1/2 Drive Swivel Impacts

[tyyost]

I have a pretty comprehensive selection of sockets, but I often find myself grabbing a universal joint and an impact socket when doing brake or suspension work. I have a 3/8 set as part of a sunex master kit. Reading the forums it seems like sunex and some others have gone to China with their COO.

Looks like the icon set could be a pretty good deal at 40% off. I looked at tekton and they don’t seem to have anything in half inch drive. Anywhere else I should be looking?

 

[Wamsutta]

PROTO J72143M

 

[AJHD]

Unless you want something expensive, my vote goes to Astro. I've had several other brands over the years, I think Astro is the best option for the money.

I sold my Icon sets earlier this year and picked up the Astro to replace them.

Astro Pneumatic Tool 78244 11Piece 1/2" Drive Nano Pinless Universal Impact Sockets - Metric - Amazon.com

Astro Pneumatic Tool 78244 11Piece 1/2" Drive Nano Pinless Universal Impact Sockets - Metric - Amazon.com

a.co

 

[Wamsutta]

Unless you want something expensive, my vote goes to Astro. I've had several other brands over the years, I think Astro is the best option for the money.

I sold my Icon sets earlier this year and picked up the Astro to replace them.

Astro Pneumatic Tool 78244 11Piece 1/2" Drive Nano Pinless Universal Impact Sockets - Metric - Amazon.com

Astro Pneumatic Tool 78244 11Piece 1/2" Drive Nano Pinless Universal Impact Sockets - Metric - Amazon.com

a.co

What holds the two halves together if they're pinless? I never could understand that.

You need something to keep the two halves from spinning around each other.

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

What holds the two halves together if they're pinless? I never could understand that.

You need something to keep the two halves from spinning around each other.

What keeps them from spinning around each other is a male hex ball and a female hex broach. Think of a ball end on a hex L-key.
What keeps the two halves together is an inner collar/ring

 

[Wamsutta]

Oh boy I sure did it this time. The factory rep of Astro called me into the office for captain's mass. I stand corrected.

 

[Snapped-off]

Oh boy I sure did it this time. The factory rep of Astro called me into the office for captain's mass. I stand corrected.

Mast.

The Captain doesn't hold mass.

 

[Wamsutta]

I stand corrected again.

 

[ecotec]

Out of what I actually own, I would probably recommend Grey Pneumatic. Most of my 1/2” and a few of my 3/8” swivel sockets are GP, and they have been terrific. They are over $200, though.

If I didn’t have what I have… I’d probably take a look at the ICON set for $84 (at 40% off). That is a really good deal.

 

[Steve_P]

Out of what I actually own, I would probably recommend Grey Pneumatic. Most of my 1/2” and a few of my 3/8” swivel sockets are GP, and they have been terrific. They are over $200, though.

If I didn’t have what I have… I’d probably take a look at the ICON set for $84 (at 40% off). That is a really good deal.

The Icon's were a massive failure in the TTC test. When you get beat by Performance Tool , you need to actually pay attention to the design that you're selling. Hype like, "compare to Snap On" works for a while, but not long.

 

[ecotec]

The Icon's were a massive failure in the TTC test. When you get beat by Performance Tool , you need to actually pay attention to the design that you're selling. Hype like, "compare to Snap On" works for a while, but not long.

How did the Grey Pneumatic do? I have had mine for years, and they have been great.

 

[tyyost]

I have had great luck with Astro, completely forgot about their pinless swivels. I’ll check them out.

 

[KnurledNut]

The Pittsburgh 1/2 impact swivels are pretty good.
I don’t recommend the 3/8 drive though. They look similar but don't have the same reliability.

 

[WhataTool]

If you want shrapnel into the top of your trigger hand try the ICON, ask me how I know

 

[SouthernIllinois]

If you want shrapnel into the top of your trigger hand try the ICON, ask me how I know

Damn - what happened?
I like my Icon 3/8 swivels sockets but I've never had to really push them either

 

[AJHD]

If you want shrapnel into the top of your trigger hand try the ICON, ask me how I know

Happens with other brands too...

