What size impact sockets are needed?

   / What size impact sockets are needed? #1  

newbury

Super Star Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
14,845
Location
From Vt, in Va, retiring to MS
Tractor
Kubota's - B7610, M4700
Finally got a decent impact wrench.
Vehicles maintained:
Ford F350 w/ Equalizer Hitch
Kubota M4700
I think the equalizer hitch takes a 1 1/16 or 1 1/4 (32mm).
Does anyone routinely go bigger?
/edit - just want to be prepared
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #2  
Yup, axle nuts are bigger for sure. My Dodge transfer cases have had 30 and 32 mm plugs. I just buy the bigger ones as needed.
Also have some over 1 1/4 on the tractors...
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I just buy the bigger ones as needed.
That's one way to do it.
But I'm often knee deep in other problems and I think the largest I have may be 30mm.
And with supply-chain problems delivery may be problematic and the Harbor Freight is almost 100 miles, round trip when I'm in Mississippi
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #5  
Ebay or Amazon once I know I need it. Way to far to go buy one locally. If I need new size most likely I'm waiting on parts as well....
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #6  
Axel nuts and hydraulic cylinder glands. But axel nuts are usually special sockets and the cylinder nuts are so tight it’s more specialized equipment. My regular socket set goes to 1.5” which is usually good enough. I have a 3/4” drive set that goes bigger that I use occasionally.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #7  
My "inch" impact socket set goes up to 1-1/8 inches.... Anything large I consider "special" and buy single socket accordingly....

My "metric" impact socket set goes up to 24mm .... As above anything larger is "special" purchase...

The metric set I picked up was this one, seems pretty go for the even low price.... Think I payed the full $50 price...

 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #8  
These packout sockets aren’t the best value, you could get a harbor freight set for under half the price but it’s worth it to have them organized vs falling all over the place.
IMG_3956.JPG
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #9  
Get a 1" drive socket set and you will be golden
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #10  
These packout sockets aren’t the best value, you could get a harbor freight set for under half the price but it’s worth it to have them organized vs falling all over the place. View attachment 807984
That case would be broken in 3 days in our work environment. lol
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #11  
Get a 1" drive socket set and you will be golden
I was going to suggest that or 3/4”.
There’s a lot of used socket sets, many well made (not chinese) available on FBM or CL.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #12  
I have a set of cheap 3/4" drive sockets. Not harbor freight, but on par quality wise. I think the brand was "grip".

Bought the set years ago at a discount store before HF's became popular. Like $40 or something. Not even impact grade. Goes from 15/16 up to 2".

In the larger sizes like this.....6-point sockets.....I have yet to even find a metric nut that one of the SAE sockets wouldnt work on. ANd in 20 years, with breaker bars, 6' cheater pipes, and an IR 2145ti impact.....havent broke a single one.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #13  
If you have an impact wrench/driver, then use impact sockets. They're a little softer than standard sockets--Made for impact work. I have from 1/4" drive up to 1" drive impact sockets. I've never broken one of those either, but I have broken chrome sockets before.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #14  
Like 4570man - I have a 1/2" impact socket set. I use them with my manual socket wrench for those really tough situations. Otherwise I have about six 3/4" impact sockets that I use with my impact gun. All six are over 1" sockets.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #15  
Axel nuts and hydraulic cylinder glands. But axel nuts are usually special sockets and the cylinder nuts are so tight it’s more specialized equipment. My regular socket set goes to 1.5” which is usually good enough. I have a 3/4” drive set that goes bigger that I use occasionally.
Kind of curious as to what an 'axel' nut is. Never heard of that..

I believe you mean axle nut.

I have the HF black oxide impact sockets in metric and SAE and I've never split one. I have split Snap-On, MAC and SK Wayne.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #16  
These packout sockets aren’t the best value, you could get a harbor freight set for under half the price but it’s worth it to have them organized vs falling all over the place. View attachment 807984
If it's branded 'Milwaukee', I run away quick. 'Milwaukee' stuff is over priced generally.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed?
  • Thread Starter
#17  
If you have an impact wrench/driver, then use impact sockets. They're a little softer than standard sockets--Made for impact work. I have from 1/4" drive up to 1" drive impact sockets. I've never broken one of those either, but I have broken chrome sockets before.
Hence the title " What size impact sockets are needed?".
My new impact wrench, DEWALT DCF900P1, specs up to 1400 breakout.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #18  
If it's branded 'Milwaukee', I run away quick. 'Milwaukee' stuff is over priced generally.
I like the Milwaukee pack-out system for sailing gear, all the organized bins to sort pins, shackles, ring dings, bobbles, and the big bins for lines, foul weather gear, etc. Great to be able to wheel it off the truck and right down to the dock. Also, relatively weather-proof, so all your gear stays dry, even in nasty coastal salt-water environments.

But I wouldn't even think of using that plastic crap as an actual tool box around tractors and equipment! Like Hay Dude, I think I'd break it in less than a week, and that comes from someone who actually owns a bunch of them.

Yeah, they've got an insane mark-up on that crap, they'd probably make a killing selling it at half of market price. But for a very portable and stackable system that keeps gear dry in the bed of a pickup sitting by the boat ramp in salt spray and rain, it works better than other things I've tried.

As to the OP, I'd just buy an SAE set up to 1-1/8" and a metric set up to 30mm, or whatever you find at decent price. Sizes above this are usually bought one at a time, as they're all special purpose, and very few weekend mechanics need every size above 1-1/8" or 30mm.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #19  
I learned the hard way. When you see the chrome splitting off your standard Snap-On or Proto sockets - you know you should have used impact sockets. I had this happen long before I ever had an impact gun.
 
   / What size impact sockets are needed? #20  
I have the 55 piece Kobalt set. Goes up to 1 1/16. I also just buy what I need larger than that. Set has held up to the m18 high torque no issues.
 

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