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Favorite Lug Socket

mobiledynamics

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Mar 14, 2010
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Gotham City
For me, it's just a thinwall SO 17 or 19. I just wrap the exterior with red electrical tape just because it gives me that nice and warm feeling.

I don't get the many anodized red, blue *wheel sockets* and the plastic shell ontop. Are they even thinner.

YEARS ago, I had one for really nice heads - the inside was a fiberglass shell. $$$. I can't recall all the details but it was too SOFT inside...
 
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chrisnazzy

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Apr 20, 2013
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1,671
Location
Arizona
Sunex 19mm/21mm thinwall flip socket. We issue these to our tire techs and they get 6 months or more of use out of them in a ridiculously busy tire shop.db935897fd31e7ff28c4256358fa7a6d.jpg

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2ndGearRubber

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Mar 24, 2014
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14,185
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Pittsburgh
I have two main lug sockets. Proto 3" extensions with PINS, the sunex shallow 19 and 21, wrapped in tape. Lets me "load" sockets into them even if there's no shoulders to stop the nut. Pins allow me to rock the extension around on swollen lugs without detaching, like a ball detent would.
 

Tonyuk

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Jun 9, 2017
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Scotland
Facom long reach wheel sockets for me;

th
 

L.Cheapo

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Oct 23, 2014
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5,879
Snap On for wheels with some wear on them. Plastic coated Hazet for those that don't.
 
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mobiledynamics

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Gotham City
What does the plastic coated achieve you. I used the thinwalls on plenty of my $2K + wheels. I like the SO as it's just that - thin - plenty of clearance when using it. I do put some red electrical tape just to keep up with the jonses of those with plastic shells. Doe it do anything for me, not yet
 

Michael_in_DE

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May 11, 2017
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Wilmington, DE
What does the plastic coated achieve you. I used the thinwalls on plenty of my $2K + wheels. I like the SO as it's just that - thin - plenty of clearance when using it. I do put some red electrical tape just to keep up with the jonses of those with plastic shells. Doe it do anything for me, not yet

I wondered this also. We have Mercedes, Audi and an infiniti and non have caused me to wish I had this plastic cover on.

Do some guys somehow damage wheels with a regular socket?

To me it seems it falls in the same realm of if you REALLY love your car you'll buy these SPECIAL sockets, and buy SPECIAL undercoating form the dealer, and buy SPECIAL air freshener..etc etc
 

madwi

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Jun 6, 2015
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67
Location
West Michigan
What does the plastic coated achieve you. I used the thinwalls on plenty of my $2K + wheels. I like the SO as it's just that - thin - plenty of clearance when using it. I do put some red electrical tape just to keep up with the jonses of those with plastic shells. Doe it do anything for me, not yet

I just prefer to not have to wrap the socket and I eliminate the oops factor.
 
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mobiledynamics

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Mar 14, 2010
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Gotham City
Not having these so called plastic covered ~lug~ sockets, does that effectively make them not thinwall.

Even with red Electrical tape, I do a single wrap. Going off memory but when I wrapped it round 3X, it was too ~thick~ already for some applications
 
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madwi

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Jun 6, 2015
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Location
West Michigan
Not having these so called plastic covered ~lug~ sockets, does that effectively make them not thinwall.

Even with red Electrical tape, I do a single wrap. Going off memory but when I wrapped it round 3X, it was too ~thick~ already for some applications

Im not sure about all wheels but on mine they have a lot of clearance.

 

ChrisLS8

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Jan 16, 2015
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1,964
I use the Project Kics locking lugs so I have to use their key however for other people's cars I just use any thin wall never noticed a difference
 

Legion Prime

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Sep 5, 2018
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740
Location
Leelenau County MI
When I was working at Ford I liked the tool truck flip sockets (Mac or SO, don't remember which) when I transferred over to Audi one of the truck guys found me a aluminum IIRC socket with the plastic outer sleeve since pretty much everything had cast wheels with the same size wheel bolts on everything. Necessity drives choice, or should.
 

dacan23

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Apr 15, 2014
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2,804
Location
RI
Thanks for getting me interested in a $50 socket lol.

Found that Schwaben, which I still havent figured out if they just rebrand other stuff and if the quality is any better than HF, has a whole set (3) of those for like $40, they also have a super extra deep socket set meant for studs with more pieces also for about $40.

Facom long reach wheel sockets for me;

th
 

gomes766

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Oct 23, 2018
Messages
9
Location
CA
Personally don't care for tourque sticks. I prefer to hand tourque. But I'm old school
 

DFB

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Sep 7, 2016
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5,765
Location
Southern VT/Western Mass
My go to's are mainly this Tekton Flip set and for a few dollars more they have better sizing selection than the often compared Harbor Frights set for a few dollars less.

I have had this other HF set Metric set for like ages now, can't even remember when I bought them but it was definitely before there was any stores outside of Cali though...:lol: And they did come with the outer sleeves which I eventually tossed away as they didn't fit anything I had anyhow and although it cuts down on the working depth some, they have plastic end protectors down inside

Oh well nothing fancy smancy here... :lol_hitti

Just a wrap of colored electrical tape or some wide heat shrink tubing will work for me :spit:
 

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MN_Runner

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Sep 15, 2013
Messages
186
I have and use Snap-On 1/2" Drive 19/21 mm and 3/4"/13/16" impact flip sockets. For Honda cars, 19mm and 3/4" make no difference but for Toyota 13/16" seems to fit much better compared to 21mm. Since I don't use an impact gun, I just use 1/2" drive 3/4" and 13/16" Snap-On deep sockets to take the wheels off.
 

M6erfan

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Dec 6, 2014
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10,170
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'Merica!
I mean, they're lug sockets. Is there any earth shattering difference between any of them?
 

Snakebyt

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Sep 2, 2014
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1,075
Location
Lubbock Tx
I have a few different brands of flip sockets from when i used to work at a tire shop. broken a few of them, but they all seem to be about the same to me regardless of the brand. Never tried any of the tool truck brands though, once i wear out or brake the ones i have, ill replace with tool truck set that has the half sizes for swolen lugnuts
 
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