Socket extensions - any quality differences

[Dakotadadv8]

Unable to comment on Icon extensions, but if they are the same or better than Craftsman they should be fine for DIYer. Craftsman 3/8 and 1/2 extensions and Snap-on 1/2 extensions, both standard, SO is nicer, has knurling, material appears to be more substantial. They both work fine but SO costs more.

 

[lardy1]

I recently bought my first Tekton extension. A 3/8" X 24". I roll it across my cast iron table saw and it appears very straight. Nice knurling. I wouldn't hesitate to buy more of them if I need them.

 

[ecotec]

I am not super picky about extensions... though, my extension drawer tells another story.

I started with mostly Craftsman and auto parts store extensions. Then I started to hit estate sales. At first I just added in the ones I found to the ones I already had. Then I moved the extensions to a bigger drawer. I kept finding more. At this point I just threw away any extensions with chrome loss. Then I gave away any extensions that were not marked USA. Then I moved any not from a truck or industrial brand to my workbench and other toolboxes. I keep finding more...

I do not think that brand matters that much on extensions. There is tonnage of regular extensions for nothing on the used market.

The bulk of the money that you spend on extensions should be on wobble, wobble+, locking extensions, and very long extensions.

 

[four.cycle]

just an FYI:
no idea why, but this seller seems to have an over-abundance of extensions. I put one of his listings on my "watch list" and a couple hours later he shot me an offer. worth checking out: https://www.ebay.com/usr/ryders_collectibles/ - YMMV

 

[unslow1]

I probably have 40-50 extensions. The only ones I would spend much money on again is the Snapon wobble plus. The rest don't really matter whether it's cheap or tool truck to me when I'm using them. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the MAC ones. The knurling seems a bit better. I actually like the locking Craftsman ones better than more expensive locking brands.

 

[Wakefield]

I am not picky on extensions. Most of mine are Craftsman both old USA and modern Sears China ones and SBD made Taiwan ones. They all do fine for me. I’ve got Pittsburgh 1/4,3/8 and 1/2 wobble extensions they do ok but the sockets do come off of the most used ones pretty easy. I also have tons of other brands like Ampro and Snap-on and Proto and SK and others and they all do fine for me. I’ve never broke or bent one.

The fancier ones look better and feel better in hand (knurled and/or tapered) but the old Craftsman ones seem to be strong enough to do the job-I "tested" one of mine pretty good on someone's overtight lug BOLT and think I had 500 or more ft-lbs. on it before the lug gave up with a horrible noise that sounded like something busted but nothing was busted except the lug was now turning (both hands pulling an SK breaker bar) and a Bonney impact socket (think my nice wheel protector socket would have busted)---the family's muscular teen age son wanted to try it but I made them stay back because I was afraid something might bust and go flying (family car had a flat near where I live)

think wobble and locking extensions are weaker than simple ones and agree that might be where more $ might be more effective at getting as much strength as possible with those

 

[seber]

The only one I ever broke was a Craftsman. But I was putting an awful lot of force on it.

If you ever want to use something like the Snap On FZ1 it seems that Snap On is the only maker that consistently keeps the male and female end of the extension oriented to each other. I have a wide variety of makers and the rest are all hit or miss on orientation.

Why would you care if the squares are aligned?

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Why would you care if the squares are aligned?

Makes life more.... visually simple, if one is using a breaker bar and lining up adapters like these. No need to assemble part way and then figure out where the bar is going to end up. Counter point, using setup like I described could benefit from an extension that doesn't have the ends "in line" with one another, depending on where the handle would end up.

I normally just use a ratchet so it's a non issue. Or better yet, just use one adapter, stick it in a crowsfoot, add an extension, and you now have an offset angle and depth, open end wrench, with variable handle length via swapping extension length. Astound your friends, befuddle your enemies, reach obscured cooler line fittings!

 

[VolvoRyan]

Has anyone done a "how-twisty-is-it?" study on extensions? I know the TTC folks did, but with an impact. Different story than, say, using a breaker bar on a 24" extension to get a bell housing bolt.

I like good knurling knurling, but often I prefer to just use spinner/hand-drive handles:

3/8" Hand-Drive Extension

3/8" Hand-Drive Extension

www.mactools.com

MAC used to sell these as a set. Way cheaper. I have some 1/4" drive from SK as well.

