My lovely wife is buying me a 3/8" impacting air ratchet for the holidays. Not a impact gun/wrench, a ratchet. It maxes out at 70 ft/lbs. My 3/8" sockets are all chrome and not impact. Should I be ponying up for a set of 3/8" impact sockets, or will the regular old chrome sockets be okay?
Impact sockets for impact air ratchet?
- Thread starter sciphi
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They'll be fine
Probably ok if they are good quality. Cromoly i would not worry about, vanadium would be less of a choice, it it only probably sees 35ft/lbs of torque. Its the impact that might crack one , but i doubt it. If it does, its not fast enough to hurt you.
P.S. i just saw you state 70lbs of force, thats pretty good for a 3/8 ratchet. Still , i think its fine.
P.S. i just saw you state 70lbs of force, thats pretty good for a 3/8 ratchet. Still , i think its fine.
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I personally wouldn't use a non impact socket with an impact driver.
They have special sockets for a reason.
They have special sockets for a reason.
True, it's not like this thing is a 500 ft/lb impact gun driving off seized lug nuts. I've certainly applied more than 70 ft/lbs to chrome sockets before. Although that was a fairly constant force, not repeated sharp impacts like an impact mechanism will.
Originally Posted By: bigjl
I personally wouldn't use a non impact socket with an impact driver.
They have special sockets for a reason.
+1.
I've broken a few 3/8" hand sockets using an air ratchet.
Save yourself the hassle, get a kit like this: http://www.amazon.com/Sunex-3342-8-Inch-Master-42-Piece/dp/B005MVB9Y8
I personally wouldn't use a non impact socket with an impact driver.
They have special sockets for a reason.
+1.
I've broken a few 3/8" hand sockets using an air ratchet.
Save yourself the hassle, get a kit like this: http://www.amazon.com/Sunex-3342-8-Inch-Master-42-Piece/dp/B005MVB9Y8
Two words. Harbor freight
Get an Impact 3/8" set for sure, no doubt.
70 ftlb sounds like the HF ratchet. Its low energy pin mechanism doesn’t hammer the sockets like a high power tool would but it will still pound on socket giving every corner a rounded look especially on the square drive end.
Its not the torque that damages the sockets its the impacting, bottom line is it probably wont break your sockets but if you want to keep them nice buy proper 3/8 drive impacts.
This one will ruin chrome sockets for sure.
http://www.tooltopia.com/ingersoll-rand-...CFdUSHwodngIEqQ
Its not the torque that damages the sockets its the impacting, bottom line is it probably wont break your sockets but if you want to keep them nice buy proper 3/8 drive impacts.
This one will ruin chrome sockets for sure.
http://www.tooltopia.com/ingersoll-rand-...CFdUSHwodngIEqQ
You'll be fine with the standard sockets. I have an air ratchet with about the same max torque and I've never even come close to damaging a non-impact socket.
Ive used the standard chrome sockets from time to time with my 1/2" dual hammer impact gun, and so far haven't broken any with that either.
Ive used the standard chrome sockets from time to time with my 1/2" dual hammer impact gun, and so far haven't broken any with that either.
For a DIYer at home, you can use standard sockets. If you work in a dealership and use the air ratchet 6 hours a day then get impact type.
Its a low power impact ratchet. It doesn’t sound like a bad tool from the description.
http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-professional-impact-air-ratchet-wrench-68426.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-professional-impact-air-ratchet-wrench-68426.html
Differing opinions here, but it would take someone with your exact brand and type of sockets and a similar air ratchet to really know for sure.
The good news here is big complete 3/8 impact sets don't cost big money like the 1/2" sets do. Use your chromes for a little while if you have to, but pick up one of the Sunex Master sets as soon as you can. I have their Metric master set and while I've only had it for a couple months, I really like it.
The good news here is big complete 3/8 impact sets don't cost big money like the 1/2" sets do. Use your chromes for a little while if you have to, but pick up one of the Sunex Master sets as soon as you can. I have their Metric master set and while I've only had it for a couple months, I really like it.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Its a low power impact ratchet. It doesn’t sound like a bad tool from the description.
http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-professional-impact-air-ratchet-wrench-68426.html
That's the tool right there. Supposed to be pretty good. I'll see, since there are a few fixes that will be happening soon that will be greatly aided by this.
Made in Taiwan, not China.
Its a low power impact ratchet. It doesn’t sound like a bad tool from the description.
http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-professional-impact-air-ratchet-wrench-68426.html
That's the tool right there. Supposed to be pretty good. I'll see, since there are a few fixes that will be happening soon that will be greatly aided by this.
Made in Taiwan, not China.
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Its probably not a bad tool at all, post a reveiw of it after you use it a little. I do like that it uses a normal size air ratchet head.
Tell the Mrs. you would rather have an Astro Pneumatic 1128.
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