Swivel impact sockets

[becker_atc]

In the last month I've ran into few thing where I needed a good swivel socket. Been able to work around it or borrow one. So looks like I need a set.

Work will be flipping the bill on these so I do want quality. As far as truck brands can only do snap on through our industrial rep. Otherwise can purchase anything available online amazon, grainger, zoro, and maybe HJE.

3/8" drive sae is what I'm wanting with maybe a couple 1/2" and 1/4" singles

So snap on, proto, gearwrench, s-k, ???

 

[bassbone52]

Gray Pneumatic or Sunex.

 

[kythri]

Sunex.

Edited to add:

If warranty matters for you, I'd steer well clear of Gray Pneumatic. They're a great product, but anyone selling them for a competitive price isn't an "authorized retailer" (so, Amazon, etc.) and Gray will only warranty if you've got your receipt(s) from said authorized dealer.

Sunex isn't pricky like that.

 

[jcbarry]

I'll also say Sunex. They are a great value .

 

[Sugarfryz]

If work is paying for it to snap on, mine are great. Never broken one in 5 years

 

[Wamsutta]

Gray Pneumatic or Sunex.

What if the employer was footing the bill and you don't care what it costs; would you still recommend Gray Pneumatic and Sunex?

 

[becker_atc]

What if the employer was footing the bill and you don't care what it costs; would you still recommend Gray Pneumatic and Sunex?

If work is paying for it to snap on, mine are great. Never broken one in 5 years

This is basically whee im at. I wasn't sure if one of the industrial brands may of had something I've snap-on or something.

If I was buying them myself would likely get the grays or sunex

 

[becker_atc]

If it matters I work in an industrial environment electrical and instrument with some light mechanicing work


Sent via message in a bottle

 

[Bockscar]

I have the snap ons.....if the company is paying get them

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[crewchief888]

i have MAC, matco and SO..

i footed the bill for all of them....

sorry but i'm not gonna trust a tool that will/might let me down when i need it most....


probably my most used sockets, especially in 3/8" dr

 

[crf450x]

Snap on

 

[lanet2436]

i'm gonna have to second the snap on suggestion, I've broken too many Mac Tools universal impact sockets to count, and while i Do love sunex, I'd go with the snap on versions, I personally use them every day while working in a pro environment and have broken exactly 1 snap on.

 

[Mr_B]

Get snapon on that if company paying and you got a rep, sunex are bit bulky & nothing special.
snapon easy warranty through dealer or online . nobody gets fired for buying snapon lol .

 

[jshillin]

I have had an SK set for several years. It's not something I use often, but they can be lifesavers when the need arises.

 

[619DioFan]

Using them in a work environment and someone else is footing the bill I would for sure get the snap-on ones

 

[vssjim]

i have snap on mac and SK and really like the SK the best.

 

[Holmesx10]

I’ve been using a set of 3/8 dewalt impacts swivels for about a year now and so far none have broke on me. They are made in Taiwan and like most of their hand tools they get looked past for some reason even though they offer great quality at affordable prices. I think you can get either sets sae and metric from amazon right now for less than $100 a piece. They come with a lifetime warranty and although I haven’t broken one I hear dewalt hi it’s their warranties pretty well.

 

[reptilezs]

snap on or matco pinless style

 

[Wamsutta]

If it was me and the employer doesn't mind me ordering Snap-on, that's what I'd do. Snap-on industrial probably costs less anyway.

 

[Tonyuk]

I have Mac and Genius, the Mac are better but the Genius are good too.

If its not your money then go with snap on or any other brand with a lifetime warranty.

 

[anndel]

Snap-on, SK or Sunex. I have all 3 brands and they work well and I've beaten mines several times.

 

[BK13]

Is Gearwrench still making the USA pinless unis, or was that a victim of Armstrong’s death?


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[md21722]

Is Gearwrench still making the USA pinless unis, or was that a victim of Armstrong’s death?


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Gear Wrench dropped the sets - but you can still buy them as Craftsman.

 

[BK13]

Gear Wrench dropped the sets - but you can still buy them as Craftsman.

Thanks!


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[Schurkey]

I have mostly Snap-On impact swivel sockets. I bought them for safety--they have a sheetmetal shield formed over the pivot pin, so that the pin absolutely cannot back out and lacerate my hand as the socket spins.

Snap-On changed the design. Now they weld the pin in position, and quit using the shield. I'm not enthused about this, but I suppose it's as safe and effective as the shield so long as the weld remains intact. If the weld breaks, you'd get a warranty replacement (but you have to notice the weld is broken before you start seeing blood.)

