Wrenching a stubborn lug nut off the boat trailer today,

The socket splits and once again the theory of 'for every motion there is an equal and OPPOSITE motion' was verified,

Are impact driver sockets stronger?

Husky, Craftsman, who?

1/2" drive

Get a 6 point impact wrench socket. Any of them will do the job.

I am not an expert but in my younger days I would be right up on the Snap on Truck

I cant justify that anymore especially as a guy who doesn't earn a living wrenching
I am glad I have what I have

I think the level of the lower cost brands has come up quite a bit

I agree 6 PT is the first step

Hank

Not that I think they're any better or any worse but I've caught ridiculously low price stuff at Home Depot and Lowe's over the last few years. $100 set of wrenches clearance now for $15, that kind of thing.

With that said and with the extreme ease of Exchange at Home Depot and Lowe's that's what I use.

If I ran a garage and the Snap-on truck came by once a week that convenience would make me say Snap-on.

On a side note, I have found that if you slightly tighten an old nut before you try to loosen it it will often go much better.

SK

Should get a tire off huh?

Impact sockets need to be softer to stand the impact. I've had good success with Harbor Freight impact sockets. I've heard that their other sockets etc. have improved but I haven't tried them yet.

Just get a set if Cornwell sockets.

Napa makes pretty good ones IME.

Used to be Craftsman had that lifetime warranty on theirs. I've got a set, along with some NAPA

I have been using SK Wayne sockets since the sixties. Still have the original sets in 1/4,3/8 and 1/2 inch drive. Regular and deep socket. I have never broken a socket.

I've got a set of these in both metric and SAE.
(bought locally at Carquest)

Haven't broke any yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B..._rd_wg=6dht8&ref_=pd_gw_unk&th=1

Sleeve the one you broke.

Or get some impact rated ones.

When you need an impact rated socket, you really need it. It used to be all impact sockets were black and those for hand tool use were chrome. Probably still that way, i have not had to buy sockets for years. I bit the bullet and bought MAC sockets, i did get wrenchs from Snap-On, they felt better in hand.
Using lesser tools (craftsman) increases the chance of rounding off fastners, who wants that?
Air tools are MAC, the impact i have is 25 years old and still functions like new, as well as the air ratchets.
My FIL will buy tools from wal mart or similar and then get pissed off when the jaws of the open end wrench flex and round off a fastner, i just shake my head.....
I have a MAC taco stand toolbox with enough invested in it to get it and the contents insured and use something in the box almost daily, because i enjoy it.
Bought all this off the trucks when i worked as an industrial/plant mechanic in SLC a couple decades ago.

HF set for $20.

Made in Taiwan.

I have mostly Snap-on, however impact sockets are ingersol rand I bought at northern tool 15 years ago. Have never broke one.

Yes.
Lots have lifetime warranty.
Everlasting, Carlyle, craftsman, husky....

Got a set of impact SAE on sale at tractor supply for $4.80

I just bought a set of these off ebay. Can't say how good they are yet, but seemed like a decent deal. It's an impact set made just for lug nuts, with 4 flip sockets, extension and case. Will fit 8 different size lug nuts.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1243075210...3ocuN7wIVMvC1Ch1UZQCVEAQYBSABEgLGfvD_BwE

I bought a couple sets of these and they work great. https://www.ebay.com/itm/332113798024

HF has 2 levels, Icon and Pittsburgh. Icon is considerably more expensive. Home Depot carries Tekton, which is supposed to be pretty good, for about the same price as Icon.

I broke a Husky 13/16" deep set socket on a Model A wheel about 1961, or so. I thought there warrantied.

I walked into the auto pace with the broken socket in my hip pocket. I coolly asked about deep set sockets.

When Tom slowed down on his sales pitch, I asked if they were guaranteed.
When he said yes, I whipped out the broken socket. I got a replacement, but still feel silly about it.

That went back to a "Flouting Piston I asked about before that!

That place was a hotbed of jokers.

I buy Wright wrenches, sockets and drive tools, they are made Ohio USA. Summit Racing has them and the delivery is quick.

HF only sells sets. If one breaks, do they give you a whole new set?

The one I cracked open today was a Craftsman,

with Sears being no longer what it was,

Are they still honoring the warranty's?

Craftsman still says lifetime...but do you really want them?

In this particular case, for a boat trailer that goes on long road trips, I'd prefer something I can count on.

^^^^
yep

Don’t know about warranty, but Lowe’s now sells the craftsman brand.

Stanley B&D bought them
Find a dealer..

I've never broken an impact socket.

That

We keep a rusty old breaker bar, 9" extension and 13/16" and 7/8" impact sockets on board when pulling stock trailers.

If we are going very far away from home we try and remember to throw the spare tires on the flatbed.....lol

I've made a living with tools for over 30 years, Snap On or nothing, the rest are sheit in my opinion. You can sit here and name all the other bullsheit tool companies all you want, but there is nothing in a professionals hand like Snap On.

Unless you want a socket priced by weight... like gold, look for the best price, best warranty as they're all made in China now.

I do think some of the bigger chain stores may have a better finished, slightly upgraded quality tool but still Chinese.

g

Not true, all Snap On hand tools are made in the USA, some of their electric tools are made in gookville.

If I was a skilled mechanic I'd buy the best made in the USA tools available.


When the crackheads relieved me of my mobile tool set I replaced it with all Taiwan, USA, Spanish and German made stuff.
(and a new $1500 toolbox, made in the USA)

Should start a thread about these...

https://www.highwayproducts.com/c/truck-tool-boxes/

I was eyeballing the Icon tools a few days ago at HF, I was thinkkng gotdayum, HF tools done got snooty-priced.

I don’t see myself paying $80 for 10 harbor freight box end wrenches. People go there for cheap stuff,

Go to the other side of the lane and get the Pittsburgh stuff for $12

What is made in Taiwan is FAR superior than anything from China and likely as good as the best from what I have experienced.

It would take quite a man and a great big cheater bar to do so.

What kinda fugking loser doesn’t have a decent set of impacts?

Are you 15 years old?

I have never seen impact sockets that weren't 6 point! Or 8 point! For occasional use the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh will last you a lifetime!

When it comes to nuts, lug nuts are low on the list of finesse socket work.


#clearance

While you may get by a few times using a chrome socket on a impact wrench,they will crack/split on you one day.

I have several brands of impact sockets i use and some are cheap.

The S&K i have are doing the same job that ATD sockets do,ATD is cheaper.

If it's really stuck you need a weighted impact socket, the kind you use for crank bolts

I have found...anything made in the USA to be good stuff, I don't remember breaking any socket while hanging off a 4ft or longer snipe.

Exactly.

Especially on the new mag wheels, with the nuts inch and a half in the wheel! I've had to chuck a couple sockets in thr lathe and trim to fit.

Did this guy run a standard socket with an impact?

Anymore, I don’t screw around with stuff like that. If something doesn’t break loose with what I consider reasonable torque, I go straight to the Kroil and give it a dose.

There it is,

Lots of geometry to keep in line.

On a lighter note, I didn't break any tools today, while getting my old ford flathead V8, on the road again today! Back to 22 a gallon average! Even if it is 68 years old!

I've had good luck with impact sets made by Grey Pneumatic

Yup.

#dontspoilitkroilit

Angel piss is what we call it. K works more often than not. Good stuff.

How do you two apply Kroil to a lug nut on a trailer?

It sure sounded like it in the first post.

If it was an impact socket the impact wrench is not working right.

Kenneth,

Please tell us that you're not THAT stupid.

(fingers crossed)

Harbor Freight impact sockets. Cheap and they hold up.

I've wailed on them with various impact drivers, cordless and pneumatic, and haven't broke one.

Kroil is good schit. Hose down the lug and stud, give it a couple raps, and repeat a few times. Drink a beer, let it soak overnight, and try again in the morning.

All tire installers should use torque sticks, then the lug nut issue's become few and far between!

Sounds like a great idea when you are trying to change a tire beside the highway
I’d rather snap the stud with a rattle gun and be on my way

Bob, what's the question?

Were you using a standard socket with an impact wrench?

Don't own an impact wrench. not sure where you got that idea.

!/2" breaker bar with a deep well and and a 3" extension.

OK.

Just making sure.

I missed where he was stranded on the highway. In that event, yes, impact the hell outta it.

A bit of judicious torch work can also pay dividends.

HF Icon are decent, I mostly still have US made craftsman. HF impacts are ok, they are in town if I break something. New craftsman are not any better than icon, icon are cheaper.

I was not stuck on the side of the highway.......And I was not using an impact........

slow leak all winter long, nail inside the tread, thought it was maybe a rim leak,

Soapy water told the tale,

Once I picked myself back up...............

No schit. How do you apply kroil on any capped lug nut? Squirt it all over the wheel and hope it makes it to the threads? 🙄

👍🏻

These are good, I have also used Cornwell and Snap-offs as well. Proto Professional are good, the others are cheap junk. There are some tricks to getting stubborn nut's and bolts loose, going bigger, using more torque usually just breaks stuff. You should probably get a 3/8" and 1/2" Mayhew tool also.

No hoping to it, the damn stuff will get there.

If I remember right it creeps into spots as small as 1 millionth of an inch.

I used a Harbor Freight on a battery impact wrench to get a lug nut off a wheel.. Wound up twisting the lug off which, for my purposes, worked just as well. Proud of my DeWalt 1/2" impact wrench and the HF deep sockets

Got the same deal. Flat works.

All that [bleep] is going to to in this situation is get into your brakes and cause more trouble

A little squirt at the base of a nut isn’t going to make it to your brakes unless you apply it like a drunk mongoloid.

Not all lug nuts are capped either.

Tekton is imported from China by that scumbag Justin Amaish's family tool business. He is the Republican senator from Michigan who wanted Trump impeached the first time for tariffing the chinese junk his family pimps.

Kroil is the stuff legends are made of.

I wanna say that most of Proto's stuff is overbuilt and clumsy.

I don't generally have an issue with that in an impact socket, and the average guy will likely never break one made by proto.

There are tighter spots where some impact sockets don't easily fit. I have an old set of U.S. made Williams impacts that fit like hand tool sockets. I've never broken one, but I am a bit more careful with them.

Not a single lug on any of my trailers are capped.

Get a cheap cordless impact wrench and a set of sockets from China Freight ( likely will be made in Korea) and keep it in the truck. Mine is a cheap Craftsman model and has handled the salt corroded lugs on my boat trailers without issue. Give them a squirt of Kroil or whatever if you have time.

I like Snap On tools but have had some real issues with them such as their 1/2 inch drive ratchets not holding up. Oh and their price. McGowan is just as good, just as pretty and tougher in all respects.

I've yet to use these.

Tekton is made in Taiwan.

When you get into fasteners that require 250# to 450# torque you need some good tools.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Good God Gertie....it's easy to see who actually does this stuff and who just sits around thinking about it.

Kroil is P E N E T R A T I N G oil. It penetrates into tight spaces. Seriously good stuff; even for capped lug nuts. See below from their website.


"When it comes to freeing corroded items in tough spaces, nothing rivals powerful, industry-proven Kroil penetrating oil. Used and trusted by pros and experienced DIYers alike since 1939, Kroil quickly loosens rusted nuts and bolts, frees frozen shafts, pulleys, and more. No space is too tight to reach, thanks to Kroil’s ability to penetrate into spaces as small as one-millionth of an inch. Corrosion meets its match, as Kroil dissolves and prevents rust, cleans and lubricates, and displaces moisture."

I've returned a broken craftsman ratchet and screw driver to ACE about a month ago with no receipt, they just went in the back and gave me new one's.

At work most of our sockets are Proto, Mechanics use Snap on. Impact sockets not sure on brand but I have never seen an impact socket break.
Kroil is the real deal. We buy Aero kroil. In a spray can. If you spray what you want to take apart a couple of times a day for a couple of days. Kroil usually helps.