Can I just use impact sockets?

[JackOfDiamonds]

I've grown to like my Milwakee 1/2" deepwell impact socket set. I like the nice white numbers and useful case. I almost never use it for impact though. I use it whenever I need 1/2" drive sockets, just because the case is nice, and those white numbers make them nicer to use than my non-impact sockets.

Even if I don't need impact compatibility, I'm now thinking about buying a milwaukee 3/8 impact set just for the similar reasons. And I don't even have a 3/8 impact tool, but did I mention the case is good, and those white numbers are really easy to see?

Does anyone use impact sockets as their only sockets, and do you find it limiting? Alternately, are there any non-impact sockets that come in a nice case and have easy-to-read numbers that I could consider instead?

 

[mepstein]

Tekton sockets are reasonably priced and easy to read. Like most people, I prefer chrome for non impact but if using an impact socket by hand is what works for you, by all means, use it.

 

[spinellib]

Sure, why not. The only limitations are:
1. the "thicker walls" But today, impact sockets are rather thin-walled.
2. the "Flex" you supposedly get with the softer impact socket metal, which could hinder precision torque settings when using a torque wrench.

But what do I know? I buy 40 year old used tools off ebay.

 

[FigN⋅m]

I don't see the impacts affecting the torque in any significant way, but they will be heavier
and may fit in less places than chrome in any length (big fan of the semi-deep btw!)

 

[johninct]

My road box is only impacts. You will be fine.

 

[T444e]

My road box is only impacts. You will be fine.

Until you're not.

But it depends on what you work on. I've used chrome sockets on impacts due to the fastner being recessed in a bore too small for an impact socket.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I had a situation last year where I specifically needed a chrome/thin wall socket. Also, most aftermarket wheels need a thin socket. I personally prefer chrome for everything but "impact" duties.

 

[mikey03]

Is there any problems to use chrome extensions, chrome adapters or just straight on a regular ratchet with an impact socket?

 

[jsaw]

Impacr sockets are All I use . 1/4 , 3/8 and 1/2. The only chrome sockets I own are 1/4" drive, but I do not ever use them

 

[Metal-Marc]

Even if I don't need impact compatibility, I'm now thinking about buying a milwaukee 3/8 impact set just for the similar reasons. And I don't even have a 3/8 impact tool, but did I mention the case is good, and those white numbers are really easy to see?

The only solution to your situation is to buy the 3/8 impact set AND to buy a 3/8 impact tool.

 

[SwissMetric]

Impact sockets can be used instead of regular sockets as the radial holes for the pin are at the same location as the ball of regular ratchets and extensions and therfore the socket should be inserted with a hole facing the springloaded ball of the male square.
Doing so an impact socket will not fall off a male square with springloaded retention ball.

Using impact extensions with regular sockets is not recommended as the male end with radial hole for pin does not feature the springloaded ball. BTW I don't like impact tools with male square drive without radial hole, even if there's a retention C-clip, heavy extensions with sockets can be pulled off accidentally if the locking pin isn't used. Regular extensions can of course be used.

Non-impact parts should not be used machine-driven excepted for low torques.

The major issue using impact sockets compared to regular sockets is their increased wall thickness. Otherwise where higher torques are required 6-point impact sockets are the best option. Personally I don't use any 12-point impact sockets.

I never use any impact below 1/2", I don't see any need as the regular sockets are sufficient to shear off the bolt.

Attached again the pic showing various Stahlwille 24 mm (slightly below 1") sockets: 3/8" to 3/4" regular and 1/2" to 1" impact.
The size difference is very obvious, using a 1" socket for 24 mm is not really useful.
1" impact tools are very massive compared to 3/4" while 1/2" impact extensions are not that much more massive than regular 1/2" extensions. As comparison also a pic showing non-impact parts 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" and 1".
1" is much more massive and heavy than 3/4" and should only be used where required.

 

[Hannahranga]

Depends what you work on, I've been using the Milwaukee 3/8 impacts as my primary sockets fine on various older Landrovers. I've got a backup chrome 1/4" set for if I find a tight spot. Admittedly my recent issues it's been the head of the ratchet that doesn't fit first (need to buy a 3/8 head 1/4 body ratchet)

 

[Firebrick43]

I've grown to like my Milwakee 1/2" deepwell impact socket set. I like the nice white numbers and useful case. I almost never use it for impact though. I use it whenever I need 1/2" drive sockets, just because the case is nice, and those white numbers make them nicer to use than my non-impact sockets.

Even if I don't need impact compatibility, I'm now thinking about buying a milwaukee 3/8 impact set just for the similar reasons. And I don't even have a 3/8 impact tool, but did I mention the case is good, and those white numbers are really easy to see?

Does anyone use impact sockets as their only sockets, and do you find it limiting? Alternately, are there any non-impact sockets that come in a nice case and have easy-to-read numbers that I could consider instead?

