Thread: Whitworth impact sockets

Originally Posted by WayneHall

Hi everyone, I appreciate the feedback. I have certainly had trouble with getting a good fit on some nuts/bolts using my metric and AF sockets.I think I'll take the easy/cheaper option and just buy some standard whitworth sockets locally.Thanks again.Wayne

Wayne,
Try your local Trash & Treasure market, I often find Whitworth sockets/spanners etc.
Even a wanted advert in your local shop might get results, lots of people retiring and tools become available.

I cringe when people use Metric or AF tools on Whitworth/BSF nuts & bolts. Yes, there are a few that are an OK fit, but best to buy the correct tools for the job. My wife got me a set of Whitworth combination spanners from a local tool shop, they were Trax brand, I still mostly use a mixture of old spanners purchased in the UK over 40 years ago (but don't tell her !).
British Standard Whitworth Spanner & Socket Set | BSW Whitworth
I have a set of Stahlwille Whitworth sockets I purchased, one at a time, when I got my first job in the UK.

Like JDNSW I've never needed Impact sockets (but I don't use a rattle gun), heat and a large breaker bar get most nuts/bolts undone. It's also handy to make tools to stop things rotating while you undo them with a socket & breaker bar.


Colin

Hi everyone, based on the feedback I won't worry about the impact sockets. I have had trouble with some nuts/bolts with my metric/AF sockets, so I will definitely be buying a standard Whitworth socket set to go with the Whitworth spanners.
Thanks
Wayne

Originally Posted by WayneHall

Hi everyone, based on the feedback I won't worry about the impact sockets. I have had trouble with some nuts/bolts with my metric/AF sockets, so I will definitely be buying a standard Whitworth socket set to go with the Whitworth spanners.
Thanks
Wayne

Hi, apologies for doubling up on my "last" message - I thought the first one hadn't gone through without realising there was a second page....

Cheers
Wayne

Originally Posted by WayneHall

Hi everyone, based on the feedback I won't worry about the impact sockets. I have had trouble with some nuts/bolts with my metric/AF sockets, so I will definitely be buying a standard Whitworth socket set to go with the Whitworth spanners.
Thanks
Wayne

If you can find single hex sockets Single Hex Socket.jpgrather than multi Bi Hexagon Socket.JPG they are a lot stronger & give a more positive grip of the nut / bolt head.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

If you can find single hex sockets Single Hex Socket.jpgrather than multi Bi Hexagon Socket.JPG they are a lot stronger & give a more positive grip of the nut / bolt head.

Interestingly my favorite YouTube author (AVE) just did a side-by-side comparison of the two types. In both cases the bolt started to yield before the head. The conclusion was that the flexibility of the 12pt over the 6pt gave it the advantage.

Of course, this was for good bolts. Personal experience is that 6pt is generally better for bolt heads with any damage.

Originally Posted by mikegf

Interestingly my favorite YouTube author (AVE) just did a side-by-side comparison of the two types. In both cases the bolt started to yield before the head. The conclusion was that the flexibility of the 12pt over the 6pt gave it the advantage.

Of course, this was for good bolts. Personal experience is that 6pt is generally better for bolt heads with any damage.

Yes My experience with booth types on extremely tight or rusted bolts is that the single hex will not round off the corners of the nuts were the multi will tend to round off the corners . also find the multi will wear out & stretch causing them to become a loos fit in the bolts. But these days with Whitworth you don't have a lot of choice . With second hand Whitworth you need to inspect them for wear internally . multi are good in tight places where you don't have much movement & it makes it easer to get the socket onto the bolt because you have a greater number of positions to put the socket on the bolt.

The LRSOC (Land Rover Series One Club) sells a range of Whitworth spanners and other S1 related tools at reasonableprices.
However, the postage may bite you.
The guy who runs the club shop is very helpful.