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How does a socket wrench work?
A socket wrench is a hand tool with a ratcheting mechanism on its head. The ratcheting part attaches to a variety of sockets by way of a square nub called the drive. The ratchet can be set to loosen or tighten a nut. The ratchet keeps the socket in place while you turn the wrench handle.
Which way do you turn a socket wrench to loosen it?
To loosen a nut or bolt, the socket handle should turn counterclockwise. To tighten a nut or bolt, the socket should turn clockwise. If the socket is not turning in the appropriate direction, turn the lever on the back of the ratchet to switch the direction.
What goes on a socket wrench?
A socket wrench is most commonly a handle with a 90 degree ratchet, along with a set of cylinder shaped “sockets” of various sizes. The sockets fit onto the ratchet by way of a square nub. You can set the ratchet to either tighten or loosen, then keep the socket in place on the nut while you turn the handle.
Do you need a socket wrench?
Wrenches. A ratchet and socket combination (sometimes called a socket wrench) lets you turn a nut or bolt without repositioning the tool on the fastener — like you need to do with a wrench when there isn’t enough room to turn it in a full circle. This can make the work quicker.
Can you loosen nut with a socket wrench?
A socket wrench or ratchet allows you to turn nuts and bolts with more ease than using a regular wrench. The ratcheting feature allows you to keep the wrench on the bolt eliminating the need to refit the wrench every time you need to make a turn.
Do you unscrew clockwise or counterclockwise?
Typical nuts, screws, bolts, bottle caps, and jar lids are tightened (moved away from the observer) clockwise and loosened (moved towards the observer) counterclockwise in accordance with the right-hand rule.
What is the difference between a ratchet and a socket wrench?
Ratchets. A ratchet is a mechanical device that only allows movement in one direction. When it is equipped onto a wrench, it allows the user to set two turning directions: one where the wrench head is fixed and one where it spins freely. In fact, many may assume that a ratchet wrench is automatically a socket wrench.
When should you use a wrench?
Wrenches are made in various shapes and sizes and are used for gripping, fastening, turning, tightening and loosening things like pipes, pipe fittings, nuts and bolts.
How do I know which wrench to use?
Take the diameter of the bolt, and multiply by 1.5. This calculation and conversion factor is valid for either metric or standard bolt sizes. The resulting number will be the size of the wrench you need to adjust the bolt properly. For example, If your bolt measures .
Does a wrench tighten a bolt?
Types of Wrenches. Wrenches are used to tighten and loosen fasteners, mainly nuts and bolts. Wrenches are generally made from a chrome-plated steel alloy. The material makes wrenches both durable and simple to clean.
How do I know my socket size?
Socket set sizes The size of the drive socket (the part that attaches to the socket wrench). These are always given in imperial measurements, and will usually be either 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″ or 1″. The size of the socket head (the part that fits over or into a fastener).
Who uses socket wrenches?
One of the most common places you see sockets being used is in automotive garages, where they can be used with turning tools such as ratchets, torque wrenches or impact wrenches. The socket and turning tool are used to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts on vehicles.
Why are socket sets so expensive?
Now, why does the price range of the impact sockets vary so much? Good question. It all depends on how many sockets you’re buying in your set, and whether or not they are deep sockets or shallow sockets. Deep sockets require more material, so they are more expensive.
How does a socket connect to a ratchet?
The socket is placed on the square extension or driver of the ratchet. Once it’s secured to the ratchet the user can loosen or tighten a bolt or nut while the socket remains in place by just turning the handle of the ratchet.
Do you need special sockets for torque wrench?
Absolutely as long as you have the right size socket for the size of the drive on the end of the torque wrench You sure can, but don’t use them with a pneumatic system. A lot depends on how high you have the wrench set to twist the bolt or nut. If it exceeds the capacity of the socket it will break.
Can you over torque with a torque wrench?
So long as users operate with caution and do not exceed the maximum torque, most torque wrenches can be used for undoing. However, if the bolt will not free within the maximum torque of the wrench, another tool should be used instead.
