornwell, or just stick with the good cheap ones. SO impacts are a waste of money. Sad but the evidence does not lie.
 

rhandwor

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The Snap On impacts I have are softer than my Cornwell so I agree with Autoace.
 

Moose-LandTran

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Snap-on impact sockets are the most disappointing tool they have. I "upgraded" to full sets of 1/2 and 3/8 drive, SAE and metric SO impact sockets,years ago. They were soft, wore terrible, and rusted like the Titanic. I had old sets of HF, Campbell Hausfeld, and PT impacts that were over a decade old, with hard use, that were ALOT better then the Snap-on impacts.

If you want truck tool impact sockets, buy Matco, or Cornwell, or just stick with the good cheap ones. SO impacts are a waste of money. Sad but the evidence does not lie.

I was also disappointed to find that my Snap-on impacts, which have seen barely any use show more wear than my cheap ones that've been used a lot for 2 years.
 

Shadowdog500

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Ive been using my original HF mail order impact sockets from the mid 80s and can't complain. I've worked with others that also complained about soft Snap-on impact sockets. They make them soft on purpose so they distort rather than explode when you hook them up to a Snap-on monster impact gun.

If you ever have to machine a socket in a lathe, get an impact socket, they cut like butter when compared to a regular socket.

Chris
 

sk farmer

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Oh Man i can see this going bad.... Rag grabs Socket, hand gets twisted up... Oh boy. Maybe thats just my impact, Its doesnt have a "Carefull" setting.

turn the pressure down on your regulator or adjust the control on the impact down. hold the rag inside your hand but don't wrap it around your wrist. you could also set the presure full bore and tape the trigger if you want to have some :lol_hittifun.
 

Hiball

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turn the pressure down on your regulator or adjust the control on the impact down. hold the rag inside your hand but don't wrap it around your wrist. you could also set the presure full bore and tape the trigger if you want to have some :lol_hittifun.

Yeah... I dont use Impacts enough to warrant running Air, Mine is electric and Full bore only. I was just poking fun at a possible bad sitsuation for the slower minded folks out there. :thumbup:
 

sk farmer

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Yeah... I dont use Impacts enough to warrant running Air, Mine is electric and Full bore only. I was just poking fun at a possible bad sitsuation for the slower minded folks out there. :thumbup:

careful,,,,,,,,some days i am one of them.:bounce:
 
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Blwnsln

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These sockets came with the plastic tray, As soon as I recieved them I soaked them in WD40, most of them have never been used, very disapointing.
 

autoace

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Ive been using my original HF mail order impact sockets from the mid 80s and can't complain. I've worked with others that also complained about soft Snap-on impact sockets. They make them soft on purpose so they distort rather than explode when you hook them up to a Snap-on monster impact gun.

If you ever have to machine a socket in a lathe, get an impact socket, they cut like butter when compared to a regular socket.

Chris

I have never had an impact socket that wasn't real soft, like the SO's explode. The Cheap Chrome Moly ones seem pretty hard, and have never shattered.

Proto impact sockets are also very good, I have used thin wall, 12 pt.,1/2 inch drive Proto impact sockets with an adaptor and 3/4 inch impact gun, on VW's and never had one break, even on rusty balancer bolts.

The soft for a reason, is just more Snap-on Kool-Aid, the poor impact sockets are part of the reason I gave up on SO as my "goto" tool brand.
 

Keep

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I use liquid wrench or any other penetrating oil will do. I just spray it on, let it sit overnight and wipe off the excess. Seems to do the trick as none of mine have rusted.
 

autoace

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It seems alot of manufacturers nickel coat the impact sockets before the oxide goes on. I have some old Chrome Moly ones, where the finish is almost smooth grey/silver and they still don't rust, even when the black oxide starts to wear off.
 

wreckercologist

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take a rough rag and soak it in some wd -40 or similar solvent. put the socket on your impact and carefully run it while holding the socket in the rag. light rust should rub off and the solvent should coat and soak in to the finish. the light friction and heat should take most of the rust off and polish them.

This is a good idea that I have used in the past. I've even used a scotchbright pad soaked in solvent or oil too. Did a nice job of cleaning and eliminating minor rust.

You could always get them recoated:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=825-8150&PMPXNO=950362&PARTPG=INLMK3
 

clayco

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Jun 25, 2011
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I find PB Blaster good for a lot of things like rust, tar removal, and coating tools.
 

pipsters

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I coated my SK sockets in Boeshield T9, that was 6 months ago, and so far zero rust on them (crossing fingers).

Although I will say that the drive end seems to be wearing very quickly, how come the US impacts wear out so quickly but imports last forever? I try to buy US but sometimes you just are like WTF?
 

Boiler

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The soft for a reason, is just more Snap-on Kool-Aid

Then why does every maker use softer materials for impacts?

PS: "Kool-Aid" in any discussion is so played.

Try one of these or a 1/4" extension & upsizing adapters in a cordless drill, to me it is safer than impacts.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...1&group_ID=312&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

WD-40 plus a fluffy microfiber, soak the rag, and clean in the drill. If stubborn rust, move on to 000 steel wool soaked in WD-40.

Hose em down good with it when you're done and let them "dry".

Have a WD-40 soaked microfiber on hand at all times. They hold the oils FOREVER and are great for cleaning & oiling tools at the end of every day. Most of my tools look as good as they did when I got them, or better.
 

soob

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Jul 11, 2011
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Reminds me of a Smith & Wesson 1911(ish) pistol I got a while back. It came with the finish on the slide all knicked up. I never even took it home from the FFL, but the dealer who sold it wouldn't take it back. I called S&W and they put a new slide on it for free. I also got a trigger job for the labor cost only, which is nice 'cause shipping there and back usually costs 2x as much.

Anyway, Snap On probably won't do that. But it's just surface rust. Rub it down with oil and don't worry about it.
 
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