I've mentioned it before, but when I worked at the CAT dealership a 2nd shift tech was using a Matco USA swivel impact (I believe it was 1/2" drive) when it decided to explode and embedded the pin into his hand (I think it was his thumb to be more specific).

 

[WhataTool]

when I worked at the CAT dealership a 2nd shift tech was using a Matco USA swivel impact (I believe it was 1/2" drive) when it decided to explode and embedded the pin into his hand

Lot harder to happen when there's no pin, just sayin
I've had an AP pinless fail, I take few prisoners with impact stuff and use them every day. But the two parts simply separated. Both lower socket part and upper smooth enough to give to a child to play with.

 

[AJHD]

Lot harder to happen when there's no pin, just sayin
I've had an AP pinless fail, I take few prisoners with impact stuff and use them every day. But the two parts simply separated. Both lower socket part and upper smooth enough to give to a child to play with.

True. Not sure I've seen a pinless design fail or at least come apart. I guess the force of separation would depend on how it's being used at the time it fails.

But I guess that's another reason to go for pinless, they're potentially safer.

 

[WillyBoy]

Interesting discussion.
Off topic just a smidge . . . the captain used to hold disciplinary actions before (in front of) the mast.
Now days, masts are few and far between but like so many other things, the tradition lives on as "captain's mast" where the CO administers discipline for situations in his command that don't rise to the level of court marshal offenses.

 

[merkyworks]

I stand corrected again.

 

[nicks78camaro]

No issues with any of my Astro 3/8" or 1/2" swivel impacts

 

[Yarpo]

I bough the USA made Gearwrench pinless swivel sockets like 7 or 8 years ago, used heavily without complaint.
They are rather spendy now tho, so I guess it depends on your budget.

Ebay link

I've used tons of Grey Pneumatic for all my other impacts so I'd say them, but I don't recall if they are pinless.

 

[smintman]

Out of what I actually own, I would probably recommend Grey Pneumatic. Most of my 1/2” and a few of my 3/8” swivel sockets are GP, and they have been terrific. They are over $200, though.

If I didn’t have what I have… I’d probably take a look at the ICON set for $84 (at 40% off). That is a really good deal.

Yep, at $84 it was too good to pass up.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I bough the USA made Gearwrench pinless swivel sockets like 7 or 8 years ago, used heavily without complaint.
They are rather spendy now tho, so I guess it depends on your budget.

Ebay link

I've used tons of Grey Pneumatic for all my other impacts so I'd say them, but I don't recall if they are pinless.

Thank you for the Link. I knew the Craftsman ones were made in the USA, didn't know that the Gearwrench was at that timeframe. This was back when Armstrong existed, and several of their items that I knew about (all under Dahaner), were made here by Armstrong, or imported as KD tools had been merged/under Gearwrench, by a different division of the same company. There was more crossover then I knew about.

 

[AJHD]

Thank you for the Link. I knew the Craftsman ones were made in the USA, didn't know that the Gearwrench was at that timeframe. This was back when Armstrong existed, and several of their items that I knew about (all under Dahaner), were made here by Armstrong, or imported as KD tools had been merged/under Gearwrench, by a different division of the same company. There was more crossover then I knew about.

They are still available under Matco. The socket rail and label are exactly the same as the one pictured in the eBay link above, but it says Matco instead of Gearwrench.

And of course it comes with the tool truck markup. Only a mere $800+.

10 PIECE 1/2" DRIVE METRIC 6 POINT UNIVERSAL IMPACT SOCKET SET SCUPM106RC | Matco Tools

www.matcotools.com

 

[Schurkey]

Question 1: Are the "Pinless" swivel impact sockets higher-friction than the older, pinned style?

I bought some random 1/2" drive Pinless sizes from Cripe; have never needed to use them...but flexing them by hand seemed like a chore compared to my well-used pinned style.

Question 2: Are the pinless swivel mechanisms intended to be greased or otherwise lubed?