lennoxlennox
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Impact Sockets: All the same?
- Thread starter biscuit141
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shampoop
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Sunex and grey pneumatic seem to be by far the best overall. I happened to buy sunex because they were the only brand i could find that would fill my hansen socket tray without being retardedly expensive. Eventually I also realized they are the best because they're cheap, don't skip sizes, are excellent quality by any countries standards both in fit and finish, you can buy sockets individually, and they have the sizes both laser etched and roll stamped onto the sockets (laser etching eventually wears off with pro use).
grey pneumatic sockets seem to be a mirror of sunex. I have a lot of snapon tools, however I would NEVER even consider buying their impact sockets.
grey pneumatic sockets seem to be a mirror of sunex. I have a lot of snapon tools, however I would NEVER even consider buying their impact sockets.
It seems many people here feel that impact sockets are a place to save money in their tool budget. That's fine and smart to find places to intelligently cut costs. I think it has been overstated a little though. If it doesn't make sense with your budget and needs, don't steer others into thinking there isn't a large or worthwhile difference.
concealer404
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Yeah, this is the set i was trying to post earlier, didn't have the link handy though. I'm drooling over this.
osborn.ozzy
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I have some cheap campbell hausfeld rebrands from walmart about 5-6 years ago and I have not broken one yet. When ever I get a nut stuck in them I beat the **** of out them with a mini sledge and they still are going strong!
The kobalt sockets from lowes are nice also (bought those to replace the few that the walmart set skipped)
The kobalt sockets from lowes are nice also (bought those to replace the few that the walmart set skipped)
I think the one place Snap On has others beat is the universal joint impact sockets. Theirs are more compact and seem to swivel better than Matco's. For a regular deep or shallow socket, I can't justify spending the money on SO. I'd buy SO universal sockets and Sunex deep sockets and call it a day.
Dave.R
Well-known member
I have some Ingersoll Rand impact sockets that are pretty nice. The sockets are made in Taiwan of Chrome-moly. They have a very nice finish to them but I'm thinking will be prone to scuffing. The plastic case is very nice and sturdy, but a waste IMO.
I've noticed that the electro plating doesn't wear off that easy, but when dropped you can get a flake or chip, pretty easy.
jtfc
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pdxgearhead
Well-known member
I was recently in the market for 3/8" dr deep metric impacts. If you want USA made, Craftsman is not the best deal. The Craftsman set at my Sears was $60. I bought an S-K set at Tooltopia for $67, but it comes with two more sockets that the Craftsman set skips. 
lennoxlennox
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Well Said! You see a lot of this type of posting here - it's like the need to justify their purchase - they spend an enormous amount of time and energy trying to oversell and over represent the discounted product they buy and try to convince everyone else to follow their lead.
There is no substitute for quality.
Post Script: I would like Chinese tools a lot more if their engineering spend consisted of something more than "reverse engineering"
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OP
biscuit141
Well-known member
Well, I just returned from HF. While the impact sockets are a good deal, when you see some of the HF tools in the flesh sometimes its just hard to get over the cheap look/feel. I couldn't pull the trigger on the sockets, but that doesn't mean I don't believe some savings can be had for tools not used on a daily basis, but I will keep looking.
I picked up a stubby hammer for my wife's picture hanging kit and a set of the "professional" screwdrivers for keeping in the house. They seem very nice for the $8 I paid and we will see how they hold up. I have a detached garage and I am tired of running out there to get a screwdriver, or having tools in the house when I need them in the garage. I have a $9.99 coupon for the 1/2" torque wrench but it was one of those "couldn't get over the cheap feel" moments. Should I have pulled the trigger?
I picked up a stubby hammer for my wife's picture hanging kit and a set of the "professional" screwdrivers for keeping in the house. They seem very nice for the $8 I paid and we will see how they hold up. I have a detached garage and I am tired of running out there to get a screwdriver, or having tools in the house when I need them in the garage. I have a $9.99 coupon for the 1/2" torque wrench but it was one of those "couldn't get over the cheap feel" moments. Should I have pulled the trigger?
In the past two months or so, I've had a freakout involving Lowe's Kobalt Hansen-type trays, and Grey Pneumatic impact sockets from amazon.com.