-Ryan

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Wright makes those as well, as does williams. Neither in locking form that I know of.

 

[unslow1]

Has anyone done a "how-twisty-is-it?" study on extensions? I know the TTC folks did, but with an impact. Different story than, say, using a breaker bar on a 24" extension to get a bell housing bolt.

I like good knurling knurling, but often I prefer to just use spinner/hand-drive handles:

3/8" Hand-Drive Extension

3/8" Hand-Drive Extension

www.mactools.com

MAC used to sell these as a set. Way cheaper. I have some 1/4" drive from SK as well.

-Ryan

Does the back end of that have a female or is that a striking cap?

 

[VolvoRyan]

Does the back end of that have a female or is that a striking cap?

Back end is female. I have all three sizes and love them. I have a 1/4" from SK that I love as well. Way easier than spinning an extension with greasy hands.

-Ryan

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Proto, Wright, SK, Williams, Proto, and some others, make the style were it's legitimately an extension with a handle formed around it.

 

[rpcraft]

HF extensions are cheap and plentiful. I feel zero guilt if one gets lost or would happen to break. I can say the same about their sockets and composite ratchets as well.

 

[Mekks082]

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200621096_200621096

I've had that set for years with no issues. When I bought it.. it was branded "northern tool"

Also had no issues with the Tekton ones I have.

 

[jonshonda]

What I have found bothers me the most about ratchets/extensions/sockets is the amount of slop in the interface between them. I have snap on ratchets, and a set of 3/8" extensions, but I have older CM sockets. I want to start fresh with a 1/4" setup and see if the money spent feel right regarding precision fitment. I mean 1/4" for me typically deals with small fasteners in tighter locations, where a little bit of slop could mean the nut/bolt falling out of the socket or it being a pain to thread on.

 

[VolvoRyan]

What I have found bothers me the most about ratchets/extensions/sockets is the amount of slop in the interface between them. I have snap on ratchets, and a set of 3/8" extensions, but I have older CM sockets. I want to start fresh with a 1/4" setup and see if the money spent feel right regarding precision fitment. I mean 1/4" for me typically deals with small fasteners in tighter locations, where a little bit of slop could mean the nut/bolt falling out of the socket or it being a pain to thread on.

Great point!

A full set of 1/4" stuff is really useful. I had a scattershot of 1/4" tools. When I simply replaced all that with with basically everything SK sells, I found myself going to the 1/4" drawer more than my 3/8" drawer.

-Ryan

 

[Ricky Joe]

What I have found bothers me the most about ratchets/extensions/sockets is the amount of slop in the interface between them. I have snap on ratchets, and a set of 3/8" extensions, but I have older CM sockets. I want to start fresh with a 1/4" setup and see if the money spent feel right regarding precision fitment. I mean 1/4" for me typically deals with small fasteners in tighter locations, where a little bit of slop could mean the nut/bolt falling out of the socket or it being a pain to thread on.

Get magnetic sockets for nuts and bolts in difficult areas to reach.

I’ve never understood why you would need more than one short wobble socket.

 

[Tuc04]

The only one I ever broke was a Craftsman. But I was putting an awful lot of force on it.

Why would you care if the squares are aligned?

Here is a visual to show the difference between aligned and not. When aligned the ratchet will be parallel to the fastener you are trying to move. If the ends aren't aligned the ratchet will not be parallel and you won's be able to turn the fastener. Pictures below - Snap On = aligned and Mac not aligned.

In this configuration it's only the extension that connects to two FZ1 pieces that need to have the ends aligned.

 

[mhejl]

I recently got 1/4 and 3/8 Koken wobbles to replace most of my 30+ year old Snap On and newer SKs.

In 3/8s, the Kokens increase diameter above 10" - which is a great feature. SOs 11" and over, while nice and skinny, turn into a torsion rod. When the nut/bolt breaks loose, the shock bounces the reverse lever on my ratchets, particularly the older 30 tooth SOs (not so much with Dual 80s). That's why I got the SK - but they're all the same chunky diameter.

Up to 13mm, the SO wobble plus doesn't seat fully on SO sockets - they get hung up on the broaching "mushroom". The Koken seat fuly, though - the male end is a little shorter.

Then, there's the Koken female end knurling. Like Vessel screwdrivers, the knurling is the "killer feature". Knurling on SO isn't that aggressive and the SKs are annoyingly inconsistent.