There are lots of applications that an impact socket walls are too thick to get on the nut or bolt. Hell ,even some chrome socket brand walls are too thick.

 

[AEAdam]

There are lots of applications that an impact socket walls are too thick to get on the nut or bolt. Hell ,even some chrome socket brand walls are too thick.

I’ve heard this and believe it, but not personally experienced it. In engine bays there’s not much 3/8” can’t handle. Undercarriages is where I typically use impacts. I think I’ve done everything you can do under a car at least once. Sometimes no socket will work and we all use wrenches for that.

The advice I was given and the advice I offer is this: Don’t buy 1/2” chrome sockets until you need them.

For cars and light trucks, you could go years and years and never need one. I now have a couple axle sockets, like 36mm. I have 1/2” drive spark plug sockets. And I bought a set of 12pts for 12pt fasteners on Land Rovers. There are a couple makers that spec large 12pt fasteners, really too large or awkward for a box wrench. Other than that, I’ve gone easily 20years without 1/2” chrome. I just use impacts on my ratchets.

MORE: We’ve heard this question many times before here. My sense is, it’s occurring not because manufacturers are using smaller fasteners, but because the strength and capability of 3/8” drive, both ratchets and sockets, has greatly increased in the last 20yrs.

Fasteners that used to require 1/2” ratchets, now can be handled with 3/8”. 19, or even 21mm bolt heads are really not too big for 3/8” drive. The strength of ratchet mechanisms, yes, thanks to Snap On, have allowed manufacturers to make longer 3/8” ratchets, allowing us to produce higher torques comfortably.

Not saying 1/2” drive is obsolete. Only that things have changed. We’ve all heard (not sure if it’s true) that traditionally European mechanics skipped 3/8” drive. I think that was because euro tool manufacturers didn’t have good strong 3/8” ratchets. So they wouldn't make long ones. So 17mm was too much for their 3/8” ratchet. 13mm is 1/2“ so they just used their 1/2” drive down to 13mm, then 1/4” below that.

The underpinning of this whole discussion is really the science behind dual pawl/multi tooth pawl ratchets.

 

[Firebrick43]

I’ve heard this and believe it, but not personally experienced it. In engine bays there’s not much 3/8” can’t handle. Undercarriages is where I typically use impacts. I think I’ve done everything you can do under a car at least once. Sometimes no socket will work and we all use wrenches for that.

The advice I was given and the advice I offer is this: Don’t buy 1/2” chrome sockets until you need them.

For cars and light trucks, you could go years and years and never need one. I now have a couple axle sockets, like 36mm. I have 1/2” drive spark plug sockets. And I bought a set of 12pts for 12pt fasteners on Land Rovers. There are a couple makers that spec large 12pt fasteners, really too large or awkward for a box wrench. Other than that, I’ve gone easily 20years without 1/2” chrome. I just use impacts on my ratchets.

EGR valve bolts on chrysler mini van is one application I constantly recall. Easiest location ever you think to yourself. Right up front on top of the engine. My usa craftsman socket would not fit but a snap on would after a few mins of cussing.

In industrial equipment its all the time that an impact socket wont fit on a circle of bolts to near to a pipe, shaft, ect.

 

[Hohn]

Sure, why not. The only limitations are:
1. the "thicker walls" But today, impact sockets are rather thin-walled.
2. the "Flex" you supposedly get with the softer impact socket metal, which could hinder precision torque settings when using a torque wrench.

But what do I know? I buy 40 year old used tools off ebay.

#2 is a non-issue. The socket's stiffness plays no role in determining the torque the wrench will see.

EDIT: Also, all steel has the same 200GPa Young's modulus, regardless whether it's premium hard steel or soft mild steel. Yes, it messes with our brains that harder steel is not stiffer, but it is what it is.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

EGR valve bolts on chrysler mini van is one application I constantly recall. Easiest location ever you think to yourself. Right up front on top of the engine. My usa craftsman socket would not fit but a snap on would after a few mins of cussing.

In industrial equipment its all the time that an impact socket wont fit on a circle of bolts to near to a pipe, shaft, ect.

EGRs are a good one, so are things like AC line fasteners or bumper hardware. Of course the rod caps and head bolts aren't going to work with impacts in many cases, and sometimes not even 1/2 drive chrome. My proto 14mm in 1/2 is so thick it won't touch most head bolts, 3/8 Craftsman handles that. IMO the bigger issue with impacts is the heavy lead-in taper. If the fastener is small with minimal head height, like a 10mm, too much lead it makes engagement tough on stuck fasteners. Usually selecting the proper drive size, like using 1/4 not 3/8 on the 10mm, prevents that.

My consideration, much like basic SAE sockets, you can almost always easily acquire what's needed locally if it's something basic. I'm not worried about 3/8 sae shallow sockets because I could acquire those easily. Not everyone wants 20 sets of sockets, and you can get basic chrome sockets pretty easily.


