It looks like HF is making some changes to the impact sockets -PICS-

SMKS · Sep 20, 2012

EDIT - It appears the impacts now fall into three groups, from "best" to "not the best":

-Pittsburgh Pro, Cr-mo. These are the most expensive and come in the packaging with either blue or red plastic pegs.

-Pittsburgh Pro, Cr-v. These are a cheaper line that is also labeled "Pittsburgh Pro" on the sockets themselves, but is made of CR-v instead of Cro-mo. Cro-mo is a better material for impacts. These have laser markings. Made in China.

-Pittsburch, Cr-v. These don't have laser markings. Made in China or Taiwan.

==========

Here are the Pittsburgh Pro sockets.

Here are the new sockets I found. The package is just labeled “Pittsburgh,” but the sockets have easy-read markings and are labeled “Pittsburgh Pro.” They’re also made in China, not Taiwan.

Here are the plain Pittsburgh impact sockets.

RedFordTruck · Sep 20, 2012

I have never bought tools from horrible freight, but why do they hide the "Made in Taiwan" on the back, but put "Made in China" on the Front?

Mickey O · Sep 20, 2012

RedFordTruck said:
I have never bought tools from horrible freight, but why do they hide the "Made in Taiwan" on the back, but put "Made in China" on the Front?

Pride.

RedFordTruck · Sep 20, 2012

Mickey O said:
Pride.

Bahahaha

RCRGarage · Sep 20, 2012

That is interesting. Also interesting, maybe related-
At the local $.99 Store, I noticed that their $.99 plastic boomerangs have changed their packaging, although both the new and old are made in China.

franzdom · Sep 20, 2012

Mickey O said:
Pride.

Most excellent :lol_hitti

RedFordTruck · Sep 20, 2012

Those Taiwan made sockets look to be on the EXACT same packaging as the Taiwan made Kobalts... :dunno:

TinKnocker · Sep 20, 2012

RedFordTruck said:
Those Taiwan made sockets look to be on the EXACT same packaging as the Taiwan made Kobalts...

thats what i thought right when i saw the packaging.

MR_T · Sep 20, 2012

Damn that's one of those few items harbor fright used to get right. I have the "old" pro and non pro impact sockets. Metric and standard and love them. The non-pro's have very thick walls but I believe I paid about $10 and have abused them a lot in the 4+ years I have owned them. The "pro" sockets have much thinner walls, nicer to look at and have also taken a lot of abuse. Think I paid around $ 30-40 for those. Sad to see they are making them in china now, both mine are made in Taiwan

MR_T · Sep 20, 2012

These are the one's Im talking about

http://www.harborfreight.com/13-piece-12-drive-metric-impact-socket-set-67902.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-12-drive-metric-impact-socket-set-67899.html

SMKS · Sep 20, 2012

I agree that the impact sockets are one of the bargains at HF. I have a set of the Earthquake ones and they've worked well.

I should point out that I only found Chinese versions of the ones in the regular Pittsburgh packaging, even though those were marked "Pittsburgh Pro." All the ones in the Pittsburgh Pro packaging were still Taiwanese at my store.

pipsters · Sep 20, 2012

You guys realize it doesn't take any sort of major engineering feat to make sockets...chances are they will be more than fine...

If HF could just sell a "complete" set I think more people would buy them though. Bugs the **** outta me to not have a couple of the sockets.

KinzeMech · Sep 20, 2012

pipsters said:
If HF could just sell a "complete" set I think more people would buy them though. Bugs the **** outta me to not have a couple of the sockets.

Yes! They do a great job with their SAE sets being complete.

I have found a use for every metric size between 10 & 19. There's no reason any of those should be skipped in a set.

SpawnedX · Sep 20, 2012

I wish they still had the thin wall shallows sold individually at my local store.

pipsters · Sep 20, 2012

KinzeMech said:
Yes! They do a great job with their SAE sets being complete.

I have found a use for every metric size between 10 & 19. There's no reason any of those should be skipped in a set.

Yep on that set above my car uses 12, 15, and 18mm bolts on quite a few things. I would've been SOL with a HF impact set, it skips all of them!

allinon72 · Sep 20, 2012

With all the Craftsman deals out there recently, I've found no reason to consider HF impact sockets.

KinzeMech · Sep 20, 2012

I don't think one line has replaced the other. I've seen all three of those sets online for some time now.

All in metric deep.
10 pc Pittsburgh Pro http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-12-drive-metric-deep-wall-impact-socket-set-67915.html
13 pc Pittsburgh http://www.harborfreight.com/13-piece-12-drive-metric-deep-wall-impact-socket-set-69279.html
13 pc Pittsburgh "high visibility" http://www.harborfreight.com/13-pie...metric-deep-wall-impact-socket-set-67904.html

supersteve · Sep 20, 2012

So does this mean we'll see panicky tool collectors seeking out the more *cough* desirable Taiwan sockets, like they do with USA Craftsman stuff?

firebox40dash5 · Sep 20, 2012

allinon72 said:
With all the Craftsman deals out there recently, I've found no reason to consider HF impact sockets.

That's my thought too. Say what you want about CM, but I hardly paid more than the Pros, per set, for mine. Granted I had to buy all 8 "sets" at once, but at least I can replace them if I lose just one, I have a warranty (not that breaking impact sockets is likely) and my sets came with all the sizes.

pipsters · Sep 20, 2012

supersteve said:
So does this mean we'll see panicky tool collectors seeking out the more *cough* desirable Taiwan sockets, like they do with USA Craftsman stuff?

As one of those panicky US Craftsman collectors I take offense! Haha j/k. I hardly buy anything to just have it. Although I did, for the first time, buy those Industrial wrenches from Sears a few days ago. Had no use for them.

ATC · Sep 21, 2012

I just picked up a SAE set of the Taiwan Cr-Mo this past week. Good enough for anything I can throw at them...

allinon72 · Sep 21, 2012

supersteve said:
So does this mean we'll see panicky tool collectors seeking out the more *cough* desirable Taiwan sockets, like they do with USA Craftsman stuff?

....Yes

Go in the store and compare the Taiwan set with the Chinese set. There is a noticeable difference just by picking them up.

If I have to buy something at HF I look for Taiwan.

It looks like HF is making some changes to the impact sockets -PICS-

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