 

[Magnum440d100]

When it comes to extensions, I’m not too picky right now. I have everything from Pittsburgh to Stanley, to snap on to SK. I’ve bought what I need when I need it for my road box. When I get back home, I’ll reorganize my road box and get more consistent brands.

That being said, if it wasn’t good, or if it was questionable, it wouldn’t be in my road box.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Here is a visual to show the difference between aligned and not. When aligned the ratchet will be parallel to the fastener you are trying to move. If the ends aren't aligned the ratchet will not be parallel and you won's be able to turn the fastener. Pictures below - Snap On = aligned and Mac not aligned.

In this configuration it's only the extension that connects to two FZ1 pieces that need to have the ends aligned.

As a data point. My 3/8 drive snap. On extension is not dead straight in my fz1 adapters. My 3/8 kokens are similar, off a couple degrees maybe.

My 1/4 drive koken wobble plus extensions are very obviously not in line with each other.

 

[Steve_P]

Has anyone done a "how-twisty-is-it?" study on extensions? I know the TTC folks did, but with an impact. Different story than, say, using a breaker bar on a 24" extension to get a bell housing bolt.

I like good knurling knurling, but often I prefer to just use spinner/hand-drive handles:

3/8" Hand-Drive Extension

3/8" Hand-Drive Extension

www.mactools.com

MAC used to sell these as a set. Way cheaper. I have some 1/4" drive from SK as well.

-Ryan

As long as the extension is steel, "twisty" is determined by the diameter of the shaft and the length; not the type and grade of steel. Torsional rigidity is essentially the same for all grades of carbon/alloy steel. Similar to modulus of elasticity for bending. I love to read posts about how PB Swiss, Snap On..... hex keys, extensions, etc, don't elastically deflect like cheaper ones. Yes they do if the diameter and length is the same; it's basic mechanics of materials and the formulas are simple. Now plastic deformation is another story and that is determined by material properties

 

[VolvoRyan]

As long as the extension is steel, "twisty" is determined by the diameter of the shaft and the length; not the type and grade of steel. Torsional rigidity is essentially the same for all grades of carbon/alloy steel. Similar to modulus of elasticity for bending. I love to read posts about how PB Swiss, Snap On..... hex keys, extensions, etc, don't elastically deflect like cheaper ones. Yes they do if the diameter and length is the same; it's basic mechanics of materials and the formulas are simple. Now plastic deformation is another story and that is determined by material properties

I love it when an engineer chimes in. Very interesting. "Deformation" happens when you twist something beyond its "twistability"?

-Ryan

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I love it when an engineer chimes in. Very interesting. "Deformation" happens when you twist something beyond its "twistability"?

-Ryan

Elastic deformation is inherent twist, which can be recovered from. For instance, a rubber band has high elastic deformation, and will return to the original dimension.

Plastic deformation means the object is permanently distorted. Elastically deform a rubber band far enough, and the elastic deformation become plastic deformation, with damage to the band.

Elastic is temporary, plastic is permanent. There are curves for each type of deformation, relating stress vs deformation, for any given material.


Not an engineer FWIW.

 

[Sgtboz]

I like knurling especially on my 1/4" because I spin them with my fingers a lot.

Bought Snap On wobble extensions when they first came out thirty-some years ago. Hated them because they were too loose. Never bought or even looked at them again. Couple summers ago I found a Husky wobble extension. You can just pop the socket on and it wobbles or push it on farther and it's solid. Maybe they're all like that now but it's pretty slick. My found extension has became one of my favorites (it's also knurled).

Snap on has extensions that are wobble/nonwobble. I don't care for them as they transition from wobble to non wobble at times when you are using them.

 

[Wakefield]

Elastic deformation is inherent twist, which can be recovered from. For instance, a rubber band has high elastic deformation, and will return to the original dimension.

Plastic deformation means the object is permanently distorted. Elastically deform a rubber band far enough, and the elastic deformation become plastic deformation, with damage to the band.

Elastic is temporary, plastic is permanent. There are curves for each type of deformation, relating stress vs deformation, for any given material.


Not an engineer FWIW.

"Springy" Some might be able to wind up further without breaking and at a higher torque but will still feel springy also does resistance to cracking vary?