The price/value ratio is silly! Silly, I tell you!
I never would have paid much attention to Taiwanese tools until I spent the past year on this forum. There's some nice stuff at great prices out there.
The price/value ratio is silly! Silly, I tell you!
I never would have paid much attention to Taiwanese tools until I spent the past year on this forum. There's some nice stuff at great prices out there.
It seems you don't have an urgent need for the sockets and you want a bit higher quality. I would suggest getting a smaller SK set that would likely cover most of your needs.
Highly suggest avoiding HF for a torque wrench. If you need a cheap torque wrench for jobs that are not very critical get a USA made beam style.
My HF 1/2" clicker is nuts on with my PI split beam and WF made Craftsman beam style.
cbacres
Well-known member
I'll have to say the GP's are best for money/quality ratio. What I really like about them is they have the larger sets without skipping. Just bought a 19 pc SAE 3/8" to 1-1/2", $ 55.00 on Ebay.Thats a complete set to me.
Also just bought a Jonnesway SAE deep set from a shop that was closing, they look identical to the GPs, probably same tiawan factory? They are CR-MO.
( need a 3/4" socket if anyone has one)
Bought a HF Metric deep set 6 yrs ago, My son, whos idea of of knowing when something is overtourqed when the head falls off, uses it daily and has had no problems.
Also just bought a Jonnesway SAE deep set from a shop that was closing, they look identical to the GPs, probably same tiawan factory? They are CR-MO.
( need a 3/4" socket if anyone has one)
Bought a HF Metric deep set 6 yrs ago, My son, whos idea of of knowing when something is overtourqed when the head falls off, uses it daily and has had no problems.
2mJps
Well-known member
A friend gave me a set of pittberg Forge 1/2 deep Impact sockets in 1985. I would have never guest I would still be useing them. I have showed them no mercey I work on trucks and heavy Equipment.
archirelic
Well-known member
I've got Grey Pneumatic duo sockets for my 3/8" and Sunex impacts for my 1/2"
Also, just because Snap On cost alot more than other does not necessary make it better than other. Snap On large cost difference can be due to labor rate, name premium, on site delivery premium and not necessary better material.
HarleyArley
Well-known member
Not to pick on you indivdually Sham, because I see this from all sorts of folks all the time on here...
That said, I currently have a marketing suggestion on the board with Hanson that is going to make them a KILLING. As a result of my brilliant idea they are retooling right now to add a 13.5 mm post to all their metric trays and a 17/32" inch post to all SAE trays. But that's not the money maker!
Get this... Hanson is going to do a deal to rebrand HF sockets under the Hansen name in sets that include... wait for it... sockets in those two sizes! We figure we can sell the sets at SO prices, cuz they are the only sets that will match the trays! Its genius I tell you! Pure genius!
dieselmike
Well-known member
i drive a kia, because it is so cheap!! and it drives just like a ford!!
moronmountain
Well-known member
I have Snap on chrome sockets, but plan on getting HF impacts. I have several full time tech freinds that use HF impacts and SO, Mac, etc. for other tools.
cgv69
Well-known member
With all due respect, this goes both ways around here. A lot of people like to assume that just because they spent more on a particular tool that they automatically bought a better tool. Those same people seem to feel the need to justify the extra money they spent by making everything else out to be inferior.
The problem is, too many people on both sides of this line want to claim some tool as "the best" or "just as good as ..." with little or no proof or reasoning to back it up.
There are no absolutes in this world, especially when talking about tools. Not everything Snap-On makes is the best nor is it necessarily even US made. Not everything US made is the best. Not everything made in Asia is ****. Typically there is a difference between Chinese and Taiwanese made products. If a company wants to invest the time, money and resources, they can have products made in Asia that will rival anything made here and there are plenty of products made here that **** as bad as anything made in China. The point is, you can't stereotype and lump everything into one group just by a brand name or COO.
The problem with asking about something like impact sockets is, how do you quantify what makes one better then the other? Well you can look at the material used to make them (if known) but that only tells you so much. You can look at the overall machining and finishing of the end product. The problem with that is, it means nothing as I've seen a lot of well polished turds and rough looking work horses. In this case we can look at the wall thickness but really without any kind of serious scientific testing all anybody can say is I bought brand X and it's worked well for me. If your brand of choice cost more, doesn't necessarily mean its better and if my brand X cost less, doesn't necessarily mean I got a better deal.
concealer404
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cbacres
Well-known member
Who would of thought tools would be so complicated?
