Most commonly used impact socket sizes?

[PapaGrande]

I wanted to buy some nice USA made 1/2" impact sockets to go with my new Milwaukee impact wrench. This will be almost exclusively for automotive work (2006 Altima, 2006 Prius, 2012 Focus).

Unless you have a better suggestion, I'm probably getting individual Williams from toolsdelivered (it seems most sets are either way too complete & too expensive or skip needed sizes but include unneeded ones).

Deep or shallow?

What sizes?


Thanks


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[Tonyuk]

Go on ebay or to a decent shop and buy a deep impact metric set. If you need any sizes other than this then just buy these individually. Harbor freight seems to get good reviews on this site although i don't have any experience of them personally. Sockets aren't that complex to make and even cheap brands are decent now.

Deep and shallow are both useful in their own right, but for a single set i would buy deep sockets. Remember to include a good set of torx and allen sockets.

 

[Cummins_Tech]

All of them.


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[thatguysb]

stanley impacts work good for a DIY guy, i got a set from 10mm to 24mm, covers most of what i need it for, Deep sockets tho

 

[bwringer]

Yep, with the Ford in the mix, you'll need all the sizes the Japanese brands don't.

The Nissan and Toyota will normally use:
8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21mm, maybe 22 & 24mm, plus whatever the axle nuts are (30, 32, 34, and/or 36mm). There might be a 27mm somewhere.

The Ford will add:
9, 13, 15, 16, 18mm, plus about a zillion stupid undersized torx bolts. Invest in a good set of left-handed drill bits, I guess.

Sorry, I've been traumatized by a few Fu#@uses... having flashbacks. If it ever needs suspension work, just light it on fire and walk away... aarrgghhh.


Anyway, Tekton sells a VERY nice set that doesn't skip sizes:
https://www.tekton.com/sockets-and-...nch-drive-deep-6-point-impact-socket-set-4883

The Pittsburgh Pro stuff from Harbor Freight is very nice as well, but they skip several sizes.

 

[Codejack]

I am buying shallow 1/2" impacts, first, mostly because I am using them for hand sockets, but also because I already have most lug and axle nut sizes I need in deep.

https://www.harborfreight.com/13-pc-12-in-drive-metric-impact-socket-set-69345.html

$26 for metric (10-27mm), another $26 for SAE (7/16" - 1-1/4"). The deep well sets are $32 each, if you want them.

 

[bcradio]

Sunex Master sets will do you good.

 

[greg86z28]

Not sure what your budget is but SK Tool makes nice stuff at really reasonable prices. US made, good warranty (which I'll admit I have not tested).

 

[deberly12]

Harbor freight has very nice impact sockets for their price. 19.99 for a 13 piece 1/2 deep sets. I would go deep. If there is enough room for the impact wrench then there probably won't hurt to have a longer socket. Also an impact is purr rotational force so you don't have to worry about the side loading that come with a deep socket on a ratchet.

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[Codejack]

Harbor freight has very nice impact sockets for their price. 19.99 for a 13 piece 1/2 deep sets.

The Pro line have thinner walls for not much more money:

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-pc-12-in-drive-metric-impact-deep-socket-set-69287.html

 

[Cummins_Tech]

Fwiw, Klutch offers a COMPLETE 1/2" drive 6pt CR-MO set for a few dollars more than the harbor freight stuff. Northern Tool carries them, lifetime warranty as well. They have them in stock on their eBay and Amazon store.


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[Wamsutta]

19 and 21mm deep.

 

[anndel]

For my 3 Yota's, I use 10-21mm, 30mm (for axle nuts) 1/2 in impact sockets.

 

[Sugarfryz]

Yep, with the Ford in the mix, you'll need all the sizes the Japanese brands don't.

The Nissan and Toyota will normally use:
8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21mm, maybe 22 & 24mm, plus whatever the axle nuts are (30, 32, 34, and/or 36mm). There might be a 27mm somewhere.

The Ford will add:
9, 13, 15, 16, 18mm, plus about a zillion stupid undersized torx bolts. Invest in a good set of left-handed drill bits, I guess.

Sorry, I've been traumatized by a few Fu#@uses... having flashbacks. If it ever needs suspension work, just light it on fire and walk away... aarrgghhh.


Anyway, Tekton sells a VERY nice set that doesn't skip sizes:
https://www.tekton.com/sockets-and-...nch-drive-deep-6-point-impact-socket-set-4883

The Pittsburgh Pro stuff from Harbor Freight is very nice as well, but they skip several sizes.

