Impact sockets?

[joshmodelskidoo]

Just don’t go with some weird brand like pitbull. Had some of those impacts sockets gifted to me. The 15mm striped out so I kept the case and scrapped the rest. As said before they are Campbell housefield and hf. Check out some discount or surplus stores near you also. I can’t think of any holiday deals on them right now but maybe northern tool or tekton has some deals to bring the pricees down. Tekton has a set where they use combine one socket as metric and standard. Although they are very close in size they are not the same

 

[xjfish]

Heavily used impact sockets do crack and break. Pro brands not excluded at all. My old Craftsman USA have honestly held up better than MAC and Matco...

 

[DFB]

I have flea mkt tool tent where I flip a lot of "cheap tools" small name import brands mostly so I get to try a lot of them out. Honestly something like Great Neck Deep CRV impact I have sold are dirt cheap and have held up to lots of abuse from me (non commercial work) with all my different cordless Milwaukee impacts... Stubby, Mid Torque, High Torque. haven't broke any doing truck and tractor lugs.

But by far my favorite "cheap set" is the 37 pc HF impact socket set also a CRV and I use that often because of the case. It's so convenient to carry to my jobs out in the field or take in the vehicle. No problems with them either and I do think they are better sockets than the Greatneck. Less than $25 on special with coupon usually.

I also have the Pittsburgh 1/2 drive shallow sets both metric and standard they seem to be thicker wall construction than any of the others also a dull finish. And not at all the same as the 37pc. Can't beat them really. What are they $10 on special I think.


Also have a set of cheap CRV impact sockets from the Tractor Supply Store around. JobSmart brand I guess it is, seem no different than the others really. CRV construction, its a little case a mix of shallow and deep, weird thing about them was the sizing. Never really use them tho. I picked a few of them up for $5 each to flip over at my market and held one back for shits and grins.

My best sets though are Cro Mo 3/8" drive, I bought thru Eastwood some years ago full sets in nice storage cases, shallow and deep, metric and standard. Though Eastwood sold them the packages say Apex Tools on them.

 

[M6erfan]

I bought the Sunex 1/2" 26 piece metric deep set about 5 years ago. I haven't used very many of the sockets for turning bolts, but I've used many of the sockets as seal drivers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MW2CGO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[visionguru]

... I haven't used very many of the sockets for turning bolts, but I've used many of the sockets as seal drivers....

Same here. They are great bushing pushers too.
I have Gearwrench sets, and had to order an extra axle nut set in order to cover 10~36mm though.

 

[PCMusicGuy]

I don't see that the Grey Pneumatics comes etched and stamped anymore looking at pictures. Is there some that do? I think I saw it on Capri tools and SK, but I was wondering if there were others.

 

[DFB]

I don't see that the Grey Pneumatics comes etched and stamped anymore looking at pictures. Is there some that do? I think I saw it on Capri tools and SK, but I was wondering if there were others.

The 2 boxed sets of metric/sae of Cro-Mo sockets I purchased thru Eastwood (mentioned in post #43) a few years back have both markings

Looking at their web page just now hard to tell from the photos if the current offerings still do, is not mentioned in the description...guess one could inquire with their CS to find out if they still are marked both ways. Stamped marking is still the same as is socket design that I can see

https://www.eastwood.com/tools/sockets/impact-socket-sets.html

 

[TailGunner3000]

I've had good luck recently with both Neiko and Tekton.

 

[galaxy]

Anyone else not like Sonex website? The way it displays on my computer made it difficult to sift through all the options. Tekton website mucho better, and probably just made my decision for me. Yeah, I know...first world problems, LOL.

 

[Z51M]

I've had good luck with the Sunex 3/8-Inch Drive Mid-Depth Impact Sockets. I purchased this set about a year ago to carry in my car along with my Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3/8" Stubby Impact Wrench. The M12 is really convenient and powerful, so I have used these sockets a lot.

Sunex 3328 Sunex 3328 3/8-Inch Drive Metric Mid-Depth Impact Socket Set, 14-Piece
amazon /Sunex-3328-8-Inch-Mid-Depth-14-Piece/dp/B00AJTPLTW

I have a set of HF 1/2-inch drive impact sockets and 3/8 drive deep well impact sockets at home. They are about 40 years old and I haven't broken any of them. The walls are really thick though.

Before buying the Sunex set, I got this Casoman set but sent it back. The first socket I tried wobbled badly because the square drive socket was not aligned with the axis of the socket. Unacceptably low quality.