I agree overall with the idea that impact only is acceptable.

 

[Hohn]

I’ve heard this and believe it, but not personally experienced it. In engine bays there’s not much 3/8” can’t handle. Undercarriages is where I typically use impacts. I think I’ve done everything you can do under a car at least once. Sometimes no socket will work and we all use wrenches for that.

The advice I was given and the advice I offer is this: Don’t buy 1/2” chrome sockets until you need them.

For cars and light trucks, you could go years and years and never need one. I now have a couple axle sockets, like 36mm. I have 1/2” drive spark plug sockets. And I bought a set of 12pts for 12pt fasteners on Land Rovers. There are a couple makers that spec large 12pt fasteners, really too large or awkward for a box wrench. Other than that, I’ve gone easily 20years without 1/2” chrome. I just use impacts on my ratchets.

MORE: We’ve heard this question many times before here. My sense is, it’s occurring not because manufacturers are using smaller fasteners, but because the strength and capability of 3/8” drive, both ratchets and sockets, has greatly increased in the last 20yrs.

Fasteners that used to require 1/2” ratchets, now can be handled with 3/8”. 19, or even 21mm bolt heads are really not too big for 3/8” drive. The strength of ratchet mechanisms, yes, thanks to Snap On, have allowed manufacturers to make longer 3/8” ratchets, allowing us to produce higher torques comfortably.

Not saying 1/2” drive is obsolete. Only that things have changed. We’ve all heard (not sure if it’s true) that traditionally European mechanics skipped 3/8” drive. I think that was because euro tool manufacturers didn’t have good strong 3/8” ratchets. So they wouldn't make long ones. So 17mm was too much for their 3/8” ratchet. 13mm is 1/2“ so they just used their 1/2” drive down to 13mm, then 1/4” below that.

The underpinning of this whole discussion is really the science behind dual pawl/multi tooth pawl ratchets.

Great insights, Adam.

I wish I'd received the "don't buy chrome 1/2" advice years ago. In my defense, I bought them in the 1990s before cordless impacts really took off and I had no air compressor. It wasn't that long ago where 3/8" drive almost completely stopped at 19mm/ 3/4" in common home gamer availability.

With cordless impacts coming on so strong as first-reach tools, it raises the question of whether your bread and butter 3/8 set should be chrome or impact. On the one hand, only a handful of 3/8 impacts on the market are hitting hard enough to risk shattering chrome sockets. On the other, modern impact sockets are thin enough now that you almost never really need a chrome socket based on wall thickness.

Makita has a tiny subcompact 3/8 impact wrench that gives 130lb-ft. It's long in the tooth now since it's been out awhile, but there's precious little under the hood that requires more capacity-- it can fully torque an M16 up to class 8.8 or an M12 up to class 12.9.

Based on what I know now, the advice I would give to my former self would definitely include "don't buy chrome 1/2" until you need it."

But I'd also add the recommendation to put off buying chrome in general. Chrome sockets are slippery when oily in a way that impacts with their typical Parkerized manganese phosphate finish are not. More than once has the slipperiness of a chrome socket led to rather inconvenient dropping where an impact socket likely would not have fallen.

The shiny appearance of chrome sockets makes them harder to read unless the maker has done some kind of etching to give the marking a background.

The chrome can flake off on some sockets and cut you.

The only 3/8 impact sockets I own are the Astro Nanos and they are absolutely my first reach sockets for everything.

 

[jpaw]

As a professional wrench I use whatever works. I tend to use my impact sockets most as power tools are usually in play. But I have no fear of using a chrome socket on a power tool or an impact socket on a hand ratchet.
Common sense should come into play when using a tool and sockets, extensions, etc. are no different.
So to answer your question, yes you can use impact sockets with hand tools.

 

[mikedodge]

Impact sockets are made of softer material and do wear out a bit over time and get some play if used like normal sockets but probably not something you'd see much of in home type use.

 

[tak1313]

1. You can use impact sockets as regular sockets (wall thickness aside), but you can't use regular sockets as impact sockets.

2. This is Garage Journal - admission that you don't have a 3/8" impact tool is like being a part of a bird watching group and declaring you don't believe birds are real.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Home gamer never had a need for 3/8 impact sockets. Only needed 1/2 impact sockets for HD van and truck in rust belt. All other drives chrome sockets, combo wrenches, long flex ratchets, 3/8 and 1/2 drive breaker bars.

 

[speed bump]

My advice would be buy impact sockets and supplement with a chrome single or three if you have to. 3/8" sockets are literally available everywhere for that once in a great while time you need one. Even if you don't have a 3/8" impact eventually you will probably want one

 

[impactims]

Slop, weight, wall thickness will not be in your favor with impact sockets on a ratchet.

