Shop for Socket Impact sockets are designed for use with powered impact wrenches or 'drivers', as they are sometimes called. Impact wrenches can be powered pneumatically (by compressed air), electrically, or hydraulically (oil). The combination of an impact wrench and impact socket can deliver greater torque to the head of a fastener than can be achieved with a manual wrench. How are impact sockets different from other sockets? Impact sockets have to be designed to cope with the vibration caused by the impact of the hammer on the anvil, inside the impact wrench, as well as the much greater levels of torque this can generate. If an ordinary socket was used with an impact wrench, it would be likely to shatter. The black coloring also helps to distinguish impact sockets from other sockets, making it easy to see which sockets can be used with a powered impact wrench. The drive socket end of larger impact sockets has a grooved ring around the outside. This enables a locking pin and retaining ring to be used. The locking pin helps to prevent the socket coming off the end of the impact wrench drive square due to the vibration during operation. Retaining rings sit in the groove around the outside of socket and hold the locking pin in place. How are impact sockets made to withstand vibration and high torque loads? Unlike regular sockets, which are predominantly made of chrome vanadium steel, quality impact sockets are made of chrome molybdenum. This is because chrome vanadium, whilst strong, is also relatively brittle. This brittleness means that if a chrome vanadium socket was subjected to the vibration and torque forces generated by an impact wrench, it could shatter. Chrome molybdenum on the other hand, is a more ductile metal that will deform rather than shatter.
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