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What are Deep Sockets For? I've Never Needed One

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bobg03

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oldschoolcraft said:
I would like to eventually live on some ranch in a rural place with heavy equipment. I wouldn't buy any 1" drive tools until then because that dream may never materialize and I already have most of my tools in storage. But it's possible I come across some smoking good deal on 1" drive tools that I can't pass up to keep in storage.

There's a member here who a while back scored a deal on a full set of 20ish striking slugging wrenches for $80. For that price, I wouldn't be able to turn those down either.

If I ever get into doing drive train stuff on cars, I can see myself getting some 3/4" drive sockets in a handful of commonly used sizes. Just to have in case I take my car apart and get stuck on something but lack a torch to get the fastener out.
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Buy the torch, it's cheaper than the heavy industrial/equipment tools you're lusting after. Collecting things you "may" need would come after having a place where you need them.

You're putting the cart in front of the horse... :cool:

My buddy that raced Late Models used to tear up at least 2 cars a week that would have to be resurrected, he had big tools cause he lived on a farm with tractors and balers and some HD trucks....but that all it was used on.

I never saw big equipment used on any race car in my 35 years of being in that group.
 
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oldschoolcraft

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bobg03 said:
Buy the torch, it's cheaper than the heavy industrial/equipment tools you're lusting after. Collecting things you "may" need would come after having a place where you need them.
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I'd love one, it will be the first thing I buy whenever I buy a house. I think there's two types of torches applicable to car repair, acetylene and some electrical based kind. I think the electrical based kind could be used to weld a nut to something and then I take it off with a wrench or breaker bar on that nut.

I can't have either now, none of my friends whose houses I do my own car repair at have a 240V line in their garage that would let me use one of the electrical welder type torches, and I dont think it's a good idea to keep an acetylene and oxygen tank in my studio apartment.

jar944 said:
What are planning on driving the 3/4" socket with that is going to make a difference in your hypothetical scenario?
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Maybe I'm wrong, I never used them, but I assume a 3/4" drive socket with a 3 foot breaker bar can deliver more torque than a 1/2" drive socket with a 2 foot breaker bar.

Though I dont know if I will just shear the head off the fastener at that point if the 2 foot 1/2" drive doesnt work.

Some posts across GJ say that they love 3/4" drive with large breaker bars even for car repair, and some people say I'm crazy for wanting that. So I dont know what I don't know, never used them. Never came across a fastener that a 1/2" drive breaker bar couldn't take off. But when I have driven my car 45 minutes from my apartment to a friend's house to do car repair and I have taken a bunch of stuff off the car, if I hit a fastener I can't take off with 1/2" drive it's going to be devastating and far more expensive than just having a handful of 3/4" drive sockets specific to my car, plus a breaker bar. The big question is IF I hit such a fastener and IF the 3/4" drive would be work in that case where 1/2 won't.
 
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SlappyWhite

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I wasn't sure at first if it was a real question...

Although there are many other practical uses deep sockets are used to clear excessive threads on a long bolt or stud when tightening the nut (obviously). Most fasteners on a modern properly engineered vehicle should not have excessive threads sticking out as they add no real value. Basically having an extra inch of threads beyond the nut doesn't increase clamping force... That is why the OP isn't seeing a common use case. There are some corner case exceptions where a longer fastener makes assembly faster, easier, cheaper (like a long stud/bolt making it easier to mount the part or to pull two parts together--but these are not the norm.

Where mine get used more often than not is non-automotive. And more often than not I wish they were deeper....
 
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Cruzan80

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3/4 drive sockets make great spacers when trying to drive a bearing on/off. Big enough to contact the outer race, and the shaft is small enough to go thru the drive hole.

Otherwise, used some when tearing down the Hein Werner jack, as it had some gigantic nuts on it. And had to use a 3/4 socket with 1/2" reducer on my cordless impact to shock the arbor nut loose on my 18" RAS.

