3/4" drive socket questions

[Robert_in_NY]

Those are all very useful responses.

I have a decent set 1/2" drive set that works for almost all applications with my tractor. It is a Mastercraft - similar to Craftsman price/quality from the Canadian Tire chain of stores here. I have both Metric and SAE for most socket sizes.

I've purchased decent larger 1/2" sockets for use with my tractor - upto 1.25". Probably should have bought metric given I have a Japanese tractor, but bought SAE. I will probably add a set of metric so that I have the larger sockets in both.

Most of my money is in good quality 1/2" stuff. Just bought a torque wrench 1/2" drive also.

Every so often, I do run into a need for a 3/4 drive. I find this to particularly be the case with implements rather than the tractor. Two recent examples are:

- I bought a 3PT hay spear and transported in my van with the main spear off. Once I got it home I had to put the spear on and the bolt way WAY bigger than my 1.25" 1/2" drive socket. Had to borrow my neighbours 3/4 set.

- I'd like to replace the lift pins on my landscape rake with ones slightly longer or add a washer or two to widen them as I find that the rake is 25" wide and the rest of my implements are 26 to 27". Again, my largerst 1/2" socket or crescent wrench won't fit.

I just hate the hassle of having to borrow stuff and so I figured I'd bite the bullet and purchase a cheaper Harbor Freight style (locally available at Princess Auto) 3/4" drive set for those few occasions where I do need it.

Have you checked your implements to see if most of them are SAE or Metric? If money was of no concern (wouldn't that be nice), I would get one set of each. But for implements like you are talking I think SAE would be more useful. At least most of my implements are SAE. Another thing you should consider is a bigger crescent wrench. I have two 12" wide mouth Crescents in each of my tractors just for those cases where I need to tighten a large bolt for some reason or another. I also carry a 10" in there just in case I need something a little smaller. My 1920 had a couple 8" wrenches because everything is so close together on that tractor I don't have the room for big wrenches if I need to repair something in the field.

Anyway, if most of your implements are SAE buy the SAE set and large crescent for those odd Metric jobs. If your implements are Metric go with that set and the crescent (make that two large crescents as you can never have enough of them )

Anytime I am working in the field I have a standard set of tools in my truck in case of a break down. I bought a kit from Home Depot that had a ton of tools in it. It was one of their Husky sets with 300 some odd tools. It gave me all the 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" sockets in SAE and Metric that I will ever need. Allen wrenches in SAE and Metric as well as a ton of screw drivers (the screw drivers are not very good but when you twist one Home Depot gives you a new one). They also give you the common sized SAE and Metric box wrenches but they were not enough so I bought a set of SAE and a set of Metric box wrenches that give me a lot of sizes for almost any job. I also bought a 3 drawer tool box that you can carry. It carries all the sockets and various tools that came with the set from Home Depot (I also added some wrenches, vice grips, 3lb hammer and pliers to the tool box). The box wrench sets came in their own canvas case you roll out to open. These tools will fix just about anything. Out in the field and I have been adding tools as something comes up where I need something I don't have with my mobile tool kit. Of course the tool box weighs over 100 pounds I have added a second tool box now so that I lessen the weight of the bigger tool box. A couple other things I carry that don't really apply are blocking and a 6 ton bottle jack.

The 3/4" socket set we have weighs almost as much as my main tool box I take to the field. I figure if I ever need the sockets in that kit then I might as well bring the equipment to the shop as something bad happened.

 

[AndyMA]

Has anyone seen such a system for organizing 3/4" sockets?

Vernon

I haven't seen such a system for 3/4. I stopped using mine even for the other sizes because I found it a pain to remove them. For 3/4 I would use a board with angled dowels, peg board hooks or one of the other things sears sells.

Andy

 

[AlanB]

My 3/4" set is Chinese.

Sad to say, but the Chinese stuff is getting better and better as it goes along.

Like others have said, I bought my chinese set, for the price of a 1 1/2" Craftsman... Then when I broke that one, I went ahead and bought the Craftsman in that size.

As the tools get larger, I can accept more crudeness in the tool.

My 3/8 and 1/2 stuff is an interesting blend of tools, Penncraft, Powercraft, Craftsman, Matco and a smattering a Snap on.

My 1/4" stuff is Snap on heavy. I probably have more $ tied up in my handful of 1/4" stuff then any other size, but when things are small and precision quality counts.

My 3/4 set is 12 point, wish it was 6 but that is what was available at the moment.

I am currently eyeing a 1" set at HF for the 1" impact.

They also have a "truck set" I will go find it, that has a mix of metric and SAE, well, I cannot find it, but am pretty sure I saw it in thier store, think I am headed there in a bit and I will check.

