Impact sockets are thick-walled sockets made of tougher steel, usually black, for use on an air or battery impact wrench. Ordinary chrome sockets are hard and brittle. Under the hammer blows of an impact wrench they can split and throw pieces.
What it does
It carries the blows of the impact wrench to the nut without breaking, and grips the flats of the nut without rounding them.
Signs it is worn or failing
- Cracks at the drive square or the mouth.
- Rounded or flared hex inside, so the socket slips on the nut.
- Worn ball detent hole, so the socket falls off the tool.
When to replace it
Replace a cracked socket at once. Replace one that rocks on a new nut, because it will round the next tight one.
What to match when buying
- Drive size to the impact wrench (the square that fits the tool).
- Six point, not twelve point. Six point grips the flats and is less likely to round a tight nut.
- Metric or inch sizes to match the bike's nuts and bolts.
- Deep sockets for nuts on long studs or axles.
Fitting notes
- Push the socket fully onto the nut before you pull the trigger.
- Use impact sockets only for undoing. Tighten with hand tools and a torque wrench: Use an air or cordless impact wrench safely.