Only automotive use was for an old Volvo with lug studs (bolt went thru rim to tighten). Stupid things would over-tighren when driving, so if you didn't keep up with breaking loose and retorquing, it would get stupid tight. Had a 3/4 air impact to get them off when I forgot. Even the tire places would grab the 3/4 gun to loosen (it was a 3/4" head on the stud). It was about 8-10yrs ago, so before the stupid-high 1/2 torques came out...
 
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JradM

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Like basically everyone else who responded, I have a use for my deep sockets. However, I'm going to take the question and the OP's explanation seriously.

If you've genuinely never needed them and can't find any fasteners where you would on anything you plan to work on... then I guess you really don't need them.

I can kind of see that as a possibility. I'm rebuilding a 1976 Ford Courier at the moment - that's a tiny Japanese-made pickup. There really aren't a lot of things I would need a deep socket for on that vehicle if I wasn't taking apart suspension, exhaust or engine studs. You'd certainly need it to remove the wheels, but that's only one socket.

In that context, it seems to me that if you're doing more maintenance-type work as opposed to more serious repairs, maybe you don't need a deep socket set.

All I'm saying is that's plausible. Of course, you asked this question in a forum dominated by tool fanatics... It seems natural that most of us won't share your experience.
 
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tamaraw

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A few reasons why you might want to use a deep socket:
  • Nuts on studs/longer bolts.
  • Recessed fasteners. The snout of a deep socket is often slimmer than the overall diameter of the shallow socket, meaning you don't have to step down to a smaller drive size.
  • Threaded sensors (temperature, pressure, etc.)
  • Deep socket is more rigid than a shallow+extension, particularly for impact usage.
 
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chevy.stroker

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Here is a demonstration where a deep socket and universal joint on an impact is the right solution. A wrench and prybar may work, but is inefficient. Starts at 4 minutes


Deep is often needed on exhaust flanges with studs.

Many people do not have 1" extensions. I have installed headers where you could either use a shallow socket and 1 inch extension or a deep socket. A 3" extension nor a semi-deep socket would work.

Leaf spring u-bolts or shackles can require deep sockets.

Cable parking breaks need deep or extra deep.

Removing transmissions often require a deep socket to clear the bell housing before the impact universal joint because of the diameter of the universal.

I'm sure there are a ton more automotive examples.

3/4 is generally only needed without an impact for higher than 300 ft. lb. Add an impact and quality 1/2" sockets can handle a lot of torque. The weakness is the breaker bar joint. An example is a friend's tractor whose wheel lugs torque to 600 ft. lbs.
 
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T444e

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I just had to get a deep swivel impact socket so I could remove nuts off the exhausy studs on my car, ordered a set and had to use one size up as i couldn't fully set the correct size (rust). Need is determined by what is being worked on, however I don't remember ever not needing deep sockets on a fairly regular basis.
 
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Kurt4440

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oldschoolcraft said:
My biggest fear is taking my car or something else mission critical apart, and getting stuck. Now I've made things much worse than if I just paid someone else to do it.
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I admire your desire to learn and your comfort level with asking questions. Your fear will diminish with age and experience, especially when you realize mechanical problems can be fixed with, time, money, effort and brainpower. Don't worry about the individual jobs, and what it might cost, you are doing much more than learning how to fix your car.

To keep improving your fluid intelligence, once you master a new process, a new routine, a new skill, a new anything, you need to focus on learning something else. The key is to stay uncomfortable and keep challenging yourself.
 
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whateg01

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bobg03 said:
My buddy that raced Late Models used to tear up at least 2 cars a week that would have to be resurrected, he had big tools cause he lived on a farm with tractors and balers and some HD trucks....but that all it was used on.

I never saw big equipment used on any race car in my 35 years of being in that group.
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Not even a BFH? There was at least one in every trailer at the track when I was in the pits.
 
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Debcrow

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I have a 3/4 cheap socket set I bought from harbor freight well over 30 years ago. Most of the sockets have never been used. However, the few that have been used and the few times that I needed them nothing else would have worked. Nice to have when you need them. Over the years I have picked up individual others that came with other stuff from garage sales, auctions, etc.