Anyway, had my druthers, get both metric and SAE, but the reality is that in those big of a sizes, one set (either) would probably do fine, 6 point allows more contact area, but requires more of a rotation to reset. Should not be an issue in this size of stuff.

Rick B, have you tried the long handle 1/2" snap on ratchet? I bought mine when a craftsman exploded and I almost fell off the top of an aircraft. One of those, I never want that to happen again experiences. I do not remember the model # but can get it if you are interested, but it has been a real nice tool for me.

 

[canoetrpr]

I don't know for sure but I am assuming that most of my implements are SAE. Pretty much all of them are made in the USA or in Canada (primarily for USA consumption).

Chances are I can get away with just SAE for a 3/4 set and use best-fit in a pinch. My use of 3/4 is not widespread but when I need them, it is nice to have them on hand.

I'll also take a peek to see if I can get slightly larger sizes for my 1/2" set and add the larger metric sockets to the 1/2" set.

 

[canoetrpr]

Here is another question that you folks might not mind answering.

What is the difference between impact and non impact sockets? I don't have an impact wrench but might add one to my arsenal. Can one use the impact sockets with a regular rachet?

 

[RickB]

Rick B, have you tried the long handle 1/2" snap on ratchet? I bought mine when a craftsman exploded and I almost fell off the top of an aircraft. One of those, I never want that to happen again experiences. I do not remember the model # but can get it if you are interested, but it has been a real nice tool for me.

At work the ratchets I use most are SnapOn, although I don't have an extensive amount of other Snappy stuff. I have a long 1/2 drive ratchet, a long 3/8 drive offset flex ratchet with a soft grip (my absolute favorite), and the 3/4 drive ratchet head and breaker bar head with interchangeable 18" and 36" handles. I also have quit buying Craftsman ratchets except for the home use 3/4 drive. I recently bought a NAPA branded 3/8 drive long handled flex ratchet for my road set that is impressive at 2/3 the price of Snap On. I keep the high dollar stuff out of the service truck for obvious reasons.

 

[RickB]

Here is another question that you folks might not mind answering.

What is the difference between impact and non impact sockets? I don't have an impact wrench but might add one to my arsenal. Can one use the impact sockets with a regular rachet?

Impact sockets have thicker walls, are made of softer materials, and have no chrome or other coating. They are most generally 6 point and can be used with hand-drive tools, although it is surprisingly easy to split an impact socket with brute force. Not to be confused with sockets that have an "industrial" finish and are not for impact use. Chrome plated sockets should not be used with impact tools due to shatter risk. The plating can also be more prone to flaking off and becoming a hazard with impact use. But there are VERY few of us that have never done it.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Rick B, have you tried the long handle 1/2" snap on ratchet? I bought mine when a craftsman exploded and I almost fell off the top of an aircraft. One of those, I never want that to happen again experiences. I do not remember the model # but can get it if you are interested, but it has been a real nice tool for me.

I also have the long Snap-on 1/2" drive ratchet. I use it to remove bolts when other mechanics break their 1/2" Craftsman breaker bar. The look on their face is priceless.

That being said, the Craftsman 3/4" drive set should do fine for your tractor use. I would get the Snap-on 3/4" breaker bar. Mine is 3' long and has never failed me. Especially this time of year, pay attention to the home shopping channels, they do a Craftsman hour once in a while. I got a great deal on my set there, then got the Snappy breaker bar. Now, I'm slowly replacing the sockets with Snappy's.

1/2" drive tools will work just fine in any application, until you need bigger. Then, you need 3/4" drive. Usually, when you find out you need the 3/4" drive, you already broke your 1/2" stuff and you are frustrated, tired, and have bloody knuckles.

 

[sandman2234]

I have a 24" snap on breaker bar that stands up to some pretty serious torque. Got it used, in a toolbox at a pawn shop owned by a friend, so price doesn't fall into it. I seldom use it, because I have a 24" breaker bar in 3/4" drive that is less likely to break when subjected to extreme torque. My 3/4" drive ratchet is 36" long, so it gets used when breaking lug nuts and other tough nuts. I really need to find a 3/4" drive impact wrench, but haven't made it a priority.
I know that a 1/2" drive feels better in your hands, and will do most jobs on the tractors we have, but I prefer to keep my knuckles intact as much as possible and overkill of the 3/4" keeps me from breaking the 1/2" and smashing my knuckles. I generally have to watch on reassembly that I don't over tighten them.
David from jax

 

[Bird]

I really need to find a 3/4" drive impact wrench, but haven't made it a priority.

I'm sure many of our members already know it, but for those who do not . . . Getting a 3/4" drive impact wrench will not give you any more power than a 1/2" impact wrench unless you have a big enough compressor to put out the volume of air needed, which also means you need to get bigger hoses and couplers; larger diameter inside to let more air through.

