universal impact sockets

[GeorgeFromPa]

who makes good universal impact sockets? we are done with snap on. its like every week we break one. they replace them but wtf? we have at least one a week that has to go back. thursday one nearly took my teeth out.. i have a nice mark on my lip cause of them. I work on truck springs and frames and we are brutal on tools, dont care about fit or finish.. just want something that wont kill me when i use it

 

[GeorgeFromPa]

P.S. whats the deal with pinless sockets? are they stronger?

 

[General Geoff]

are the clearances enough to use a separate universal adapter, not the dedicated sockets?

 

[gdocktor3]

Sunex makes great impact sockets and here read this from like a week ago - http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=335098

 

[GeorgeFromPa]

are the clearances enough to use a separate universal adapter, not the dedicated sockets?

yea but thats not the point.. im looking for something that wont break and kill me

 

[OutsideMachinist]

yea but thats not the point.. im looking for something that wont break and kill me

They have quality ones that wont break or maim or kill you. Im sure snapon makes them as well. He asked caused the only reason not to use one is because of convenience or clearance issues. If you can get buy without them you could save a significant amount of money just buying one quality universal adapter.

 

[53chevy5]

You may be in a bind. I know of people that got rid of other brands and went to SO for the same reason, and they were happy with them. That was before all the pinless styles came out though.

 

[dnschmidt]

This is a question without an answer. I sell TOPTUL and I don't sell Universal Sockets for exactly this reason. There is no tool on Earth that is more abused than a universal impact socket. The nature of how they are used is why they all break I don't care who makes them. I don't sell them because I'd have to warrantee them and I'd go broke doing so since they are so prone to failure due to the extreme nature of their service. This is one indispensable tool that should never have been invented if you're looking at it from the standpoint of longevity.

 

[trackwelder]

If your tearing up snap on swivel sockets like that I doubt any other brand is going to hold up better. I'm assuming your beating on them with a high torque impact under rusty, filthy conditions.

 

[General Geoff]

This is a question without an answer. I sell TOPTUL and I don't sell Universal Sockets for exactly this reason. There is no tool on Earth that is more abused than a universal impact socket. The nature of how they are used is why they all break I don't care who makes them. I don't sell them because I'd have to warrantee them and I'd go broke doing so since they are so prone to failure due to the extreme nature of their service. This is one indispensable tool that should never have been invented if you're looking at it from the standpoint of longevity.

You could simply stipulate that all universals be used with a separate extension between the gun and the universal, reducing the impact damage to the universal. The downside to that is that it will take longer to break free stuck fasteners.

 

[JJThrasher]

I've used my 3/8" SO with an adapter in a half inch gun and I've never broken one or any of my 1/2" ones for that matter. I had one get stiff on me, but I had it warrantied. I can't say I've ever seen one of these have sudden catastrophic failure.

 

[1950mercury]

They all break

 

[KnurledNut]

George, whats the failure point of the SO's?
Could you go up a drive size?

 

[T45]

Maybe look into industrial stuff -- eg Apex-- but price is up there...

 

[stevenhs]

Heat it up first. It will make the tool job easier

 

[xjfish]

My SO pinned sockets have been great and have been abused, minimal warranties. The Matco pin-less ones may be stronger? Might be worth a try in your line of work. I had a HF one come apart and tear a hole in my hand...

 

[BK13]

You sound like you could do us all a great service by trying the various styles and brands (pinless Matco/CM/Armstrong/GW; pinned Mac/Cornwell/ Sunex/GP. maybe KoKen.)

Maybe Monte can chime in... There was a mfr. of impact sockets from Sweden IIRC but I don't remember if they did unis....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Schurkey]

1. I remember when the common 1/2" drive impact wrenches had less torque than todays 3/8" impact wrenches.

2. At some point, impact wrenches will produce more torque than the drive-size will tolerate.

3. We're already seeing the result of high-torque impact wrenches on the longevity of the sockets and accessories they're used with.


