# Using a chrome socket instead of an impact socket with impact driver may damage bolts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 4, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339 "2018-09-04T05:17:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amr\_hamed\_141739](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Amr\_hamed\_141739](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Amr_hamed_141739)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/1 "2018-09-04T05:17:42Z")
Hi , i have question running for a while in my mind and i am pretty confused about it , 3 or 4 months ago i was trying to get 17mm strut bolt out of my car using impact driver and regular chrome socket the bolt came out with a damaged threads which led to damage the knucle threads also and it was a very bad day , since then i am thinking about the reason of what happened knowing that at the same day i took five lug nuts with the impact driver and chrome socket and nothing happened at all !!! So what do you think guys is that because i used a regular socket on a seized bolt or its the same with the impact socket? i hope i find an answer here Thanks for help Amr ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 5:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/2 "2018-09-04T05:26:59Z")
It wasn’t the chrome socket that damaged threads. The danger of using chrome sockets with an impact driver is the chrome socket can shatter/explode sending shrapnel every where. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 10:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/3 "2018-09-04T10:19:19Z")
Agreed, the damage thread were from the bolt being cross threaded when installed not when removed. I have wondered how pit crews avoid that during races. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/4 "2018-09-04T13:10:45Z")
+1 With being cross threaded when installed the reason it was difficult to remove. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/5 "2018-09-04T13:17:05Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > I have wondered how pit crews avoid that during races. The lug studs and nuts are designed for the purpose with special tapers and lead in threads that allow them to start more easily. Of course none of this is needed on a commuter car for changing wheels let alone struts. I have witnessed a standard socket shattering under impact driver use. Good thing the guy doing it had on safety glasses. Don’t do that, buy the correct hardened sockets or you may regret it someday… ---
**Author:** ![Amr\_hamed\_141739](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Amr\_hamed\_141739](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Amr_hamed_141739)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/6 "2018-09-04T16:00:32Z")
thank you guys 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/using-a-chrome-socket-instead-of-an-impact-socket-with-impact-driver-may-damage-bolts/124339/7 "2018-09-04T16:37:38Z")
One trick race cars use is to make the studs out of harder metal than the lugnuts. That way if you do manage to cross-thread something, you’re screwing up the part that comes off quickly, not the part that you have to disassemble the hub to get off. Oftentimes a cross-threaded race car’s lugnut will just split and fall off the stud. In series where pit stop times aren’t as important, they’ll often hand-start the lug nut to make sure they don’t crossthread before they apply the torque gun.