Which 3/4" 6-point. socket to depend on?

[RnR]

I think I'll pick up one of those 25 1/2" breaker bars from HF today. But as this will be assigned to trunk duty for those unexpected and inconvenient tire changes, I wonder what single 3/4" socket I should pick up. While I can't load a breaker bar like some of you... I still want a reliable socket on the end of it as it will be for emergency deployment.

I don't necessarily want to invest in a set so I'm looking for (1) socket to complement my Sears portable mechanics set which also will be in the trunk (no 1/2" drive sockets in it unfortunately).

Thus, which brand would you trust the most for a 3/4", six-point, 1/2" drive socket?

 

[Herz]

Craftsman, they're sockets are really good. Even Kobalt will be fine for your trunk till the need arizes ( god forbid.)

And you will be keeping money in this country instead of china.

 

[Eddie]

Impact socket are the strongest but, maybe over kill. I use Craftsman for 40 years and never a problem, even when I bent an 18 inch breaker bar.

 

[Jakegday]

another vote for craftsman... but if you have to go cheap, at least get an impact socket of some sort

 

[The_Jeff]

Remember 3/4" and 19mm are kissing cousins. You could borrow one from a metric/standard set and never miss it from that set.

You may as well look around HF while you're in there. Impacts are hard to screw up.

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: defektes
Craftsman, they're sockets are really good. Even Kobalt will be fine for your trunk till the need arizes ( god forbid.)

And you will be keeping money in this country instead of china.


That may have been true at one point, but sadly many of the Kobalt branded tools now have Made in China stamped on them.

OP, whatever brand you get make sure you try it on your lugnuts before you buy, as sometimes the thick walled sockets will not fit. And consider a deep-well socket instead of a standard one.

 

[o2man98]

I would just pick up an impact socket in the size you need. I stay away from the Craftsman sockets for high torque jobs since I had one crack up the side and cause my fist to hit the concrete.

Warranty means nothing on the side of the road when your only tool breaks.

 

[RnR]

Originally Posted By: o2man98
I would just pick up an impact socket in the size you need. I stay away from the Craftsman sockets for high torque jobs since I had one crack up the side and cause my fist to hit the concrete.

Warranty means nothing on the side of the road when your only tool breaks.
I hadn't seen this suggestion before I headed out this morning. Anyhow, I swung by Sears and came away with one of the deep well editions. Knowing what my other legacy Craftsman sockets were like, I can't say as though I was smiling when I examined the interior and exterior of it from a finish perspective. This was one of the laser etched kind. And with the $9 price in mind, I wasn't exactly smiling about it either. But hey, it's Craftsman, right. Be proud!

Well, not so quick...

So, when it is convenient to do so, I'll probably swap it for a cheaper impact edition, likely from HF although I must not have looked hard enough when I was there as I didn't spot any individual SAE impacts on display, just metrics.

May need to clean my glasses!

Thanks for the suggestions guys, even if I need the Craftsman in the interim, I'll have something to get the job done.

 

[goodtimes]

I have had in the past to resort to a 3/4 spark plug socket, but it works. Except on the Toyota I found 19mm is required, or a 3/4 impact which must have a little more play on mine. Maybe it isn't strong enough for that bar.

 

[Steve S]

I have broken more Snapon work tools than you would imagine so I learned to have spares.