Impact socket recommendations

[tarmy]

I have usually bought Craftsman ratchets and socket sets, impact too. I have been checking around for some new sets for my new shop in the mountains. So this is a second set of tools I am going to build up for working on my tractor, boats and truck.

I have found some SK sets that are nice and Armstrong sets that look good.
I have heard good things about SK...any reason not to go with those?

 

[1950mercury]

Check out the sunex deal in the hot deal section

 

[shoggoth80]

I use mostly SK at work. They do what they're supposed to.
I have Armstrongs personally. Got them for a pretty good deal (I think the most expensive was $6... bought piecemeal). I like them. The finish is about worn off the 19mm and 21mm from lots of wheel/tire work. Still kicking strong with no intent to replace them.

Grey Pneumatic and Sunex get solid recommendations from what I have seen, and I have almost bough Sunex ones more than once (to round out the sizes and selection).

 

[jrobb316]

I have snap on, if I did it over again I would probably go SK. The price just isn't worth it for what they are. I have also used GP/Sunex and they are top notch imports. Wouldn't go any cheaper than that though.

 

[trexdoink]

I've had a set of MIT ( Michigan industrial tool) for years. They have helps up very well. The key to cheap impact sockets it be sure the size is stamped in the steel and not painted on.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Cheap sets- Sunex or Grey Pnuematic

Spending da money on USA made- SK, Armstrong, Wright, Williams USA, etc. All good.

I wouldn't spend bigger money than that on your average impact socket. Now for stuff like the universal sockets, it can be helpful to buy the top shelf Matco/Armstrong/Craftsman pinless ones for getting into tight spaces. But for everyday impact sockets, cheaper is fine as long as it's chrome moly IMHO.

 

[KamiCrit]

When it comes to impact sockets I've heard the name of the game is Cr-M sockets. So what's the difference between say the low ends and the high ends Cr-M sets?

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

perhaps, CR-M is stand for chrome moly?

 

[CJM8515]

yes chromoly, which is stronger yet pliable enough to be a good impact socket that wont get ruined to easily. The pittsburg pro at HF are CR-M, the non pro are just ****. I believe the sunex ones are also CR-M

 

[Mikerodrig27]

A lot of the mechanics I work with use Grey Pneumatics. The shop has a set of GP sockets and we have yet to wreck one single socket... I just don't see the benefit of spending the big bucks on a Snapon mac matco s.k. proto etc impact socket set.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SRB5W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have a set of Sunex and GP sockets in the mail. Hopefully I'll be getting them soon enough.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I've been using and abusing this set of Ingersoll Rand impacts (1/2" and 3/8" drive) for years now with zero complaints. The etching stays on them, never broken a socket, and the fit is excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HGKR6O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[scissorman]

ALL of my impact sockets are Ingersoll Rand and i've bought all of them from a place called www.flexibleindustrial.com.

http://www.flexibleindustrial.com/core/media/media.nl?id=81152&c=337772&h=822aea8bdc68a098402c

 

[Adam.C]

Make sure you get a set with the sizes STAMPED on, not laser etched or painted. Then you can use my crayon trick (see profile pic) to help you find sizes that get rusty in your mountain home.

 

[shoggoth80]

I've colored mine in with bright grease pen. Works about the same.
Wears out a little faster if anything.

 

[uglyjacko]

My vote is GP or Sunnex, if on a budget HF pro Cr-mo and Crv is good for the $$$ just that it skip sizes

 

[Fedwrench]

My vote is for Proto but, I've used just about everyone's. If price is an issue, consider Sunex or Grey Pneumatic. NAPA also runs great sales on their line of impact sockets which would be easy to warranty if you ever needed to.

 

[morgaj1]

I have pieced together a made-in-USA Armstrong/Allen/KD set from Cripe for $1.50-$3.00 per socket. Great deal. Here is a link to one of them:

http://www.cripedistributing.com/armstrong-46-619a-19mm-3-8-drive-impact-socket-6pt-usa.html

 

[maddawg1952]

I have several sets of impacts 1/2 and 3/8" drive deep and shallow, some C-man but most are Ingersoll-Rand. Never broke any of them. They have held up well. Even the set in my work truck that gets used in mud and dirt all the time. Red box is another set of I-R deep 1/2" SAE there's a set of Metric underneath.

 

[metaldad]

just picked up a set of 1/2 gp.
kinda disappointed that they are 'painted', not stamped

 

[motofool33]

what set of thinwall impacts your guys have? so tired of reaching for an impact only to not beable to use it.

 

[404]

Make sure you get a set with the sizes STAMPED on, not laser etched or painted. Then you can use my crayon trick (see profile pic) to help you find sizes that get rusty in your mountain home.

That looks great! Do you have a how to thread on this? How or do you have to clean the sockets first?

 

[geartow]

Texton sockets for the money hard to beat and custemer service is tops

 

[thaas4488]

I vote for the IR laser etched. I think they're a hair thinner than the non laser etched.

They look amazing, have had both metric and standard sets in 3/8 deep and shallow and 1/2 deep and shallow, didn't buy the mega set so I'm not missing any sizes and it's super affordable if you buy them one box at a time.