Not sure how practical these small sockets are...

[wolf_from_wv]

But, I just bought a 3/8" drive 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm shallow socket from Lowes.

 

[zkling]

If you don't have a nut driver set they might come in handy. For those sizes I almost always use the nut drivers though.

 

[Rico.]

It obvously depends on what you work on, but I have used a 6mm on the odd
hose clamp, 4, 5 and 5.5mm will crop up on interior fixtures and some electronics.

If you work on an Oil Rig... Then, No.... Probably not so practical...

 

[Monte]

for 1/4" drive these sizes make sense.......

 

[jim1987]

They fill the pegs on my kobalt trays... now, if I could only find 5/8 and 1/8 deep and shallow for 1/4 drive..

 

[zkling]

They fill the pegs on my kobalt trays... now, if I could only find 5/8 and 1/8 deep and shallow for 1/4 drive..

Marketing must have really been thinking when they made those trays.

 

[Rico.]

Haha.... Yes, I've only just noticed the 3/8" in the OP's OP

My 3/8" sockets go down to 6mm...... I've never used it.
Anything below 10mm has always had the 1/4" treatment so far.

I can imagine why anyone would use a 3/8" 4mm socket...
Those trays are a nightmare.

 

[n8n]

yeah most 3/8" sets stop at 10mm anyway... I have a 6mm and 8mm shallow because they came with a lot of random stuff that I bought mainly to get extensions; I'm trying to see a need for them though. I just carry a 1/4" spinner handle and my sockets rather than a set of nutdrivers, takes less space that way and the handle doubles as an extension.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

I have 1/4" drive in those sizes, shallow and deep.

I happened to be looking to see what other sizes they had, and saw those. I think they were less than $2 each, so I got them.

I also got a 1/4" drive 4.5mm deep socket.

 

[SKAutomotive]

They are used quite frequently in cars.

 

[Harrison2]

I brought a 3/8 impact set that went from 7-22mm, when I sae the supplier also made a 6mm in short and deep I had to get them just to complete my set. I personally have yet to come across a fastener smaller than 8mm besides hose clamps but I have worked on engines that need a 3mm for the rocker arm/tappets

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Are there advantages to the 3/8" drive vs the 1/4" drive for bolts this small? I've used my 5.5mm on dash screws, but with 1/4" drive.

Tractor Supply had an adapter that went from 1/2" to 1/4" drive in a kit up front...

 

[Harrison2]

personally if a bolt has that smaller head then it's not going to be subject to that much strain so it's never going to be tighter than a 1/4 is capable if undoing , however I do have a 1/4 - 3/8 adapter if I ever needed.

I've always wanted a 1/4-1/2 adapter simply because wtf?!

 

[n8n]

I don't think so; I doubt that you'll find a fastener that is significantly stronger than the steel that the drive of your ratchet or breaker bar is made of. therefore there's not much need for a 3/8" (9.525mm) drive socket for smaller than that required for a 9mm fastener - in practice that would be 10mm, or 12 or 13mm head size. If you're working on a job with a lot of different sized fasteners and only want to carry one drive tool, then carrying smaller sizes of socket makes sense, but the normal cutoff of 10mm for a 3/8" set seems sensible.

Now I've definitely broken 3/8" drive tools when trying to loosen stuff on 12mm bolts... e.g. stuck lug nuts, only turbo socket that I had available was 3/8" drive, the 1/2" to 3/8" adapter twisted like cheese when I put the breaker bar on it...

 

[jim1987]

Marketing must have really been thinking when they made those trays.

Not really lol. Lowes don't sell the sizes I "need. And Hansen don't make sockets. But really 6mm deep and shallow for 3/8? And 5/8 for 1/4? 10mm for half?

With someone who has some space to spare in my box, I love my trays... all 11 of them.

 

[Harrison2]

I'd say that was more down to poor quality adapter socket, I've removed 19mm suspension bolts with a 3/8 socket and adapter on a 1/2 bar, they were snap on

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I have all those small sizes just to complete some sets. Stuff that small I use nut drivers. Generally something that small wont be tightened to where you need a ratchet. I run into all that small stuff on equipment more than cars.

 

[n8n]

I'd say that was more down to poor quality adapter socket, I've removed 19mm suspension bolts with a 3/8 socket and adapter on a 1/2 bar, they were snap on

Possibly true, the last time this happened to me I was dealing with what I had on hand, 1st to fail was a Harbor Freight special (shocker) then whatever NAPA delivered failed as well. Snap-On guy doesn't stop by my friend's shop often as I don't even officially work there and I'm probably one of only two people likely to actually hand him money. However I doubt that even a Snap-On adapter is made of significantly better steel than a 10.9 or Grade 8 bolt, so I'll stand by my handwaving.

 

[HighPlainsWrencher]

I use mine all the time with my compact 3/8's ratchet. Most of the sockets I am using are 3/8's drive so why get out another ratchet in a different drive size and have even more tools to keep track of. Unless you dont have the room which in my case usually its time to get a wrench anyways.

 

[Harrison2]

Possibly true, the last time this happened to me I was dealing with what I had on hand, 1st to fail was a Harbor Freight special (shocker) then whatever NAPA delivered failed as well. Snap-On guy doesn't stop by my friend's shop often as I don't even officially work there and I'm probably one of only two people likely to actually hand him money. However I doubt that even a Snap-On adapter is made of significantly better steel than a 10.9 or Grade 8 bolt, so I'll stand by my handwaving.

that's why I only by adapters in impact but like you said you have to make do with what you have, my hf impact adapters have held up well for $5 but then again I've only used them on my cordless impact and breaker bar not on my air impact

 

[ganymede]

Haha.... Yes, I've only just noticed the 3/8" in the OP's OP

My 3/8" sockets go down to 6mm...... I've never used it.
Anything below 10mm has always had the 1/4" treatment so far.

