Matco Swival Sockets

[Lightning]

Any opinions on the Matco impact swival sockets? The pin is the weakest part so pinless sockets should be stronger but are they really better? How do they fit compared to Snap On sockets. Are they small enough to fit in tight areas?

 

[Merkava_4]

Are you talking about impact swivels or regular chrome swivels? In either case, Snap-on makes a way better socket that's also less money than Matco!

 

[Fedwrench]

If we're talking about Matco impact swivel sockets I have them in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drives. The pinless design is simply the best you can get in my opinion. There's no pin to break or fat retaining collar (Snap on). The design gives you a lower profile and better socket rotation in confined areas. They are extremely expensive off of the truck, but Ebay can be your friend.
Unlike the MAC design where they put a square part into a round hole, Matcos design works well. There are those people that will say only Snap on will do but, this isn't the case for impact swivel sockets.
You can find the similiar design in Craftsman and Armstrong impact swivel sockets but, their overall height is taller, the available sizes are fewer, and they're still fairly expensive unless you score some on Ebay.

 

[Lightning]

I will edit my first post. I meant impact swival sockets. Thank you for your opinions.

 

[Merkava_4]

I will edit my first post. I meant impact swivel sockets.

And I should say I was referring to regular chrome universal sockets. I can't really comment on impact swivel sockets because I've never had the pleasure of using any. I do have some Snap-on regular swivels and I think they're the best.

 

[Lightning]

And I should say I was referring to regular chrome universal sockets. I can't really comment on impact swivel sockets because I've never had the pleasure of using any. I do have some Snap-on regular swivels and I think they're the best.

I have the Snap On 3/8 inch drive universal chrome sockets. They are good quality and serve me well, but I need some 1/2 inch drive swival sockets.

 

[Sunrise]

we are talking about this style

Not this

for me i dont like UJ sockets, because it tend to bind up. i have 3/8 snap-on impact swival. didnt use much, but working great. also i have swival adopter that you put socket D or S socket on.

 

[Merkava_4]

For me, I don't like universal joint sockets because they tend to bind up.

For all the boys and girls tuning into this thread, that statement above does not apply to Snap-on universal sockets!!!

 

[nissan_crawler]

For all the boys and girls tuning into this thread, that statement above does not apply to Snap-on universal sockets!!!

agreed, and unless you need them for an impact, the impact ones are too bulky to get in half the places that require a swivel in the first place.

 

[eschoendorff]

For all the boys and girls tuning into this thread, that statement above does not apply to Snap-on universal sockets!!!

Not necessarily true... a buddy of mine has his u-joint Snap On wrapped in electric tape so that it doesn't bind. Unless, of course, you were referring to this:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...0&group_ID=242&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Lightning]

we are talking about this style

Not this

for me i dont like UJ sockets, because it tend to bind up. i have 3/8 snap-on impact swival. didnt use much, but working great. also i have swival adopter that you put socket D or S socket on.

I have the Snap On 1/2 inch drive swival univeral joint and it works great but it might be too large with the socket attached to get in really tight spaces. I wish the people who design things would not put the mechanic in such a bind where the space is too tight for a 1/2 inch drive tool, but the fastener torque is so high that you need 1/2 inch drive tools.


I personally prefer the swival universal joints, but have never used the impact swival sockets.

 

[Merkava_4]

Not necessarily true... a buddy of mine has his u-joint Snap On wrapped in electric tape so that it doesn't bind. Unless, of course, you were referring to this:

Oh for crypes sake Edward! Snap-on universals do not bind; the engineers did their homework and got the pivot points in the perfect location.

Tell your buddy I said to get that electrical tape off his universal ASAP and to wipe off the residual adhesive with WD-40 and not to ever do that again!

 

[Lightning]

Oh for crypes sake Edward! Snap-on universals do not bind; the engineers did their homework and got the pivot points in the perfect location.

Tell your buddy I said to get that electrical tape off his universal ASAP and to wipe off the residual adhesive with WD-40 and not to ever do that again!

I have some Snap On universal sockets but have not used them yet because they are recently purchased and I will test them to see if they bind. I have not worked in really tight spots much before but now I need tools for tight access. In marine mechanics there are so many tight areas.

 

[scofo]

Medium depth 3/8"dr impact swivel sockets by Matco are excellent. The "constant velocity" style, as mentioned before, is great.

 

[Fedwrench]

Oh for crypes sake Edward! Snap-on universals do not bind; the engineers did their homework and got the pivot points in the perfect location.

Tell your buddy I said to get that electrical tape off his universal ASAP and to wipe off the residual adhesive with WD-40 and not to ever do that again!

The guy probaly has the electrical tape on the Snap on universal to keep it from flopping around.

 

[nissan_crawler]

The guy probaly has the electrical tape on the Snap on universal to keep it from flopping around.

Then he needs to exchange it for a new one.

 

[Sunrise]

Oh for crypes sake Edward! Snap-on universals do not bind; the engineers did their homework and got the pivot points in the perfect location.

Tell your buddy I said to get that electrical tape off his universal ASAP and to wipe off the residual adhesive with WD-40 and not to ever do that again!

okay maybe you are right. i dont have UJ sockets, just UJ that you put socket on. because UJ does bind up no matter what brand. however i dont know about UJ socket, never used one before.

 

[jimvannoy]

I've got a set of the chrome Matco swivel sockets. Got them new in the early 80's and they are still working fine with no problems. Also have a set of Mac and Snap On impact swivel sockets that I got back then that are also still going strong.

 

[Lightning]

I just received the Matco swival sockets 3/8 inch drive medium depth 10 to 19 mm and love the pinless design. These sockets are not as thick and can fit into tighter spots compared to the Snap On impact swival sockets. These are the first Matco tools I have purchased and very pleased. This socket set was expensive around $400.00, but well worth it because now I do not have to use those universal U joints as often.

 

[speed bump]

Craftsman also sells pinless impact swivel sockets BTW.

 

[eschoendorff]

Oh for crypes sake Edward! Snap-on universals do not bind; the engineers did their homework and got the pivot points in the perfect location.

Tell your buddy I said to get that electrical tape off his universal ASAP and to wipe off the residual adhesive with WD-40 and not to ever do that again!

Uhhh... okay... you need to put down the Kool aid. You've had a little too much.

This guy's been doing this professionally for over 40 years and has more new Snap On **** than you can shake a stick at. If his tool is binding or flopping around, and he tapes it up, it's because the tool is binding or floppy! There is no magic to the way that Snap On designs these things.

You, my friend, are marketing's *********. I like Snap On tools, but I won't spend my life polishing them and I certainly won't make them into something that they aren't.

They are tools. Nice ones. That is all. Get over it!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

ALL universal joints bind at an extreme enough angle. the closer the two pins are together, the more extreme angle before it binds. Only swivel-ball and constant-velocity joints don't bind, because they limit themselves.

My Snap-on universal joint are better than any of my others, but they bind sometimes. You can argue all you want, but that's a fact and i know it.

 

[Merkava_4]

Uhhh... okay... you need to put down the Kool aid. You've had a little too much.

Wrong again! I don't drink Kool-Aid; I drink Propel Berry Flavored Fitness Water!

 

[krusty the clown]

Wrong again! I don't drink Kool-Aid; I drink Propel Berry Flavored Fitness Water!

it makes the acid go down better

snap on universal sockets bind.......period........end of debate.

tape only helps when the get worn out and loose..........


an o-ring will help a loose universal socket and it doesn't leave that nasty residue......