Drive sockets

Drive sockets: what you need to know

Drive sockets are special accessories used for tightening and loosening of fasteners with faceted heads. They have a tubular shape with the inner recess that has a shape similar to the one of the head of the fastener. They ensure a secure grip around the entire fastener head, therefore they are perfect for loosening fasteners in hard-to-reach places.

What are the types of drive sockets?

By the shape of the socket:

• Hexagonal (hex). The most widely used.
• 12-point (bi-hexagonal). Suitable for working both with twelve- and six-point fasteners. Provide a more precise and secure grip of the fastener.
• SuperLock. Inside their recess they have curved projecting parts, thanks to which the force applied to the corners of the fastener head is reduced. Intended for loosening rounded off nuts, bolts, etc.
• TORX External. Their internal recess has a shape of a six-point star. For fasteners with external TORX drive.
• Spline. They are universal. Suitable for fasteners of different designs.

By design and application area:

• Standard drive sockets. The are the most common.
• Deep drive sockets. Suitable for work in hard-to-reach places.
• Swivel (flex) drive sockets. They allow to loosen the fasteners in places which are difficult to reach. They are not as durable as one-piece accessories.
• Spark plug drive sockets. Have thin walls and a special rubber insert or a magnet to provide a secure fit of a spark plug inside the socket.
• Drive sockets with a cut-out section. Designed for elements with an irregular shape such as various sensors, engine components.
• Pass-through drive sockets. Suitable for mounting and demounting of nuts screwed on long threaded pins.
• Impact drive sockets. They are characterised by high durability. Suitable for impact tools.

Tips on using drive sockets

You should use drive sockets only for the intended purpose. For example, swivel accessories cannot be used with air tools. And standard items aren’t suitable for impact equipment.

Before you get down to work, make sure that there is no damage on the surface of the socket. After that, you should check whether the accessory is securely attached. The size and shape of the socket drive must fit the parameters of the fastener; otherwise, there is a risk of stripping the edges.

In order to protect your tools from corrosion, it is recommended to keep them in a dry, well-ventilated room, in a special case.

AUTODOC: convenient online shopping

A great variety of tools are required for maintenance of different car units and assemblies. It isn’t always a good idea to buy a set of wrenches. It is much more cost-efficient to turn the tools you already have into versatile ones with the help of interchangeable heads. That’s why we recommend you to buy drive sockets (a socket set would be even better) to tighten and loosen multifarious fasteners, sensors and other threaded parts quickly and easily. Contact our specialists to place an order rapidly. You can get in touch with them via email, phone or online chat.