If you’re looking for a tool for tightening the bolts and nuts, you have to choose a suitable one, either you go for a nut driver or a socket that would be suitable for your work.
Both types of tools are common in garage and repair works, but users get to know the different experiences of usage with each fitting tool. In this guide, we described all the differences between a nut driver and a socket.
You might become good at fixing stuff when you know all the authentic benefits and work purposes of bold and nut-tightener tools.
Let’s dive into the guide on nut vs socket, so you can easily decide which one is suitable for your work when you go for tightening something.
Table of Contents
What Is A Nut Driver?
A nut driver is a tool used for nut and bolt tightening works. Typically, this tool is used for lower-torque appliances. It looks similar to a screwdriver as its shaft is attached to a cylindrical handle.
The nut driver has a socket attached to a shaft. Commonly, the shape of the shaft is hollow, including various variations such as a T-shape nut driver for better grip, a flex shaft, a socket with a recessed magnet, etc. Stainless steel, plastic, and rubber are common materials used to construct a nut driver. Most users of this tool found it easy to use and handy.
The weight of nut drivers depends on every variation, as there are small-sized and bigger-sized nut drivers to use for different tasks. Variation appears like the screwdriver is less weighty than a T-shape nut driver.
What Is A Socket?
A Socker is a stainless steel-made tool used to tighten mechanical fasteners. Moreover, it is used in a variety of manufacturing industries to tighten hex head bolts and screws. Typically, it comes in a hexagonal shape on one end and the other end shape is square to fit over the shaft of the wrencher.
There are two types of socket shapes one has 6 points and the second one has 12 points (24 facets) for use with hexagonal nuts. Three commonly used variations are the Spline socket, Torx socket, and “6 points” hexagonal socket. However, all are used to tighten nuts with hexagonal head shapes but each type holds the nut with a different level of tightness.
It requires a wrecker to fit in, every socket has a fixed size for a square-shaped end to fit on the wrecker shaft, no matter whether you are using a small 16mm or 24mm socket.
What Do You Use Nut Driver And Socket For?
Which tool you’re required to use, the Nut Driver or Socket, totally depends on the task you’re going to perform. For example, if an application requires higher torque then you have to use a Socket, otherwise, if the bolt or nut needs lower torque then a Nut driver is suitable to use.
If you’re a technician, a Nut Driver would be suitable for your work. Moreover, it helps in a variety of technical tasks such as mounting panels and boxes, installing ballast, and to start stripping the nut bolt. Most professionals found it very handy and user-friendly. You can use it to tighten and assemble lightweight things, moreover, best for home use.
If you’re going to assemble parts and those parts require high torque and force to tighten nut bolts, no doubt a Socket is required. Socket tight nuts and bolts faster with the help of a wrench or driver gun that has a shaft end to attack the socket. Sockets can be used to tighten tires, bigger machine parts, for mechanical works, and assembling too much weight items.
What Is The Difference Between A Nut Driver And Socket?
Many differences make both tools unique and different from each other. Moreover, it’s easy to choose a suitable tool for you when you know the specifications of each tool.
- Using Method: if there is a need for a tool to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts faster within seconds, Socket could be used. Moreover, the Nut driver can be only used manually, whereas you can use an automatic electric air compressor-based socket driver to use the socket.
- Weight Comparison: The socket requires a wrench or driver to work which increases its weight in comparison to a nut driver. Nut driver is very handy and light in weight. If you’re in search of a handy and convincing nut bolt tighten tool, you might likely use Nut driver.
- Price Difference: A 16mm deep socket costs 5 – 6 dollars. Standard-sized Nut driver costs 24 – 25 dollars. But keep in mind that you require an additional tool called a ratchet to use the socket which may cost you an extra 26-30 dollars. In simple words, it will cost you a minimum of 31 dollars to buy a socket and ratchet both.
- Durability: It’s hard to say which one is more durable since the brand you will buy matters most, as the company is responsible for the long and short life span of any product. But if you correctly use them, they will work for many years. Always choose quality-made tools since we use them forcibly and with strength.
Usage Purpose Of Nut Drivers And Socket:
A Socket and A Nut Driver have the same purpose behind their use, tightening the nut, bolts, and screws. But they are used in different works. For example, a socket is the best tool for the car and machine assembling industry, whereas the Nut Driver is the best tool for manually loosening and tightening nuts and bolts for low torque appliances such as automotive repair and electronic assembling, etc.
As a Nut driver is handier, people can use it to fix their objects on walls such as scenery, photos, and anything which requires bolts.
If you buy a Nut driver then you don’t need any other tool to use it, but in the case of Socket, you need to have a wrencher or a socket driver gun to use it.
In simple words, you need additional tools to make use of the socket, which requires extra money to buy a wrench or socket driver gun aside from the socket alone.
Few experts recommended using nut drivers as they reported them handier and someone said that handy properties are the primary reason why it earned space in their toolbox. Moreover, Socket is great to do strength and hand-tightening work.
Are Nut Drivers The Same As Sockets?
As we described earlier, Nut Drivers are not the same as Sockets. However, they are used to perform the same task: tighten and loosen nuts and bolts.
The socket is a very small tool than the Nut Driver, the shape of a socket is generally round and 2 to 3 inches larger like a small piece of pipe, on the other hand, Nut Driver appears like a screwdriver tool but the only difference is that it has permanently attached socket to the hollow shaft, otherwise both tools can be used to do specific works.
Everyone can easily define what a tool is by standing far away from tools since they are different look wise. You have the option to use a socket in two ways: manually or with the use of a driver gun, but if you’re gonna be a Nut driver, you have no option other than manually operating it.