Yes I have deep wells and use them oftentimes when they were not needed, just because they were just in hands reach at that moment.
Thinking back I could have probably done everything in my life without a deep socket.
Part of it is using the deep socket made the job easier.
Part of it is personal equipment, I did not need a deep socket. My *** life has not been much..... :)
 
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john.k

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Couriers were great vehicles ...had a 76 ,an 86 diesel ,and now have the last ever Courier an 2006 disesel ..........after 2006,they tarted em up and called em Rangers.
 
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Kurt4440

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garfunkle24 said:
I didn't mean to come off as mean spirited. My curiosity is greater than my tact.
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I am curious as well.
Oldschoolcraft has started quite a few threads with questions about tools and automotive work. I don't know if he is a curious kid working on his first car or a middle age man with a new hobby. Either way, I will try to encourage people to work on and figure out the mechanical world we live in.
 
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bobg03

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john.k said:
Couriers were great vehicles ...had a 76 ,an 86 diesel ,and now have the last ever Courier an 2006 disesel ..........after 2006,they tarted em up and called em Rangers.
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I had a Mazda believe it was called a B2200, basically a rebadged ford served me well til my needs outgrew it, pretty reasonably priced and cheaper to insure over anything else I could buy new while having an 8% mortgage back then.
 
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whateg01

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bobg03 said:
I had a Mazda believe it was called a B2200, basically a rebadged ford served me well til my needs outgrew it, pretty reasonably priced and cheaper to insure over anything else I could buy new while having an 8% mortgage back then.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the small Fords rebadged Mazda? The small ranger was the first compact pickup Ford actually made.
 
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bobg03

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whateg01 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the small Fords rebadged Mazda? The small ranger was the first compact pickup Ford actually made.
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That is quite possible and I believe you are correct, i purchased it for the price tag and insurance bill savings. My 78 K20 4x4 was a pig on fuel and the insurance was high so I got this to use on my 45 mile round trip for work.
 
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Citation

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whateg01 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the small Fords rebadged Mazda? The small ranger was the first compact pickup Ford actually made.
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The pre-Ranger Fords were rebadged Mazdas. Later when Mazda stopped importing their own trucks they sold rebadged Rangers and 1st gen Explorers.
 
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whateg01

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I guess there may have been different rebadging going on overseas where the Mazda built Fords continued. I didn't realize the courier name was continued overseas, for example. So I'll not sure what version of the courier was mentioned above
 
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Joemctag

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Joemctag said:
Well, maybe I’m different. Say I’m going to loosen or tighten a fastener in an engine bay. There’s usually alot of stuff in the way, so to swing the ratchet, I need a certain total length of sockets and extensions. And often a long socket is one of those. Always seemed obvious. Short and long and every possible length of extension, particularly short ones.
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Also, whether loosening or tightening, by hand, not impact, I want to get the ratchet far enough away from the fastener to allow me to have one hand on the ratchet head and one on the other end. So you’re twisting the “driveline” without a “side-force”. Always seemed obvious.
 
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BlakeTheCarGuy

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Personally deep sockets are my first grab. But I use both short and long on a daily basis usually. Even if not needed still better to use a deep than shallow socket. It will be needed on some things like I’ve ran into bolts on alternators or other parts where a deep is required because it has a stud sticking out. And also for things like most axle nuts and stuff you need a deep socket not all but most.
 
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larry4406

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Make sure your deep sockets are fully broached.

I too grab these first. I’m right handed. I use my left hand at the ratchet/socket location and my right hand to push/pull the ratchet.

The length off the socket helps control the force application to that only of torque.
 
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danielbuck

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leaf spring U bolts (at least on my 4x4 vehicles) usually need a deep socket. Honestly, I usually grab my deep sockets when working on my vehicles, I guess I'm just used to using them. Even if you don't need the extra space inside the socket, sometimes having a longer socket is just easier, kind of like a real short extension. If I'm in a situation that NEEDS a shallow socket for clearance or whatever, then I'll grab the regular/shallow ones.
 
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