CollectingSnapOn.com

Hi guys i re ently found some old snap on impact flex sockets




One is imbf-12 and the other is imbf 16d

My local truck said they were milatary. So was he lying to me so he didnt have to exchange them?

those were not millitary. i wouldn't assume that he was lying to get out of warranty though, he may not have seen those before. you can find them in 60's and early 70's catalogs.

What is the difference in the designs between the universal joint type and this type - with the internal joint?

Well he had made a phone call since he didnt reconise these. And then told me they were military ...
these are just typical ball socket joint with a load spring and a single pin. Much like todays style if not identical other than the cone to the socket.

Krusty is right. They are not military. That was the way the impact flex-sockets were made. The ball was on the drive end and the pin was on the socket end. I expect the dealer honestly didn't know. You might look to see if it is date stamped with a stylized number. At least that would give a year of manufacture, if you're interested. It was probably in the late 70s that manufacturing changed to the configuration you see today. Also, "IMBF" is a good prefix. That is the prefix that design displayed.
And Frank, if by difference in design you mean the block you see in the chrome sockets versus the ball design pictured, the block design would never survive the hammering of the impact wrench.

Just one more thing. If you happen to see a Snap-on tool at a garage sale or pawn shop that has a"V" in e part number, that is most likely a military tool. For example, a 3/8" drive ratchet would have an "FV" as a part of the part number. It was sold to the government at a price that didn't include any warranty because it would float off the base almost as fast as they could get them. They were also not the same quality. They were manufactured to military specification to get the business. If they were manufactured to Snap-on standards, Snap-on would not have gotten the contracts because they would not have been price competitive. There is one exception to this rule (as with most rules). The "VS" series angle open end wrenches have a "V" as part of their number.

Well the truck dealer still doesnt want to touch them.
Is there a way to send them directly to snap on or get in contact to confirm they are still under warranty ?