Thread: Impact Socket question

so i just bought an electric impact wrench cause it was the cheapest and best one i could find. i bought the wrench and my brother is gonna buy the impact sockets. they'll be metric sockets. the deep well sockets are sizes: 10mm 13mm 14mm 15mm 17mm 18mm 19mm 21mm 22mm 24mm 27mm 30mm and 32mm. the problem i have with this is clearly they are missing some sizes such as 16mm or 23mm. the normal non-deep well impact sockets are sizes 10-22mm and 27mm. should i go with the deep well or regular size. I'm gonna use these to work on my car and i don't want to be removing a strut or something and need a 23mm socket (i know its not the size but you see what I'm getting at) and be like sh*t now i gotta use regular chrome plated sockets. so here are the questions: should i get the deep well sockets or regular sized sockets? and is it safe to use chrome plated sockets with an impact gun? thanks

I do but I could also careless if the impact damages them because I have extra and/or are cheap enough to replace if needed.


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I also use "Regular" sockets on my impact because I don't see the need on spending more money on an Impact Socket. Sure, maybe if I was a real technician I would, but since my work just includes "basic" stuff in the garage on my own time, the regular sockets have been just fine for me. Haven't broke one yet, but if one ever does break, they are like $5+ to replace at any auto parts/hardware store and a lot of them come with a lifetime warranty.

^ Bingo


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16mm, 20mm, and 23mm are rarely ever used. I've never used a 27 or 32mm before. 30mm is used on ford cars axle nuts. I have a 34mm and 36mm for axle nuts.

That set should work out just fine for at home use, you will need a 34/36mm for axle nuts though. I currently have a cheap harbor freight set and half of them are broken. And it didn't include a few sizes I want. I hate them, but they were free to me. Call me crazy but I'm buying another full snap-on set for home use as well. Used, of course.

For work though, My impact sockets do not skip a single size from 10-24mm. Thank god for that, because there's always that one day you'll need it and never get over it if you bought a cheap set.

Don't buy shallow impact sockets, I've never needed them. Swivel impact sockets are much more important if you want to buy more.

23's are used on dodge ram heavy duty trucks.

Regular sockets can explode if you have a gun with enough balls behind it. When I have a breaking force of 1100 ft lbs, I'll never use a regular socket if I know it's not coming off easy.

But I doubt the impact you bought can do more than 200-250 ft lbs, the good ones that do 500-700 ft lbs are $600+.\


Swallow sockets are only nice if the spot you need to get to is small, otherwise deep sockets for everything. Swivels are awesome too. Harbor frieght has both sets, like 15-20 per set I think.

Forgot to mention the gun I use is ingersoll's 2135timax10yr with what they advertise as 1100 ft/lbs. Pretty sure it's actually around 780 ft/lbs. Very strong gun though, that's what broke the hf sockets.

Shallow sockets wouldn't help me at all being I have swivel sockets, the gun is to large to fit in small spaces anyway, so an extension and swivel socket get in that same place.

so my dad has craftsman sockets. i could just use those and if it breaks they'll replace it?

image_11505.jpg

heres what it looks like. the back end sticks out pretty far as it is and to me putting deep wells on that will extend the sh*t out of it and will be basically useless. i don't want it just for lug nuts so thats why I'm debating shallow or deep. oh and its rated for a max of 230ft lb

but those deep well sizes will fit most bolts on my car? like struts, brakes, lug nuts, engine bolts, etc.

Originally Posted by 02NavyBlue

Forgot to mention the gun I use is ingersoll's 2135timax10yr with what they advertise as 1100 ft/lbs. Pretty sure it's actually around 780 ft/lbs. Very strong gun though, that's what broke the hf sockets.

Shallow sockets wouldn't help me at all being I have swivel sockets, the gun is to large to fit in small spaces anyway, so an extension and swivel socket get in that same place.

are those impact swivel and extensions or regular ones?

I have this set, get in almost any space an impact gun can ever be used in. I added a 13mm to my toolbox since it's needed but isn't included in this set.

what about a universal swivel such as this

41JICtVPazL._SY300_.jpg

That works in a lot of cases, at home it might be fine. At work of course I get into tight situations where true swivel sockets are the only easy option.

i just need something to work on my car at home. like doing struts cause they need to be replaced

Impact sockets DO explode when they go, at least they can so don't have your hand on it when you pull the trigger. Gloves.

That being said... me and the rest of the world mostly use deep. Versatility being my reason.

I'll use a chrome shorty in a pinch, but not on anything very stubborn. Same with ANY swivels, extensions, or wobbles. Avoid.

Breaker bars worked pretty good for the first century of fixin cars in the driveway, I'd suggest that also. You can stand on em.

Originally Posted by idrivejunk

Impact sockets DO explode when they go, at least they can so don't have your hand on it when you pull the trigger. Gloves.

That being said... me and the rest of the world mostly use deep. Versatility being my reason.

I'll use a chrome shorty in a pinch, but not on anything very stubborn. Same with ANY swivels, extensions, or wobbles. Avoid.

Breaker bars worked pretty good for the first century of fixin cars in the driveway, I'd suggest that also. You can stand on em.

even if they're swivels designed for impacts? i mean the one i bought is only rated for 230ft lbs so its nothing that can blow a socket to pieces

I've seen regular mac impact sockets "explode" so I'd assume impact swivels can too. But none of my snap-on or my bosses snap-on impact stuff has broke yet, and we use them a ton.

Originally Posted by Pontiac Racer

even if they're swivels designed for impacts? i mean the one i bought is only rated for 230ft lbs so its nothing that can blow a socket to pieces

In my opinion, yes. I don't believe in giving tools a chance to hurt me. But I mainly do more bodywork than mechanical. But I have never had to use an impact swivel, that I recall. Every time a proud new owner of one shows it to me I cringe and just say "Nice!". I am guilty of using a wobble extension before, though. I figure in that situation a long wrench or short socket with bar is the answer. I really don't want to use an impact anywhere it isn't necessary. Where it IS, theres usually room for it. Those electrics are nowhere near as compact as pneumatic, but I don't see techs using air impacts much anymore. Take my advice with a grain of salt, I'm anti-anything with a battery!