Buy Socket Sets Online in Australia
Socket Sets — Quick Reference
AIMS Industrial stocks more than 170 socket sets, from compact 1/4" drive sets for tight access up to 1" drive sets for large industrial bolting. Most come from Ko-Ken, with ranges from Stahlwille, Trax and others. Use the table to pick the right type of set. If you are unsure, the AIMS team can match a set to the fasteners you work on.
| Set Type | Best For |
|---|---|
| Metric Socket Sets | Metric fasteners on modern machinery, vehicles and equipment |
| AF (Imperial) Socket Sets | Inch-size fasteners on older machinery and imported equipment |
| Combined Metric and AF Sets | Workshops that see both sizing systems |
| Whitworth and BA Sets | Older British-built equipment |
| Deep and Standard Sets | Reaching a nut on a long stud or bolt, or working in a recess |
| Impact Socket Sets | Use with impact wrenches on heavy fasteners and wheel nuts |
| Torx and E-Torx Sets | Torx and external Torx fasteners on vehicles and machinery |
| Inhex (Hex Bit) Socket Sets | Socket head cap screws and hex key fasteners |
| Specialty Sets | Nut grip, bolt twister, flare nut and spark plug work |
Choose the drive size to match your ratchet or impact wrench, because the socket drive and the handle drive must be the same. Many sets are supplied on a rail or in a case, which keeps the sizes in order. Companion ranges: individual sockets, impact sockets and bits, Inhex socket sets, ratchets and drive handles, socket extensions and adaptors, torque wrenches and the full Ratchets & Sockets range.
Socket Sets for Workshops, Maintenance and Engineering
A socket set gives you a matched run of sizes in one case or on one rail, so the right socket is always to hand. The range here covers general-purpose hand sets in metric, AF and combined sizing, deep and standard sets, impact-rated sets for use with impact wrenches, and sets built for particular fasteners such as Torx, hex bits, nut grip and flare nuts. AIMS Industrial supplies socket sets to trade, maintenance and engineering workshops across Australia.
Drive sizes in range
Sets are available in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" and 1" drive. 1/4" drive suits small fasteners and tight access, 3/8" drive is the most versatile all-round size, 1/2" drive suits larger fasteners and the bulk of workshop and impact work, and 3/4" and 1" drive are for large industrial bolting. Where a set includes a ratchet or handle, it is described on the product page.
Hand sets and impact sets
Impact sockets are made for the shock loads of an impact wrench, and they are typically black-finished and heavier in the wall than a hand socket. Use impact-rated sockets with impact tools, and use hand sockets with ratchets and breaker bars. The product page for each set states which type it is.
Where to next
If you need a single replacement socket, browse our sockets. To finish a kit, add a ratchet or drive handle or a socket extension. Need help choosing a set? Contact our team with the fastener sizes and the tool you are using and we will help match it.
People Also Ask — Socket Sets
Q: What drive size socket set do I need?
Match the drive size to the ratchet or impact wrench you will use it with, and to the size of the fasteners. 1/4" drive suits small fasteners and tight spaces. 3/8" drive is the best all-round size for workshop and maintenance use. 1/2" drive suits larger fasteners and is the common size for impact wrenches. 3/4" and 1" drive are for large industrial bolting. A socket and its handle must share the same drive size, or you will need an adaptor.
Q: What is the difference between metric and AF sockets?
Metric sockets are sized in millimetres and AF (across flats) sockets are sized in inches. Fasteners on modern equipment are mostly metric, while older machinery and some imported equipment use inch sizes. The two systems have sizes that are close but not the same, so using the wrong one can round off the fastener. A combined metric and AF set covers both.
Q: Should I choose a 6-point or 12-point socket set?
A 6-point socket grips the flats of a hex fastener and is the better choice for tight or worn fasteners and higher torque. A 12-point socket is easier to line up with the fastener when you have limited swing or poor visibility, and it also fits some square and double-hex fasteners. Many sets offer both.
Q: Can I use a normal socket set with an impact wrench?
No. Standard hand sockets are not made for the shock loads of an impact wrench and can crack. Use sockets that are marked as impact rated with impact tools. Impact sockets can be used by hand as well.
Q: What is a deep socket set used for?
Deep sockets are longer than standard sockets, so they reach a nut that sits on a long stud or bolt, or a fastener at the bottom of a recess. A set with both standard and deep sockets covers most general work.