I like my chrome sockets, so I bought a set of 1/4" impacts to beat on. I use them a lot, breaking down old crusty motorcycles and other tasks.
I do like @Dave455 's set up.
I do like @Dave455 's set up.
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1/4" Impact Sockets: Use Case?
- Thread starter BikeRider
- Start date
Heh, I just remembered that if I do get 1/4" impact sockets then sooner or later I'll need to use extensions, and I don't have any 1/4" impact extensions. I guess I could always use my 3/8" impact extensions with an adapter, but that's pretty Rube Goldberg. The rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper...
Seriously just replace a chrome socket if you break it.
If anyone has any stories and photos of 1/4" drive chrome sockets going flying in pieces from the torque of an impact driver, let's hear them.
I'm just not seeing it happen. Most "impact rated" driver bits are chrome vanadium anyways.
I think someone above talked about this, no? Also, depends on the driver. Mine is rated up to 108ft-lb which is probably conservative given that it's an M12 Gen 2. That's a crapload of impact torque. Of course you're rarely if ever going to approach that with an 8-12mm fastener as you'd likely snap the head before the socket shattered, but it's theoretically possible.
Yeah I just don't see it. Theoretically aside, if it never happens it's not an issue.
And you're talking to a guy who loves buying tools for all needs, real or perceived.
Al Borland
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2016
- Messages
- 1,598
Get the little makitas. Metric and SAE. And a little Titan ratchet. Secure with a rubber band. Throw it into your toolbag.
DerekV
Well-known member
Exact same use case for me. Been using the Makita set for a few years now on an M18 Fuel impact driver, been perfect. Was ~$8 when I picked it up, hard to beat that
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KnurledNut
Well-known member
Been using Grey Pneumatic.
Surface/flat drive.
Surface/flat drive.
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ronkz650
Well-known member
I have the big set from Grey. It works good, but I rarely use it. It uses surface drive that makes the sockets seem loose on the bolts which may bother some people.
9772 | 1/4" Drive Standard and Deep Length Surface Drive Impact Set
The 9772 is a 1/4 inch drive standard and deep length surface drive impact set from Grey Pneaumatic.
www.gpsocket.com
nadogail
Well-known member
I f you are comfortable with what you are using, why not stay with it?
hen I started pulling wrenches, 1n the early'50s, the men I was around had very low regard for 3/8 drive stuff. i was a kid and was not aware of ignorant I was.
A lot depends on what you are working on.
hen I started pulling wrenches, 1n the early'50s, the men I was around had very low regard for 3/8 drive stuff. i was a kid and was not aware of ignorant I was.
A lot depends on what you are working on.
joel63
Well-known member
I take it 1/2 drive was the drive size of the day?
If so, plenty of room probably allowed it.
That is a feature in some cases. Like when a nut or bolt is rusty and has 'grown', and surface drive is less likely to mar a fastener if you're trying to save it.
I also have a set of SK 6 point 1/4" impacts, but I prefer the GPs. Biggest issue with the SK's is that they don't hang on to the anvil for whatever reason. Had a few come off the driver.
BombShelter
Well-known member
I've got the smaller Grey Pneaumatic Set and both Makita SAE/Metric Sets (HD for $9.99 ea. on sale) and have been using them non-stop the last few weeks of warm weather. My cordless Makita Impact Driver works great but sometimes I need a breaker bar to start.
I still have to use chrome once in a while for tight fits, I've never shattered one with the Makita but have have stripped a few.
I still have to use chrome once in a while for tight fits, I've never shattered one with the Makita but have have stripped a few.
I just ordered the Makita set. It's gone up to $14 but I had a $5 credit on Amazon so it was really $9. I also ordered a 14mm 1/4" impact for the hell of it. Just over $3 so I figured it wouldn't hurt. We'll see how often I used these but at these prices I can't really go wrong.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
I've been bugging Chris Pettit of Astro about 1/4" drive impact sockets and my reason for this is a come to Jesus moment I had working on my best friend's Powerstroke 6.0 diesel engine. Once this engine was back in the truck space was so tight that for the majority of the accessories: like the turbo charger replacement, FICM and oil coolers that the only drive size that would fit into the tight spaces provided was 1/4". We torqued every single bolt we could on this build and at least 70% of the fasteners torqued were torqued with a 1/4" drive torque wrench. Also, with the European cars being made mostly out of plastic (that's you BMW) the need for high torque is getting less and less along with the space.
But isn't this an argument against the need for 1/4" impact sockets since the torque values are coming down due to all the plastic? Based on my own relatively limited experience (and at this point I've done nearly everything on a typical car other than take apart and rebuild the engine internals and the electronics), I think that use cases for 1/4" impact sockets are 8-12mm water pump, pulley, metal cover, oil/trans pan, manifold and heat shield fasteners, not plastic valve and timing belt covers, underbody shields and fuel pump access covers. I'm inclined to side with those who say that they're rarely if ever necessary, but got a cheap set just to be on the safe side.
I recently had to drop the gas tank on my mom's Camry to patch a small hole just above the seam and my M12 impact driver was powerful enough to remove all the fasteners involved, including several exhaust hanger bolts to drop the rear tailpipe. I used a 3/8" impact adapter and 3/8" sockets, which makes me wonder why I even need to bother with 1/4" sockets since my 3/8" set goes down to 7mm, but at this price I figure why not.
The 1/4" sockets might fit into some areas that the 3/8" ones don't, plus I have a really short 1/4" adapter that makes things even more compact. And the Makita set seems easier to carry around and use whereas I'm always overturning the case that the 3/8" sockets come in and spilling sockets all over the place (and yes I know that I could always get a socket rail and put the sockets on that to avoid this, but I like this case even though it's annoying at times).
I think this is one of those situations where it's nice to have a different way of doing the same thing that in some situations is just easier and more practical, which is never a bad thing in auto work. Time and effort saved and all that.
So I got the Makita metric set yesterday, along with a standalone 14mm. Seems well-made and I appreciate that it's thin-walled which at the 1/4" size is ok I assume. It would have been nice if the set came with a 14mm since with today's 1/4" impact wrenches and drivers you could certainly use one on most car fasteners, but it was just over $3 so no big deal, and I can store it atop the short 1/4" adapter that the set comes with.
Actually, I removed it and replaced it with an even shorter ( just over 1") 1/4" square insert bit I had lying around that I ground a radial groove into so that it locks into an impact driver collar. I won't be able to use it right away as I've been under the weather, but hopefully soon. Lots of car work still to do, especially in the engine bay where there are so many smaller fasteners.
Thanks for the advice all!
Actually, I removed it and replaced it with an even shorter ( just over 1") 1/4" square insert bit I had lying around that I ground a radial groove into so that it locks into an impact driver collar. I won't be able to use it right away as I've been under the weather, but hopefully soon. Lots of car work still to do, especially in the engine bay where there are so many smaller fasteners.
Thanks for the advice all!