 

[KubotaSteve]

My dad bought the cheap 3/4" set from Harbor Freight and the sockets worked pretty good, but the wratchet broke in a couple of months as did the breaker bar (still usable, but the pin holding the end on broke) that came with it. Then he bought a Craftsman 3/4" set. We have used it quite a bit without any trouble. We had a 6 foot pipe on the end of the wratchet trying to break a bolt loose which we finally did. Another option is to get a 3/4" breaker bar and pick up a reducer then just buy nice 1/2" sockets that you can use with either wratchet or breaker bar. Dad bought one to go from 1/2" to 3/4" so he could use the harbor freight 3/4" sockets on his impact gun. Of course we always torque them with the 3/4" wratchet.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Steve, that's a good way to go. I never owned a 3/4" impact wrench, although I repaired/rebuilt several. And of course, both for my own use as well as my little sideline repairing air tools, I had several reducers or adapters to go from 1/4" to 3/8", 3/8" to 1/2", 1/2' to 3/4" and vice versa. I could even operate 3/4" impact wrenches on 1/4" air hoses to make sure they were working quietly, smoothly, etc., but of course they would not have anywhere near the power they were built for without going to half inch air lines.

 

[DonT-B7500]

I hae a set of 3/4 sockets but use a Craftsman 18 in. Slide Bar with a helper to break large bolts loose, once they're broken i'll go back to my 1/2 in to finish removing, the slide bar is considerably cheaper than the same size rachet and almost indestructable

 

[sandman2234]

My Ingersol Rand V-type of compressor probably has enough volume and pressure to run 3/4 drive ratchet, as long as I don't try to get a days work done in 15 minutes. Cut off is at 175 and cut on is at 140 or so. I would need to invest in some larger hoses if I wanted to run one, though. Mine came from a hospital that was vacant for about 10 years, and it didn't have much to do when it was new. I acquired it, then sold it to a friend who kept it for a backup to his shop, and in case they ever wanted to leave the CNC saw running overnight. He never hooked it up, so it sat another 10 years before I got it back when he closed his shop. I am pretty sure it will handle it, but if not, I was warned!Thanks,
David from jax

 

[Rara Avis]

Go to farm auctions and find a rust old Craftsman 3/4" set, buy it and then take it to Sears for new stuff...

Cheapest $50 I ever bid...

 

[AlanB]

Go to farm auctions and find a rust old Craftsman 3/4" set, buy it and then take it to Sears for new stuff...

Cheapest $50 I ever bid...

You may have a rough time with this as some, if not all / most (thats definitive eh ) stores will consider that abuse, and not something that needs to be warrantied.

While I certainly do not agree with all their warranty issues etc. I can see not covering rust and abuse of the tools.

Your local store may do it, but then again, they may not.

 

[Bird]

Cut off is at 175 and cut on is at 140 or so

I know I'm repeating myself, but for anyone who doesn't already know . . . Every impact wrench, air ratchet, and almost all other air tools are rated for a maximum air pressure of 90 psi. If you use them at higher air pressures (and many mechanics do), the tool will have more power than the manual says it does. But you also run a substantial risk of damaging parts and/or wearing out parts prematurely. Those 175 psi compressors were very good for my air tool repair business; helped me make money. And it may be that the extra power is worth the extra cost to repair and/or replace the air tool. Certainly nothing wrong with running them at higher air pressures as long as you understand the possible consequences.

 

[wushaw]

I know I'm repeating myself, but for anyone who doesn't already know . . . Every impact wrench, air ratchet, and almost all other air tools are rated for a maximum air pressure of 90 psi. If you use them at higher air pressures (and many mechanics do), the tool will have more power than the manual says it does. But you also run a substantial risk of damaging parts and/or wearing out parts prematurely. Those 175 psi compressors were very good for my air tool repair business; helped me make money. And it may be that the extra power is worth the extra cost to repair and/or replace the air tool. Certainly nothing wrong with running them at higher air pressures as long as you understand the possible consequences.

They obviously did not care for their tools if they did not want to run a regulator on their compressor at them pressures.

 

[diyDave]

As others have said, Buy the cheap stuff from harbor freight first, if you break that, then buy something better. I have owned and used a cheapo chinese 3/4 set for a lot of years (maybe 20). As long as you use common sense, and a breaker bar to break the bolt loose, they will last many years. I once was under a bush hog cussing a stubborn blade bolt, when the snap ring holding the cheapo ratchet together went whizzing past my ear landing god knows where. After getting the breaker bar and getting everything re assembled, I found the snap ring lying at my feet. Put the bugger back together, still usin it today!

 

[RancherSam]

I have a mix of Craftsman, Husky and Northern Tool. I bought a 3/4" SAE set from Northern Tool for $100 which comes with a lifetime replacement warranty.