Can be used, but it’s not ideal.

If it’s the labeling of the sockets that you like so much, there are plenty of chrome options with high visibility labeling too.

Or just stick with impacts. Not ideal though.

 

[mikey03]

Slop, weight, wall thickness will not be in your favor with impact sockets on a ratchet.

Can be used, but it’s not ideal.

If it’s the labeling of the sockets that you like so much, there are plenty of chrome options with high visibility labeling too.

Or just stick with impacts. Not ideal though.

I think the idea is to have fewer sockets which less tools crazy I know

 

[Metal-Marc]

I think the idea is to have fewer sockets which less tools crazy I know

English?

 

[danielbuck]

for anything 1/2" drive or larger I use almost exclusively impact sockets, even if I'm grabbing a ratchet instead of an impact gun. I do have an old partial set of non-impact 1/2" drive sockets, but I hardly ever use them.

For the old and jeeps and trucks that I work on, I don't find it to be limiting. Anything that is large enough to make me want 1/2" drive I rarely ever have access issues, so the wall thickness isn't usually an issue.

I don't own any 3/8" impact sockets. for 3/8" I use regular chrome sockets.

 

[oldwino]

Due to my box configuration my chrome sockets, ratchets, etc are in a separate drawer from my impacts. Rattle guns stored in drawer with impact sockets. Little overlap in usage

 

[liliysdad]

1. You can use impact sockets as regular sockets (wall thickness aside), but you can't use regular sockets as impact sockets.

Sure you can. Maybe you shouldn’t, but you an absolutely can.

If I had to pick one, I’d take chrome every time. I’d rather destroy a few chromes on an impact than have to fight heavy, thick impacts on a ratchet.

 

[T444e]

for anything 1/2" drive or larger I use almost exclusively impact sockets,

For anything 3/4" drive, when I don't already have the socket, I buy impact sockets. I have chrome through 2" and impact through 1-1/2" and upto 2-3/4" as needed. I've had enough instances with 1/2" drive I needed standard sockets for clearance so I have both, standard length and deep.

 

[nicks78camaro]

On a daily basis for 1/2" drive I solely use impact sockets, both with an impact and by hand.

 

[zendriver]

I use them all of the time with 1/2" ratchet, but I heard If I use them too much, I'll go blind, or at least have hair grow on my palms.

 

[Gebirgekind]

Alternately, are there any non-impact sockets that come in a nice case and have easy-to-read numbers that I could consider instead?

Everyone's needs and uses vary, obviously . OP, you might consider Grey Pneumatic's Duo sockets, designed to be thinner and lighter like chrome but still strong and ductile enough for impact. They are black, well-marked, and come in nice sets with cases.

3/8" Drive Duo-Socket Sets and Ratchets | Grey Pneumatic

See our entire stock of Duo-Socket Sets and Ratchets as well as impact socket sets and Duo-Socket Ratchets.

www.gpsocket.com

 

[AJHD]

I use them all of the time with 1/2" ratchet, but I heard If I use them too much, I'll go blind, or at least have hair grow on my palms.

I also heard it was illegal, punishable by death, to use chrome sockets on an impact and impact sockets on a hand ratchet.

The only logical answer is to buy every type and size of socket ever made in SAE ans Metric. If you can't afford it, then you're a peasant not worthy of using tools at all.

 

[mikey03]

I also heard it was illegal, punishable by death, to use chrome sockets on an impact and impact sockets on a hand ratchet.

The only logical answer is to buy every type and size of socket ever made in SAE ans Metric. If you can't afford it, then you're a peasant not worthy of using tools at all.

What about British BA sizes for our friend @Dave455

 

[Hannahranga]

Wouldn't be complete unless you've got BA and Whitworth.

Something I'd not thought about is if you're dealing with stubborn fasteners generally you don't get the fancier socket designs in impact sockets.

On impacts on chrome sockets we've all done it but I was surprised how much even a baby impact (M18 compact 220ftlbs) flogged out the drive on a chrome socket if it's heavily used

 

[Blind1]

With few exceptions all of my 1/2 drive sockets are impacts.

I have a small set of 1/4 drive SAE sockets for lag screws, and 10mm, 12mm, 13mm and 14mm 1/4 drive impacts for anything vehicle related that I need a small impact for.

 

[Farmall450]

This topic has been beat to death on here, but I think you answered your own question, given you're already using them successfully.

 

[Bubba Fett]

What about British BA sizes for our friend @Dave455

Don't forget e-Torx, spline, and various bit sockets.

And you need to get everything in satin finish too.

 

[mikey03]

Don't forget e-Torx, spline, and various bit sockets.

And you need to get everything in satin finish too.

dont forget different lengths for each bit socket including rbrt kinds and security

torx
torx plus
security torx
security torx plus
security hex

and stubby reg long of each

and ball versions of each length