SK still uses the shield. I have a set of SK deep swivels. The socket size is printed on the shield.

I wore-out a Mac impact universal joint; but given that I had it for about three decades and the Mac dealer replaced it without question, I can't really hold that against them. It gave good service, and the replacement seems to be at least as nice as my original. Even so, I prefer the older Snap-On, and the SK design for pivot pin retention.

 

[Mr_B]

You can find a load of taiwan ones under various brand names all same design as the SK and old snapon with sleeve around the pin area.
My old mac ones are really nice .

 

[toolenthusiast]

I don't see any reason to consider even high-end Taiwanese offerings if your employer is paying. Snap-on is the way to go.

 

[BK13]

I’m surprised that there isn’t more suggestions for Matco. (Of course, you would have to deal with their insanely annoying website...)


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[WWheeler]

Is Gearwrench still making the USA pinless unis, or was that a victim of Armstrong’s death?

Gear Wrench dropped the sets - but you can still buy them as Craftsman.

A few sellers, one is Cripe Distributing IIRC, still have a few GW USA pinless sets available on ebay for a lot less than Craftsman wants. I've no experience with them but have seen a couple sets show up here in the 'Show your new tool arrivals' thread.

 

[Fedwrench]

Gear Wrench dropped the sets - but you can still buy them as Craftsman.

Gearwrench didn't drop the pinless impact swivel socket sets. They are now marketed as X Core and are no longer US made.

However, They may not be as good as the US made sets as there have been reports on x shaped piece peening and not being as durable.

Time will tell as more sets enter service.

 

[Yarpo]

Anyone have a link to the GW USA made sets? Kinda curious and wouldn't mind picking up a set, even tho I don't realllly need them.

Nvm, found them and they're more than I wanna spend for my home box

 

[WhiffySpark]

Snapon.

Better angles, size, and hell of alot less bulky without the pin

1/4 you should get chrome snapon. They can't be beat

 

[WWheeler]

Anyone have a link to the GW USA made sets? Kinda curious and wouldn't mind picking up a set, even tho I don't realllly need them.

Nvm, found them and they're more than I wanna spend for my home box

Same situation for me a few weeks back after seeing them in the 'Show Your New Tools' thread. I wanted a set for around the house and wound up getting a A 24pc metric/SAE Klutch swivel socket set from Northern Tool for ~$120 shipped (no Northern B&Ms near me). I'm sure they're not the greatest ever but after shopping around quite a bit seemed the best deal for my uses -> looked to be quite a bit better quality + more sizes than HF's offerings at least which is all I was really shooting for. I've beat on them a bit on a few jobs now and they seem to be perfect for my use so far FWIW.



BTW, I seriously hope the OP got the Snap-on's since they were to be used professionally and work was paying for it.

 

[Wamsutta]

MAC

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Your company is buying them; so why not buy Snap-on?

I have no regrets about buying My Snap-on impact swivel sockets.

 

[Skin]

Snapon.

Better angles, size, and hell of alot less bulky without the pin

1/4 you should get chrome snapon. They can't be beat

They don't have better angles. They're all 30*. The other problem with Snap-On is in 3/8 drive after 16mm they get too tall. They have a pin, they just got rid of the collar. I've owned them all and kept the Matco. Generally amongst the most compact and they're designed like a CV joint so they hammer on 4 lobes instead of 2 points on a pin so you get better torque transfer.

 

[Professional Tool User]

I don't have any swivel impacts, but my 3/8 universal joint is Mac and my 1/2 one is Proto. Both work fine and I can count on them to not blow up in my face. If the company is paying for it, I would just go with the Snap on ones. You can't really put a price on safety when it's something like a swivel impact. The Proto and SK ones aren't exactly cheap when you buy them from an authorized dealer and the pricing for the Snap on one may not be that bad depending on how much of a discount your employer gets. Also, it's better to buy it off a dealer in case the swivel breaks on you so you don't mess around trying to get it warrantied.

 

[seanb02]

Company buying I would go Snap On. Myself personally wanting a set of swivel impacts (for work not DIY home stuff or side jobs) I will likely go SK since it is out of my pocket.

 

[Jeeper]

For you guys that are using SK, how do you like the durability? Was looking at the amazon reviews and some reviewers said they had them break after a short amount of time.

 

[Schurkey]

My SK haven't seen a lot of use. Sorry, I can't help with durability questions.