I agree. I have nightmares of a few Ford suspension jobs. Well Ford anything really

 

[johninct]

It depends on what you are going to work on, so those are the sockets you should buy.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Unless you have a better suggestion, I'm probably getting individual Williams from toolsdelivered (it seems most sets are either way too complete & too expensive or skip needed sizes but include unneeded ones).

You won't be disappointed with the USA Williams, and Toolsdelivered is the best spot to get them. I'd usually recommend getting a set, but the Williams sets are a little too complete with 20mm & 23mm (as well as 10mm & 11mm which in 1/2 are mostly good for snapping the heads off of stuck fasteners), which adds up on the cost quick.

If I could only have one, and it was for use on an impact it would be a deep set. In metric 12-19, 21, 22, 24, 27 as a base. Can't remember ever running into 20mm, 23mm once on the crank bolt in a Honda generator, 26mm works for sending units that are 1". 21, 22, 24 & 27 cross over pretty close to fairly common SAE sizes (13/16", 7/8", 15/16" & 1-1/16").

There's also a great deal on eBay for SAE shallow & deep new old stock NAPA USA impact sockets for $109. Been running those for SAE sockets, Craftsman USAs for deep metric, a mix of Cornwell and SK for shallow metric, and Williams USA (and Williams made Kobalt) for 3/8" impact. All used professionally with no problems.

 

[Sugarfryz]

Just buy a harbor freight set and be done with it. They work fine

 

[PelicanPines]

I have a tekton set... I can officially say... the moment you think you will never use a certain size... someone comes by and says... hey you got a ** millimeter ?? my set doesn't have one. You calculate in your head the SAE equivalent... then realize it's just freakin easier to have all the freaking sizes in both Metric and SAE...

 

[Infinia]

19 and 21mm deep.

haha what was thequestion again?
when the 19mm gets lost worn, use the 3/4".

 

[Coaster Mech]

If you cheap out of getting a proper set you're going to regret it. Sooner or later you will need one of the sizes you skipped. If you build up a mismatched set it will be worthless down the road with zero resale value if you ever decide to sell them. I realize Snapon may be out of your price range but for an example, if you were to buy a used Snapon set for $100 it will forever be worth $100 if not more, no problem at all with that. Craigslist and pawn shops are great places for used tools.

Definitely get deep. Shallow is best for tighter spaces, but with the large impact gun the socket size is a non issue.

 

[kkroger]

I had an SAE Shallow set Half inch drive for YEARS, never needed a Deep Impact socket, Then a few years later I got back home and didn't seem to have ANY Impact Sockets so I bought a USA Craftsman SAE and METRIC Deep Set Somehow some of these disappeared from my possession... So I ended up with SAE and METRIC Wright Deeps... I almost never use a shallow now... You can't go wrong with SK, Wright, Williams, Snap-on, Even USA Craftsman, I've never broken even a cheap assed impact socket. Chinese Craftsman, Klutch, Harbor Freight, and a number of other no name same Chinese sockets would be fine.

 

[cm cm]

Tekton/sunex over pittsburg... better quality, better price and no skipping. About the same price. You can even get individual replacement (or dupe) sunex sockets from summitracing.

Skipping sockets is a bad practice, dont support the people who do it. Buying individual sockets based on predictions of what you MIGHT need is a very stupid idea.

 

[sberry]

They are not that expensive to be messing round cherry picking, buy a set. You don't need hi dollar stuff. Buying a couple singles will cost more than the extra yo may not use often.

 

[PapaGrande]

As a previous poster mentioned, sets all seem to have baby sizes like 10-11 mm while skipping some needed bigger sizes, or they are so complete I end up paying forthings like a 20mm socket I'll likely never use.


That's why I was wanting to piece together my own "set" of quality sockets and USA made Williams seems to be tool truck quality w/o tool truck prices.

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[FSrepair&fabrication]

Ive had good luck with the harbor freight impact sockets, for the price you can buy deep and shallow and still have money for a swivel and extension kit. Youll thank yourself later for doing so.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

As a previous poster mentioned, sets all seem to have baby sizes like 10-11 mm while skipping some needed bigger sizes, or they are so complete I end up paying forthings like a 20mm socket I'll likely never use.


That's why I was wanting to piece together my own "set" of quality sockets and USA made Williams seems to be tool truck quality w/o tool truck prices.

Have you compared price-wise what difference it would be between buying a 10mm-19mm set plus some extras, versus all singles? Either way, Toolsdelivered will do you well. I've bought quite a bit of singles from them, with zero complaints.

 

[Snakebyt]

i have been using grey pneumatic sockets for about 3 years, beat on them on a daily basis and not one complaint.

 

[Jweebothee]

pittsburg pro are great, imo never had one break,