If you're popping Snap-On impact universals, for fukk sakes do NOT go back to a universal joint + a socket. The last thing you need is to put all the wear onto a single universal joint--and, of course, the reason I went away from a dedicated impact universal + a socket was that I didn't want the socket flying off across the shop unexpectedly.

What size socket(s) are you destroying? What impact wrench? Does the application require the universal joint to be all the way to the angle limit?

 

[Skin]

They do all break. Try Matco pinless. Their design is basically a CV joint so ideally, everything else being equal, the stress should be spread more evenly as opposed to 2 points on a pin but they aren't immune to popping apart either. Usually the lock ring gives way as opposed to anything actually breaking but it can still fly apart.

If you don't have a Matco guy then warranty is a bit moot so you can also purchase similar sockets under Armstrong, Craftsman, and Gearwrench brands but Matco still has the best mail in warranty system of any of those.

That said, high torque impact + high line pressure + any joint...Honestly i'd suggest buying a Uvex face shield.

 

[TK-421]

If you're breaking SO, then I'd be surprised if you find another brand that doesn't break under similar conditions.

 

[GeorgeFromPa]

thanks guys... im going to try the matco pinless. I only need a few sizes. 15/16 and 1-1/8 mostly . truck springs and walking beams stuff

 

[gdocktor3]

I think Craftsman USA swivel impacts are the same as the Matco's. You might be able to save a few bucks going that route.

 

[firebox40dash5]

thanks guys... im going to try the matco pinless. I only need a few sizes. 15/16 and 1-1/8 mostly . truck springs and walking beams stuff

I've had them in 3/8 and 1/4 for a few years, and the closest I've come to "breaking" one was my 15mm lost the retaining ring and the business end came out of the base. That one in particular was prone to being put on a 1/2" adapter to get unit bearing bolts out. I abused the hell out of them and never had a material failure... not ro say you can't break them.

Pretty sure the CM ones are identical... but future warranty might be in question, especially due to availability. They're also a lot more limited on sizes.

 

[Wamsutta]

They all have a torque rating and some will have the torque rating printed directly on the socket. The question in my mind is are you exceeding the torque rating by using a 3/4'' drive impact wrench and stepping down to a 1/2'' drive universal impact socket using an adapter.

Here's what I suggest: try a PROTO socket; if that breaks, nothing else on earth is going to survive what you're doing.

 

[GeorgeFromPa]

They all have a torque rating and some will have the torque rating printed directly on the socket. The question in my mind is are you exceeding the torque rating by using a 3/4'' drive impact wrench and stepping down to a 1/2'' drive universal impact socket using an adapter.

Here's what I suggest: try a PROTO socket; if that breaks, nothing else on earth is going to survive what you're doing.

I use a 1/2 inch MG725 pinned sockets just **** for heavy work

 

[str8axle55]

I agree, the pinned design stinks. I had a MAC set of 3/8 years ago, got sick of breaking them. I finally warrantied them and promptly sold them. I liked the older Snap On`s, then they went pinless..I`m currently using a separate universal and socket.

 

[Skin]

Pretty sure the CM ones are identical... but future warranty might be in question, especially due to availability. They're also a lot more limited on sizes.

They aren't, the Craftsman branded ones are a smidge taller for whatever reason. Warranty for Cman, GW, or Armstrong would most likely be direct through Apex on the phone and occasionally they do want stuff mailed in. Their future as a supplier and product availability is also questionable with everything going into one factory. With Matco you can just swap at a dealer or go through the site for return labels. Still have to mail it in the latter case but its automated and is pretty quick turn-around (7 days).

Yes Matco gets their impact sockets from Apex too but seeing the initiative they took to find another supplier to make flex ratchets i'd bank on them for longevity in terms of product support.

 

[Schurkey]

They aren't, the Craftsman branded ones are a smidge taller for whatever reason.

Let me guess: Matco pinless are made in America, Craftsman equivalent are imported. The two different factories have slightly different dies so the products measure a bit differently.

Am I right?

 

[Skin]

No, both are USA. They haven't outsourced pinless socket production yet, even the GW brand ones are USA. Matco sockets are just spec'd shallower.