firebox40dash5
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2012
- Messages
- 4,185
I bought an IR 2145MAX impact gun last year, and so far have been pretty much using it with a 1/2" adapter. Neither me nor the boss own any 3/4" sockets, let alone impacts. I'll preface this by saying I have no particular need for 3/4" sockets, at least not any recurring one. But, I switched from flat-rate to hourly at work and roughly doubled my earnings, and I have no problem plowing some of that back into tools to be more efficient. Granted being efficient doesn't particularly benefit me anymore, but the boss and I are also friends, and I want the business to be as profitable as possible since it's mutually beneficial in terms of my continued employment and potential for raises. 
So, I'd like to buy some big ol' impact sockets. We don't do a whole bunch of HD work, but I do a lot of trailers (anywhere from a 4x8 to an equipment trailer) and we have customers with medium-duties and cabovers. We don't work on the trucks much, but I don't want to be turning them away because I don't have the tools I need when the day comes.
Questions:
-SAE or metric? Does it matter much when you're in this size range? Is there a common size is either system with no good analog in the other? Such as, I know the axleshaft nuts on newer Dodges are metric, but most people use an SAE socket... I had to do some searching (and/or calculating) to figure out it's actually 43mm.
-Standard or deep? Again, does it really matter? I don't forsee a whole bunch of confined spaces, so the guy in me who wants just one set says buy deeps. The cheap guy in me says buy shallow, but sometimes he's too cheap and I end up having to later buy deeps.
-6 point or 12 point? Again with the versatility, and I know most 3/4" chromes seem to be 12 points, but I don't have any hands-on experience there. Also 12 points limit my brand choices a good bit.
-Does anyone make a set starting with larger sizes? Most I see start at like 3/4" for SAE, or somewhere around 27mm for metric. I'm probably replacing my 1/2" SAE sockets soon with a set that goes up to 1-1/2", and I have up to 27mm in metric, plus axle nut sockets up to 39mm... so I'd prefer a set starting at like 1-1/4" or 30mm so I don't have a bunch of the 3/4" equivalent of the 1/2" drive 10mm socket.
-What square sizes do I need for most Budd lugs? I see 17mm, 20mm, 21mm, 13/16... never had to touch one, so I don't know, but I'd like to be prepared. SHould I just get something like a piece combo hex/square set?
I know the general consensus is "buy the sizes you need as you need them" but that doesn't work so hot when, well, you don't really need them. When I need 'em I need 'em, I can't be putting off jobs for days waiting on a socket to show up. Budget for this is somewhere in the $300-400 range to get up around 2", so even Matco ADV is out. I'd prefer to buy a set since it's typically more economical, but if no one makes a bigger set and it can be done reasonably, I'll buy individuals. I've been looking at Sunex a good bit, as well as GW, even though they just sell individuals. Armstrong isn't totally out of the question to get USA, but they're only available individually in deeps, and only in 6 point.
So, I'd like to buy some big ol' impact sockets. We don't do a whole bunch of HD work, but I do a lot of trailers (anywhere from a 4x8 to an equipment trailer) and we have customers with medium-duties and cabovers. We don't work on the trucks much, but I don't want to be turning them away because I don't have the tools I need when the day comes.
Questions:
-SAE or metric? Does it matter much when you're in this size range? Is there a common size is either system with no good analog in the other? Such as, I know the axleshaft nuts on newer Dodges are metric, but most people use an SAE socket... I had to do some searching (and/or calculating) to figure out it's actually 43mm.
-Standard or deep? Again, does it really matter? I don't forsee a whole bunch of confined spaces, so the guy in me who wants just one set says buy deeps. The cheap guy in me says buy shallow, but sometimes he's too cheap and I end up having to later buy deeps.
-6 point or 12 point? Again with the versatility, and I know most 3/4" chromes seem to be 12 points, but I don't have any hands-on experience there. Also 12 points limit my brand choices a good bit.
-Does anyone make a set starting with larger sizes? Most I see start at like 3/4" for SAE, or somewhere around 27mm for metric. I'm probably replacing my 1/2" SAE sockets soon with a set that goes up to 1-1/2", and I have up to 27mm in metric, plus axle nut sockets up to 39mm... so I'd prefer a set starting at like 1-1/4" or 30mm so I don't have a bunch of the 3/4" equivalent of the 1/2" drive 10mm socket.
-What square sizes do I need for most Budd lugs? I see 17mm, 20mm, 21mm, 13/16... never had to touch one, so I don't know, but I'd like to be prepared. SHould I just get something like a piece combo hex/square set?
I know the general consensus is "buy the sizes you need as you need them" but that doesn't work so hot when, well, you don't really need them. When I need 'em I need 'em, I can't be putting off jobs for days waiting on a socket to show up. Budget for this is somewhere in the $300-400 range to get up around 2", so even Matco ADV is out. I'd prefer to buy a set since it's typically more economical, but if no one makes a bigger set and it can be done reasonably, I'll buy individuals. I've been looking at Sunex a good bit, as well as GW, even though they just sell individuals. Armstrong isn't totally out of the question to get USA, but they're only available individually in deeps, and only in 6 point.