Impacts - Friction ring, ball detent, etc

[BikerDad]

Would somebody be kind enough to educate this woodworker / sometimes bicycle & motorcycle mechanic on the functional difference between the various methods of keeping one's impact socket from flying off the impact wrench?

Advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as recommendation on the pattern to adopt for a DIY home user.

Danke

 

[gsingh]

I like the friction ring better because you can change the sockets really easily on those.
With the detent ball you might have to push the ball back every time you want to change a socket. It will become annoying after a while. Even if you are a DIY, I would still get the friction ring.

 

[bob15]

With the detent ball you might have to push the ball back every time you want to change a socket. It will become annoying after a while.

Actually it is a detent pin, not a ball. The detent ball is what a most chrome or hand used ratchet has, until you get the 3/4" and larger hand stuff.

I do agree get the friction ring, much easier to work with and you don't need a small screwdriver to push the pin it to remove the tool (extension, socket, etc).

The detent pin is nice in the sense the socket will never fall off. On 3/4 drive stuff, a steel dowel pin and o-ring are used to keep sockets on the gun.



Read here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3301824

 

[ClineWrench]

I'd say you have some sound advice so far. Just keep in mind that cheap impacts use cheap friction retainers and they tend to let sockets slip.

So buy a quality brand and you'll have no worries.

 

[BikerDad]

Thanks, looks like I'll be getting a friction system when I get an impact wrench.

 

[DodgeMech]

even a quality gun(ir, snap off, air cat, etc) the stupid ring will eventually wear down, fall off, or break off if used enough...that said, replacement is cheap and i still prefer em to the damn pin retainers

 

[APEowner]

The ring retainer on my IR231 wore out a couple of decades ago and I've never replaced it.

 

[mrborohachi]

I've seen on SO trucks they have a impact ring replacement jig from this company

http://justclipkits.com/content/about-just-clips

 

[countryroad82]

I hate any impact that has the detent! I would prefer to have my socket fall off than fight to change freakin' sockets.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I haven't come across a gun with a ball detent yet, but a ball detent is what is used on hand ratchets. They also use them on the lockbar of a knife to keep it closed. A pin detent is a thin pin with a spring behind it in the square drive that locks into the hole on a socket or extension. You have to put a pick or something in the sockets detent hole to push the pin back in and pull the socket off. It's nice in a sense that the socket won't stick to say a lug nut and come off, but a pain if you're doing a job that requires a few sockets. I like detent pins on my universals. And lastly a friction ring is a ring on the end of the anvils square drive that compresses when you push a socket on and expands into the areas inside the socket to hold it on. I only have friction ring type stuff on my air tools. They do wear down after many years of use and then the sockets fall off, but I've replaced them at home pretty easily. A drop of oil on them every once in a while helps make them last a little longer.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

I've seen on SO trucks they have a impact ring replacement jig from this company

http://justclipkits.com/content/about-just-clips

Thats the ones I use to replace the ring on my IR impact, I made a quicky install tool from a 2x4 drilled a hole to clear the 3/8 shank and put a small countersink on the top to hold the ring and pushed it in.