I can imagine why anyone would use a 3/8" 4mm socket...
Those trays are a nightmare.

I'm just waiting for a really stubborn bolt to challenge my 1/2" drive 3/8" socket.

 

[Rico.]

I'm just waiting for a really stubborn bolt to challenge my 1/2" drive 3/8" socket.

I know what you mean....

My 1/2" drive stuff goes dowm to 8mm.... It's a bit silly really, I can't ever forsee a time
that will come in handy... But this is GJ so I'm not allowed to sell it.

I now have 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14mm sockets in all 3 drive sizes... Bonkers..!

 

[ganymede]

I know what you mean....

My 1/2" drive stuff goes dowm to 8mm.... It's a bit silly really, I can't ever forsee a time
that will come in handy... But this is GJ so I'm not allowed to sell it.

I now have 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14mm sockets in all 3 drive sizes... Bonkers..!

A 1/2 in drive 8mm socket? Oh I've gotta get one of those.!

 

[PnHmech]

Used the 1/2 8mm on an impact gun on a crane before. I tend to have the have every slot in the rack filled up its a disease or addiction, not sure


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jim1987]

A 1/2 in drive 8mm socket? Oh I've gotta get one of those.!

I have a 9 in 1/2 and a 15 in 1/4. Im covered 9-15 in every drive be size.

 

[d.mcfarland]

There's the people that use 3/8 primarily and those that don't.

 

[n8n]

just along the lines of this thread, I realized the other day that I probably could take my 3/8" sockets out of my toolbox and very rarely miss them. My 1/4" drive set covers up to 13mm; it's a rare scenario where I have an application where I anticipate applying a lot of torque to a fastener and a 3/8" breaker bar or ratchet will work where a 1/2" one won't.

It's those rare occasions, though, that keep me lugging them around...

 

[nicksnothereman]

But, I just bought a 3/8" drive 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm shallow socket from Lowes.

House stuff. The last time I went that small it was something like a nut on an outdoor light fixture. It was 6mm. Below that...I don't really know, they'd likely use a different setup with a screw.

Some of the bagged hardware is that small (I think).

 

[jim1987]

There's the people that use 3/8 primarily and those that don't.

I'm in the do lol. I have two 1/2 ratchets and 3 1/4 ratchets I keep in my main socket drawer. However 5 or 6 3/8 in there. Lol

 

[wolf_from_wv]

House stuff. The last time I went that small it was something like a nut on an outdoor light fixture. It was 6mm. Below that...I don't really know, they'd likely use a different setup with a screw.

Some of the bagged hardware is that small (I think).

I might use it on 2-56 or 4-40 hardware, but it seems like overkill. But then, sometimes life seems like a game where you gather things as you go, and end up using them at some time in the future...

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

Some ford under carriage plastics have 5mm heads IIRC. I'll be damned if i'm gonna wrench those off. a 3/8 socket on a 3/8 impact would be mint. I hate adapters cluttering up the cart. Those small sizes are nice to have for interior work, dust shields, heat shields, and inner fenders sometimes.

 

[erswill]

The bolts holding some alternators and starter motors together use 6mm & 1/4" bolts & nuts

 

[n8n]

Well, I found the 3/8" drive 7mm at the pawn shop today... so now I need the 9 otherwise my OCD will kick in. I also just realized that my handwaving above was wrong, I should have used 1/4" for the cutoff not 3/8", so the minimum bolt size that you could make a case for needing a 3/8" drive socket would be 1/4" or 6mm, so smallest 3/8" socket would be still 10mm just by that criterion.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

 

[rick carpenter]

yeah most 3/8" sets stop at 10mm anyway... I have a 6mm and 8mm shallow because they came with a lot of random stuff that I bought mainly to get extensions; I'm trying to see a need for them though. I just carry a 1/4" spinner handle and my sockets rather than a set of nutdrivers, takes less space that way and the handle doubles as an extension.

On really small heads/nuts, a spinner will give you a better feel for low torque than a ratchet but a nutdriver will give the best feel. Sometimes, though, you just don't have the room for them.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

They fill the pegs on my kobalt trays... now, if I could only find 5/8 and 1/8 deep and shallow for 1/4 drive..

I have one of the 5/8. Damn that OCD
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=646492&group_ID=682202

In the 1/8" pegs, I just put 1" & 2" extensions on my Kobalt trays.

 

[n8n]

On really small heads/nuts, a spinner will give you a better feel for low torque than a ratchet but a nutdriver will give the best feel. Sometimes, though, you just don't have the room for them.

Exactly right, I do actually have a set and then some of SAE nutdrivers but I never use them because there's not enough space in my mobile toolbox to carry them, and getting a bigger box would mean a) I couldn't lift it and b) it wouldn't fit in my Jeep.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[jim1987]

I have one of the 5/8. Damn that OCD
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=646492&group_ID=682202

In the 1/8" pegs, I just put 1" & 2" extensions on my Kobalt trays.

Thanks! I bookmarked the page for a future buy

 

[DeliveryGuy]

I've used a 9/32" socket on my small torque wrench for properly tightening small cable clamps. 11/32" is a common machine nut size.