Why don't people just buy only impact sockets and use them for everything? Instead of having to buy a chrome socket set and impact socket set? What are the downsides?

 

Impact sockets are heavy walled sockets (thicker walled), so they won' fit in all the spots the hand ones do. Even the High dollar Snap~on's are thicker walled then their hand sockets, although they are thinner then the harbor freight specials. The other reasons are, most people start out with hand tools, not even considering power tools, and impacts tend to be more expensive (name brand). You can use regular chrome on air ratchets, but NOT on Impacts, so the only time this dawns on people is when they need the impacts.

 

I only have Impact sockets in my tool box. The downside is they are thick walled and 6 pointed to withstand the impacting without breaking. The chrome sockets are thin walled to get into areas where the engineer did not leave enough room to get a thick walled socket on the fastener. They are also 12 point. Sometimes I do have to find a 12 point socket to use because there is not enough peripheral room for a 6 point to fit.

 

VERY FEW companies make ANY 12 pt Impact sockets! Although we are seeing more 12 pt fasteners. S&K and Snap~on I know, carry them.

 

I have both impact and non-impact sockets and agree with the above, though I don't see the point of a 12point socket except for 12 point fasteners. I have found that snap-on non-impact sockets handle impact duty quite well. We often used them at work in this capacity and have only broken one, that was a 12point on a stuck mustang drive shaft bolt with a gun rated at 1000ft/lbs @ 90 psi behind it, only we had 150psi to the gun After a lot of hammering the bolt came out and we noticed a small crack in the socket. The snap-on guy gave us a new one though

 

I never use special impact sockets. I always use my chrome ones on the impact gun and never have had a problem with them.

 

That's a terrrible idea. The chrome sockets might work fine for pulling your lugs off, but the first time you try to take of a fastener that's really torqued down it'll break. Sometimes they just crack. Other times it can send bits of socket everywhere. Be smart about it and get decent impact sockets. And HF dosen't really count as decent.

 

I've been using my craftsman sockets like that for years now and have yet to break one. My dad does the same thing with his and never has a problem.

 

FIrst, the cheap old impact guns that come with those compressors, normally don't put out over 90 to a100 lbs of torque, verses the ones like the 2135ti which has 700 lbs reverse (1000 nut busting), so that is why some people get by. I have been in the situation where I had to use a chrome socket on one of these (2135ti)before, split two and shattered one, you don't want to forget your safety glasses doing that. The HF impacts are great for the homeowner, occasional user, but if you have the bigger guns, then your probably using them more and should upgrade as you can. I still have my hf's and bought some of my most used sizes of the better ones until I get a full set.

 

Impact sockets are pretty thick. 90% of the time though a impack socket will fit in the area you need.

 

12 point sockets can be used for both 6 and 4-sided fasteners.

MR

 

The younger generation always seems suprised when they see a four point nut or bolt. LOL

 

BEWARE OF H F IMPACT SOCKETS. When I had my truck garage I shattered a HF impact socket one time (thought I got a good deal) taking the rocker box off of a Cummins engine. A piece of the socket got down between the cam and the block I didn't realize it was in there and it broke the side out of the block when I started the engine. It cost me 14 grand and a good customer. Beware of cheap stuff.

 

Chrome+Impact=Bad Idea
I stand by what I said.

True, if it's only going to around 100 lb/ft of torque, you could probably get by. But if your only needing that much torque, by an 18" breaker bar. The problem with using the chrome sockets is that one day, if you work on cars often, you will encounter a fastener that will not come off that easy. You'll have to sit there and pound on it for a while with the impact wrench. And since all you have are the chrome sockets, that's what you'll use. And that's when you'll have a problem. If it was worth the money to buy the wrench, it is worth the investment in the sockets.

Tech 1, thanks for backing me up on the cheap sockets. Cheap tools can often do damage that outweighs their initial savings.

As far as 12pt sockets and wrenchs go, they're good to have and are often necessary in certain situations. They allow for eaiser axcess to hard to reach bolts. They can be used on square nut and bolts (though there are 8pt sockets made specificaly for them), and in the instance you run in to a 12pt fastener, you'll have the right tool. Having said that, outside of these limited situations, you should always pick the wrench that provides the most possible contact with the fastener. 6pt over a 12pt, box end over open end, ect.

Never use a 12pt with either an impact wrench or a breaker bar.

 

second tha motion