Deep vs. Regular Impact Socket choice

[doitmyself]

At my workplace, I inherited a Dewalt 1/2 inch impact driver wrench(the smaller DCF891B). I don't imagine I will use it a lot (vehicles, farm tractors/implements).

If only buying one socket set, which would be the better choice: regular length or deep? Which will have fewer "cons"? I'm favoring the deep, but wonder if the length will create access problems. Thank you.

EDIT: Just looking at impacts for this gun. Already have assortment of chrome socket sets.

 

[cptbarkey]

I have found that you need a variety of sockets, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2, including extensions of varying length. Over a few decades I have found shallow, mid-length and deep were necessary. You do not know what socket you will need until you approach the job. This is the mistake some folks also make when dismissing chrome sockets and go straight to impacts and suddenly your socket was too fat and couldnt fit.

 

[Oldwolf]

Deep so that you can remove lug nuts from wheels.

 

[Mechanician]

At my workplace, I inherited a Dewalt 1/2 inch impact driver (the smaller DCF891B). I don't imagine I will use it a lot (vehicles, farm tractors/implements).

If only buying one socket set, which would be the better choice: regular length or deep? Which will have fewer "cons"? I'm favoring the deep, but wonder if the length will create access problems. Thank you.

Either way you will need the one you don't have at some point.
If you can only have one, start with the cheapest, and save for the other.

 

[Kira]

Are you more likely to use it on larger stuff than smaller?
Don't forget the generally favored 6-point socket over a 12-point.

Either way you will need the one you don't have at some point.

^^Golden Words^^

 

[BrendanC]

i’ve always gone for deep impact sockets. rarely have i needed a short impact socket. just order a impact universal joint with your deep sockets.

 

[doitmyself]

Are you more likely to use it on larger stuff than smaller?
Don't forget the generally favored 6-point socket over a 12-point.

^^Golden Words^^

As a shadetree, DIYer, I haven't wrenched enough to even need an impact over the decades. "larger vs. smaller" ? Lugnuts, brake work, infrequent suspension work, ag and grounds equipment = "small/medium size 25 to 70 HP tractors/implements" - not the HUGE stuff.

I see this thing as somewhat a luxury playtoy?? Or, am I going to find out more convenience using this? Thanks for the input.

 

[Mechanician]

Your chrome sockets will work in a bind - but they're not going to take the beating long term.
They're actually harder, and thinner, but they're more brittle because of that.

 

[72C10]

Impacts can save you a lot of time. I regret not using them earlier. For a first set, I would get a deep socket set.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

As a shadetree, DIYer, I haven't wrenched enough to even need an impact over the decades. "larger vs. smaller" ? Lugnuts, brake work, infrequent suspension work, ag and grounds equipment = "small/medium size 25 to 70 HP tractors/implements" - not the HUGE stuff.

I see this thing as somewhat a luxury playtoy?? Or, am I going to find out more convenience using this? Thanks for the input.

Once I got one it was like, WHY, did I wait this long? Just for my 2x per year winter/summer tire swaps on all the vehicles ans so many things after that.

I got some of the HF deep impact sockets. That has expanded to short ones, variety of impact extensions and universal joints for them.

 

[cptbarkey]

As a shadetree, DIYer, I haven't wrenched enough to even need an impact over the decades. "larger vs. smaller" ? Lugnuts, brake work, infrequent suspension work, ag and grounds equipment = "small/medium size 25 to 70 HP tractors/implements" - not the HUGE stuff.

I see this thing as somewhat a luxury playtoy?? Or, am I going to find out more convenience using this? Thanks for the input.

Are you talking about an impact wrench?

Well worth the investment. When a simple task like taking off a tire takes 10 minutes with hand tools, a quality impact like hercules, dewalt, milwaukee and others will take less than 1 minute saving you time and energy for other tasks.

 

[benjamming]

I would probably go with standard depth & get a couple extensions IF only one path was possible.

 

[doitmyself]

Are you talking about an impact wrench?

Well worth the investment. When a simple task like taking off a tire takes 10 minutes with hand tools, a quality impact like hercules, dewalt, milwaukee and others will take less than 1 minute saving you time and energy for other tasks.

Oops. Corrected my original post to impact wrench. Thank you.

 

[Fa24wrx]

As a shadetree, DIYer, I haven't wrenched enough to even need an impact over the decades. "larger vs. smaller" ? Lugnuts, brake work, infrequent suspension work, ag and grounds equipment = "small/medium size 25 to 70 HP tractors/implements" - not the HUGE stuff.

I see this thing as somewhat a luxury playtoy?? Or, am I going to find out more convenience using this? Thanks for the input.

Specific tools can make a job a lot easier/ enjoyable/ quicker. Using an impact to remove lug nuts or lightly zip on (after finger started and never tight) makes a tire rotation go way quicker. Working on exhaust stuff is a lot quicker, too.

 

[bunnspecial]

As a shadetree, DIYer, I haven't wrenched enough to even need an impact over the decades. "larger vs. smaller" ? Lugnuts, brake work, infrequent suspension work, ag and grounds equipment = "small/medium size 25 to 70 HP tractors/implements" - not the HUGE stuff.

I see this thing as somewhat a luxury playtoy?? Or, am I going to find out more convenience using this? Thanks for the input.

Maybe I'm biased a bit by dealing with old rusty stuff a lot, but I can't imagine NOT having one.

There are jobs it makes simple that take a lot of ingenuity, grunting, and makybe even the potential to hurt yourself without one.

Aside from the obvious like lugnuts, I often find that rusty fasteners will break loose with almost no effort(and no rounding off) where you might have spent days heating, soaking, etc and still ended up rounding off of breaking when you put a 2' breaker with a cheater pipe on it. An impact wrench is like taking a breaker bar and hitting it with a hammer, a strategy that is great at loosening fasteners but is also very dangerous-the impact makes it safe.

Just as another practical example, not too long ago I needed to remove the harmonic dampener on my MG engine. It has a big bolt on the front. Some people will put the car in gear, chock the wheels, or maybe even jam a screwdriver down in the flywheel(especially if the engine is out of the car) while they practically stand on the breaker bar. An impact wrench will take that nut off with no trouble. The same can be true of flywheel bolts or anything else attached to something that can rotate.

 

[Lenny5160]

If you're already coming straight on a fastener with an impact wrench, there is probably a good amount of room. I would always start with a set of deep impact sockets if you can only choose one.

 

[The Critic]

For 1/2" drive, deep.

"Knuckle clearance" aka tool clearance, is a real issue with cordless impact....especially 1/2".

 

[AutoMechanic]

Deep sockets are always my first grab. So I’d recommend starting with deep.

 

[CarbonToast]

Deep sockets. I use chrome on mine when it works. Sometimes with a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter!