Probably a stupid question but, do you have to use impact sockets in a rattle gun, or can you also use normal sockets? Bought one today at 80% off from a one sale sale at a garage, but I only have standard 1/2" sockets not any impact ones. -- Gavin. Moto Guzzi California Aquila Nera Suzuki GSXR600K1 Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby Blog: http://www.eekafreek.com
Just shut your eyes when you're using them. If you've got impact sockets then use them but if you don't have them don't lose any sleep over it. I'd avoid the really cheap sockets that split if you use a breaker bar with them but otherwise I'd not worry. If you're really paranoid then you can wrap the socket in gaffer tape, it won't make it any stronger but at least you won't be worried by the chrome flaking off.
Yep. Your are supposed to use impact ones, normally a powder black finish. I have one or two but use ordinary sockets as well. Standard socket "apparently" can shatter when used with a rattle gun so take care!
It depends. If the rattle gun is good and the nut is tight it will shatter a standard socket and the flying bits could HURT, especially in the eye. DAMHIKT Get the proper sockets.
Experience of using cheap sockets? FWIW I've used decent non-impact grade sockets with impact tools plenty of times and I'll do so again.
Experience , you may get away with the smaller sizes ( ive done it myself ) but once you start getting up around the 20mm plus sizes standard sockets split apart on any very tight or seized nuts or just chew the nut up , conversly they jamb on the nut or bolt heads if your tightening them Most rattle guns will happily apply torques in exess of 300 foot pounds and the cheaper units are not that controllable .
So say that then, rather than 'the gun will rip standard sockets apart', which simply isn't true. I've got a couple of sets of impact sockets, but I still use my 25 year old Kamasa sockets occasionally without problem.
Ok i see your point Older socket sets do seem to be far more robust , ive got sets of kamasa and teng both around 25 years old good kit
Kamasa rock. Think I paid 15 quid for my huge set, including some long 6-point jobbies. None of the sockets have broken & even the ratchets still work.
I mentioned on the classic group earlier about using a 32mm socket on my rattler to batter some over-enthusiastic peening into submission. That was a 32mm bi-hex non-impact.
I had one like that - most are MIA but what remains still works. I have some old Britool and Schmole sockets that are worn out but not broken. IYSWIM.
+1, except I did manage to split (not shatter) one of my Kamasas using a rattle gun. Found a replacement for it cheap on ebay.
Having just looked I have a single impact socket, the one that gets the rear spindle off the GSXR - looking at the comments, and the concencous being that standard sockets *might* shear/ snap/ shatter, Ill simply buy in impact sockets as and when I need them. -- Gavin. Moto Guzzi California Aquila Nera Suzuki GSXR600K1 Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby Blog: http://www.eekafreek.com
You can use any socket you like, but the "normal" ones are likely to split a lot sooner and possibly even shatter, but Machine Mart do a set of impact sockets for pennies, so there's no excuse for using non impact sockets. Also a lot depends on how hard the rattler smacks the sockets.
Standing behind the gun usually results in exploding sockets being nowhere near the eyes. Safety nazi.
I do it all the time and the only time I've ever split a socket, it was a shitty Britool copy from China.
