Impact sockets vs. hand tool sockets

[IFBwax]

Can impact sockets be used with a regular socket wrench. (as long as the size matches) If so, what does "impact" mean.. I know they are used for air tools primarily. Are they just tougher?

thanks...
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www.partypickle.blogspot.com

[G-wood Todd]

Yes you can use an impact socket with a hand ratchet. Impact sockets are designed for higher torque like for impact guns. They are made of a stronger steel. The only difference I have noticed is that they are a thicker wall than a standard socket and can take a tougher beating.
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[IFBwax]

Thanks much for your quick response!
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Owner of: "The Party Pickle" (a 1979 2 Liter FI "Raby Camper Special" Sage Green Westy Campmobile) & "Charlie Brown" (a 1979 2 Liter FI "Rob Grant Rebuild" Agate Brown/Dakota Beige Station Wagon)


www.partypickle.blogspot.com

[steponmebbbboom]

heres a controversial opinion, i am a road technician for a leading lift truck dealer. in the past five years of doing offsite repairs to lift trucks i have used my impact gun less than a dozen times. impact guns help with expediency but there are no fasteners that a 3/4" service set cannot remove just as well manually. i use impact tools for disassembly only. a 3/4" ratchet with a cheater bar can remove a nut or bolt just as well as hand tools, except in situations where the entire mass can rotate, for instance an axle nut or an alternator pulley retaining nut.

an impact gun can never torque a fastener by feel the way a ratchet can. your arm, your leg will tell you how tight a nut or bolt is with experience, whereas with an impact tool you just pull the trigger and hold it, when to release it to get a specific torque is an arbitrary guess. i keep my impact gun in the toolbox wherever possible.

[coW]

I use my impact gun only for loosening and then set it to the lowest setting first.

You can definitely shatter regular sockets with them, I found out. Wear glasses, whatever sockets you use.

[IFBwax]

I don't disagree.

So far I haven't found a need for an impact wrench in my limited mechanical jobs.

Here's why I posed the question. I saw a nice 3 socket set of unusual sizes on Harbor Freight. for under 10 bucks... but they were listed as impact sockets and in the air tools section. I wondered if I could use the sockets with my hand rachet wrench... since I don't even have an air wrench.
_________________
Owner of: "The Party Pickle" (a 1979 2 Liter FI "Raby Camper Special" Sage Green Westy Campmobile) & "Charlie Brown" (a 1979 2 Liter FI "Rob Grant Rebuild" Agate Brown/Dakota Beige Station Wagon)


www.partypickle.blogspot.com

[coW]

[meinvw]

[WM971252]

Torque sticks have problems... I have heard a lot of complaints that they never torque right. I am a tower so we were using them right out of the box.

[takotruckin]

common recommendation with torque sticks is to ALWAYS follow up with a torque wrench, just ask walmart- they now follow up twice after having that tire fall off
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[vwracerdave]

I only use air tools to take stuff apart. I only assemble with hand tools.
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2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK

[baja5]

After using air tools for the last 17 years daily,i can tell you that you do get a feel for what kind of torque your tools are putting out.Along with a little testing.I bought a new Matco Titanium air gun after 15 years and wanted to test it so i put in on the number 2 setting and ran some lug nuts down in the normal fashion. then i checked the torque with a torque wrench,right at 90 foot pounds,just where i like them.As for the difference in impact versus non impact, the impacts are usually thicker,as well as not having a hardened chrome plating.The chrome is treated and will shatter,where the Black impacts may crack but will rarely shatter as they tend to be designed a bit softer.The impact sockets will wear out sooner with repeated use.That is a good reason to but a good brand name with a lifetime warranty.Torque sticks are OK but in my opinion,Torque is like engine oil,better to have a little too much than not enough.

[howiesfamily]

Don't use Harbor Freight impact sockets with a hand ratchet. I had 3 out of a set of 7 that split on the first turn. Nowadays, I only buy high quality, lifetime warranty stuff.
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