CASOMAN 3/8" Drive Impact Socket Set, 48 Piece Standard SAE and Metric Sizes (5/16-Inch to 3/4-Inch and 8-22 mm), 6 Point, Cr-V Steel Socket Set
.amazon /CASOMAN-Impact-Socket-Standard-16-Inch/dp/B07RGBXTQ2

I just broke a Neiko 1/2 to 3/8 inch adapter with a 2ft breaker bar. The 3/8 inch male tip twisted off easily. To be fair I probably weakened it the day before with an HF 1/2 drive Earthquake air impact wrench. I won't be buying any more Neiko stuff.

Neiko 30249A Impact Adapter and Reducer Set
amazon /Neiko-30249A-Adapter-Vanadium-Conversions/dp/B01G3VKPAE

Chrome sockets don't work as well for impact wrenches because the softer steel absorbs some of the force of the impact and you never get the full torque the wrench is capable of. Impact sockets are made with harder steel so that they don't flex as much with each impact.

 

[mc4life27]

I've had good luck with the Sunex 3/8-Inch Drive Mid-Depth Impact Sockets. I purchased this set about a year ago to carry in my car along with my Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3/8" Stubby Impact Wrench. The M12 is really convenient and powerful, so I have used these sockets a lot.

Sunex 3328 Sunex 3328 3/8-Inch Drive Metric Mid-Depth Impact Socket Set, 14-Piece
amazon /Sunex-3328-8-Inch-Mid-Depth-14-Piece/dp/B00AJTPLTW

I have a set of HF 1/2-inch drive impact sockets and 3/8 drive deep well impact sockets at home. They are about 40 years old and I haven't broken any of them. The walls are really thick though.

Before buying the Sunex set, I got this Casoman set but sent it back. The first socket I tried wobbled badly because the square drive socket was not aligned with the axis of the socket. Unacceptably low quality.

CASOMAN 3/8" Drive Impact Socket Set, 48 Piece Standard SAE and Metric Sizes (5/16-Inch to 3/4-Inch and 8-22 mm), 6 Point, Cr-V Steel Socket Set
.amazon /CASOMAN-Impact-Socket-Standard-16-Inch/dp/B07RGBXTQ2

I just broke a Neiko 1/2 to 3/8 inch adapter with a 2ft breaker bar. The 3/8 inch male tip twisted off easily. To be fair I probably weakened it the day before with an HF 1/2 drive Earthquake air impact wrench. I won't be buying any more Neiko stuff.

Neiko 30249A Impact Adapter and Reducer Set
amazon /Neiko-30249A-Adapter-Vanadium-Conversions/dp/B01G3VKPAE

Chrome sockets don't work as well for impact wrenches because the softer steel absorbs some of the force of the impact and you never get the full torque the wrench is capable of. Impact sockets are made with harder steel so that they don't flex as much with each impact.

Chrome sockets work just as well. Sure impact sockets are made from harder steel then chrome ones. But 99.9% of the time you would t notice a difference. I use chrome socket 99.9% of the time I even have impact sockets but the chrome ones are thin and fit into places better. I still have yet to break a chrome socket in my 30 plus years of using tools. As far as a 1/2-3/8 adaptor most of the lower quality brands are going to break when using a 2 foot long breaker bar on them. The adaptors yes get impact rated ones and the best one I have is my Snapon one. It was one of the first Snapon tools I ever bought and still have it today.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Sweetcorn]

Chrome sockets work just as well. Sure impact sockets are made from harder steel then chrome ones. But 99.9% of the time you would t notice a difference. I use chrome socket 99.9% of the time I even have impact sockets but the chrome ones are thin and fit into places better. I still have yet to break a chrome socket in my 30 plus years of using tools. As far as a 1/2-3/8 adaptor most of the lower quality brands are going to break when using a 2 foot long breaker bar on them. The adaptors yes get impact rated ones and the best one I have is my Snapon one. It was one of the first Snapon tools I ever bought and still have it today.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

You two have it backwards. Chrome sockets are harder than impact sockets. That's why chrome sockets split considerably easier.

Impact sockets are softer to absorb the beating they take. Impact sockets use (usually) chromoly steel, which is softer than the chrome vanadium used in hand sockets. You can buy cr-v impacts sockets, but I would not. I know there is a lot of love around here for Tekton, but they are cr-v.

Harder doesn't always equal better. In this case, it hurts. Higher quality (and higher dollar) impact sockets are chromoly.

 

[Mr_B]

^
heat treatment process accuracy is the real key along with actual exact spec of alloy cr-v or cr-mo composition .
I find good quality cr-v to have longer service life as less wallowing to broach surfaces .