That the great thing about this site, you get to hear about everones opinion and more important, thier experiance they have with tools.
No real right or wrong, you get to learn about tools, history of the older ones, who makes what and great entertainment while doing so.
Tools to most of everyone here are a passion, not just a "tool" to work on something.
I like having a
while just looking at my yard sale finds and so on.
Thanks
That the great thing about this site, you get to hear about everones opinion and more important, thier experiance they have with tools.
No real right or wrong, you get to learn about tools, history of the older ones, who makes what and great entertainment while doing so.
Tools to most of everyone here are a passion, not just a "tool" to work on something.
I like having a
while just looking at my yard sale finds and so on.Thanks
lennoxlennox
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And Well Said as well!
What you wrote is what tends to be missing, a well thought out viewpoint... instead of stated opinions based on nothing more than "I say so"
And the various parameters or critical components/elements that you touched upon (and much more) don't get scrutinized.
It's like saying look at the price I paid for this Kia... damn Ferrari costs soooo much money and they are overpriced and not worth it. My Kia is just as good and better value for the money.
It's an over simplistic viewpoint putting a "value for money" on just one component, i.e. transportation and not looking at the whole picture. On that same vain, you could say, yes, but taking the bus is a better value or riding a bike or walking.
A kia and a ferrari may both look and smell like cars, and taiwanese and chinese impact sockets might look like snapon sockets, but looks and performance are two different things.
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I'd really be interested in how you think Snap-On impacts perform better than those Kia/Taiwan impacts...in fact more and more people are saying the Snap-Ons wear while the Taiwanese ones show very little wear.
I noticed the same thing about my SK sockets - much higher wear than my cheapies.
Stop making excuses. There is little difference in sockets, be it chrome or impact, no matter where they are produced. It's a ******** socket, you stamp metal and chrome it, **** done. They aren't rocket engines.
lennoxlennox
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more and more people are saying Kias outperform Ferraris at the gas pump
I noticed the same thing myself... costs way more to fill up a Ferrari
Stop making excuses... it's a ******** car.... They aren't rocket engines
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moronmountain
Well-known member
I find that my Snap-on and Cornwell sockets "fit" on fasteners more snugly. The chrome is much nicer to me as well. If you don't think they're worth it, then don't buy them. Things tend to cost more for a reason. Even if you don't think a SO socket fits/works/etc. any better than a HF socket, I can almost promise you that they spend a lot of energy trying to make it as nice as possible. Craftsmanship is worth quite a bit to me.
Purely a mental thing. Guys have measured the opening of Snap-On vs Craftsman and Gearwrench and found Snap-On to be the loosest out of the bunch. Can't find it now but feel free to search for the post.
Chrome, yep, the Snap-On's use real chrome like the SK's.
However, the way a tool looks has nothing to do with how it performs the job of taking the bolt out.
wafrederick
Well-known member
I have a GP impact socket set,no problems with it.I got a good deal on it at an Auto Value tech show for $112.95 back in Febuary,the 9748 set.K Tool international makes good impact sockets too,Carquest and Parts Plus auto parts stores sell K Tool international.
moronmountain
Well-known member
I've done it with SO, Cornwell and Craftsman. Cornwell was the tightest, then SO and lastly Craftsman. I've rounded off a bolt with a Gearwrench and was able to remove the rounded off bolt with a SO wrench. That was prolly all mental though. At any rate, SO and Cornwell attention to detail is better than the Chinese stuff, even if you don't think it works better. That was my main point.
I bought the SO impact sockets that I've got mainly because the set doesn't skip sizes. Nothings more irritating than running into a bolt and not having the right size. As far as impact socket quality goes, I don't think my SOs are any better than my USA Cmans. And I can't really compare my HF sockets to the SOs or Cmans because they are 3/4'' drive, but they have held up very well under the MG1200.
Bottom line if the tool works, Great.
Bottom line if the tool works, Great.