Detents missing in 1/4" socket

[kblee27]

I hoped I've used the right term "detent" for the slots cut inside the drive side of a socket.

When I accidentally pulled out a socket from a 1/4" ratchet without pressing the quick release button, my first thought was the ratchet was defective. Then I looked closer and noticed that, that socket doesn't have detents.

So I checked more sockets and found some 1/4" drive sockets have, some don't have detents.

I haven't looked through all, but it appears the bigger 3/8" and 1/2" sockets all have detents.

I'm wondering if it's "normal" for some 1/4" drive sockets not to have detents or bcuz they were just cheap ?

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

Yes and yes. Some sockets are not manufactured with detents (especially older ones). Cheap sockets are, ... cheap for a reason.

 

[Tonyuk]

All of my chrome sockets have detents but most of my impact sockets only have the small cut-out on one side. Should be fine if the ratchets anvil keeps pressure on it since 1/4" sockets aren't heavy.

 

[kblee27]

Thanks.

I would not have known to look at the 1/4" socket detent, if I had not try to pull it out of a quick release ratchet.

 

[JohnDeere1]

All my 1/4 have detents and I have some very old ones ,craftsman, snap on,sk,Mac and matco I have only seen this on like 2 sk sockets that were not finished.

 

[TonyCH]

I've only seen 1 socket without detents ever and that was couple of years ago when I bought a set of Blue-Point 3/8" shallow sockets. One of them was faulty but I received a warranty replacement quickly.

 

[M6erfan]

Sometimes it's a manufacturing/QC defect. Several years ago I got a 1/4" metric Wright socket set and most of the sockets were missing detents, but some were fine. I also tried a 1/4" socket set from SK a couple years ago and about 50% of the sockets detents were either shallow beyond function or missing altogether.

I too only had this issue with 1/4" drive...

 

[Al Borland]

I've go a ton of 1/2" sockets without detents. Old industrial sockets with a hole on one side that will work as a detent if properly indexed.

 

[619DioFan]

Picked up a deep 1/4 drive 15mm from oriellys , would not stay on the ratchet found it had no detent slots. returned it. second one was fine. manufacturing defect IMO.

 

[davethorik]

All my 1/4 have detents and I have some very old ones ,craftsman, snap on,sk,Mac and matco I have only seen this on like 2 sk sockets that were not finished.

I can't speak of the others but your SK stuff must not be that old. I have a SK Wayne 1/4 set and none of the sockets or extensions have detents, I even have a slightly newer SK Dresser 1/4 and 3/8 set again, none of the 1/4 stuff has detents, but the 3/8 sockets do.

 

[royesses]

I've found many without the retention notch. I use a 1/8" carbide ball cutter in a Dremel tool to make the notch on all four faces. Nothing worse than a socket falling off the ratchet and into some impossible to get at place in the body of the vehicle I'm working on. Many imported sockets and some USA are missing the notch.

Roy

 

[bwringer]

Defect and/or cheap.

 

[mbshop]

Yours wouldn't happen to be craftsman would they ?
they no longer have those indentations, just a machined tab at the beginning if the hole. I plan to use my dremel as mentioned and put in my own indentations.

 

[Wamsutta]

What's the brand of the 1/4 inch socket anyway?

I have an old Husky 11mm socket that has no detents.

 

[kblee27]

I bought this Stanley:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NJ9Z22/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Sockets and extensions remain locked onto the drive until disengaged with an easy-to-reach, low-profile quick-release button

It did not mentioned specifically about detent.
I found only 1 out of 16 sockets has a detent.
Is this manufacturing defect or what ?

I also bought this Tekton
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O7ELV9E/?tag=atomicindus08-20
and all the sockets does come with detent.

 

[Tonyuk]

If i of the sockets have it and the others don't then its more than likely a defect. If none have the detent then its possible its just how they're made.

 

[Infinia]

Is it a defect?
.

No I reckon its a sloppy short cut from the tool foundry. 99% chance if you traded it in for another Stanley set it would be the same BUT I'm sure their larger 3/8" and 1/2" sets wont have the same affliction.
For better odds change the 1/4" socket brand, I'd suggest query your supplier or Amazon to exchange the Stanley set for the similar 1/4" Tekton set.
However lacking a strong detent on the smaller socket sizes, maybe a 'feature' for pro level guys w/o QR button on their snappy ratchets and slippery hands. LOL

 

[earthmover1980]

I bought a set of 1/4 drive US made Craftsman sockets, and when I got them home, I noticed no detents. This makes me mad, since it's easy to lose a socket inside something (dozer belly pan)! In fact, I remember dropping one in the belly pan of our Dresser TD-15E. I left it in there for 5 years before I found it again! I have contemplated machining holes into these sockets for detents. Not sure why they were made in this fashion.