Matco USA Thinwall Impact Sockets

[The Critic]

I have an opportunity to buy this set for around the same price as the various import options. Do these sockets use Matco’s Opti-Torque pro technology?

I am not too familiar with Matco’s line-up, but the bag shows USA.

 

[plinker]

I would imagine they have the off corner engagement (opti-torque, flank drive, ete.), pretty much all sockets from the last 15 or so years do.
I'd bite at a deal like that. Kinda odd to have a 14mm though.

 

[The Critic]

I would imagine they have the off corner engagement (opti-torque, flank drive, ete.), pretty much all sockets from the last 15 or so years do.
I'd bite at a deal like that. Kinda odd to have a 14mm though.

Thanks. Traditionally, how have Matco impact sockets compared to SO? I recognize that Matco has mostly moved mfg offshore these days…so I’m guessing these are old stock. Not sure who they were made by.

 

[plinker]

Depends on the socket(s) in question as to COO, but in general I've not had any real issues with any Matco sockets in general. I'm not sure who the OE for these thinwalls would be, possibly Lang. The majority of the other sockets are imported for the most part and can be broken down as;

ADV line: essentially Sunex, good sockets .

Impact /Chrome: decent, the majority I have are bit sockets though. The impact sockets are a smooth black finish, not phosphate.

"Non-slip" impact: same as above for finish, Great sockets for stuff that a normal 6pt wont handle well,but not quite a bolt out socket. works on E-torx too. https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/...0-piece-metric-pro-non-slip-impact-socket-set They are not cheap, but they do work.

Some bit sockets are rebranded Vim. I have some "half size" flip sockets for swelled cap wheel nuts, but pretty much everyone rebrands those. Some things such as chrome extensions and some spark plug sockets are US made along with ratchets.

 

[Schurkey]

I'm not sure who the OE for these thinwalls would be, possibly Lang.

If you can figure out who the supplier was--Lang perhaps--and buy directly, you'll likely do even better.

 

[KnurledNut]

Whoever manufactured them branded the same set for Mac as well. I have one.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I would imagine they have the off corner engagement (opti-torque, flank drive, ete.), pretty much all sockets from the last 15 or so years do.
I'd bite at a deal like that. Kinda odd to have a 14mm though.

Old, really old, suabrus used a 14mm. IIRC it was also a lug bolt like a euro car.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

i have the 19mm/21mm, i use daily, i broken it twice in couple years, as long u have matco dealer they are ok

 

[pizzabooty]

Thanks. Traditionally, how have Matco impact sockets compared to SO? I recognize that Matco has mostly moved mfg offshore these days…so I’m guessing these are old stock. Not sure who they were made by.

hate to necro thread but i do have some input.
my matco guy told me the impact sockets (not adv, but matco brand) are the hardest of the impact sockets on the market. it was from the mouth of the beast itself, so take it with a grain of salt lol. that being said, i do love my matco hardline sockets. super pretty finish and i love the stamping and feel in general.
fwiw, i've read that snap on (and williams) sockets are really soft and tend to deform more over time.

 

[darkzero]

I have that Matco thin wall impact set, made in USA. I got em off the truck in the early 2000s. Told me it was for lugnuts but it came also came with a 14mm. I've never seen 14mm lugnuts before?

I have no idea what Opti-Torque is. These are the only Matco sockets I own. I did crack the 19mm back then when I worked at a shop. My Matco dealer replaced it & never had a problem with any of them after.

my matco guy told me the impact sockets (not adv, but matco brand) are the hardest of the impact sockets on the market.

Sounds like marketing mumbu jumbo to me. "Hardest" doesn't mean any thing to me. If it's really hard then it would be more brittle, don't want that for impact sockets. Need to temper after hardening to bring down the hardest so they won't be brittle like glass.

But then again maybe they could be the hardest on the market for lugnut sockets, after all I did crack one under normal use. I can't recall ever breaking another impact socket in my life, only chrome sockets.

 

[darkzero]

I recognize that Matco has mostly moved mfg offshore these days…so I’m guessing these are old stock. Not sure who they were made by.

When I got these off the truck in the early 00s, that was when Matco was owned by Danaher & before the merger of Danaher & Cooper forming Apex. Much of Matco stuff was still USA in those days. My Matco combo wrenches from that era are USA which I believe were made Armstrong. Not sure who made these sockets & their chrome USA sockets, I'm assuming Armstrong also. The Matco chrome sockets did look very similar to Armstrong with the laser etching.

I never like the Matco chrome sockets, they looked kinda cheap to me, even though they were USA back then. All my chrome sockets are Snap-on. Plus our Matco dealer was strict, for broken chrome sockets, if he saw impact gun marks he wouldn't warranty them. Technically that's how it should be by my Snap-on dealer always replaced broken chrome sockets for me without question. He knew I sometimes used my 3/8" sockets with an impact.

All my other impact sockets are Craftsman USA, Craftsman China, & generic brand China. I've never broken any of them, just that one Matco 19mm from this set that I mentioned above.

 

[pizzabooty]

Sounds like marketing mumbu jumbo to me. "Hardest" doesn't mean any thing to me. If it's really hard then it would be more brittle, don't want that for impact sockets. Need to temper after hardening to bring down the hardest so they won't be brittle like glass.

But then again maybe they could be the hardest on the market for lugnut sockets, after all I did crack one under normal use. I can't recall ever breaking another impact socket in my life, only chrome sockets.

it probably is mumbo jumbo, but so far i've had no issue with mine. then again, i haven't broken or cracked any other impact socket i own either lol. again, grain of salt.
i presumed he meant "strongest". either way, he seems to be a real straight up guy when it comes to guys i could have gotten for a tool dealer.

 

[p90puma]

Old, really old, suabrus used a 14mm. IIRC it was also a lug bolt like a euro car.

Tons of 14mm on 90's JDM cars.