A swivel socket is a tool used to tighten or loosen bolts in tight spaces or at awkward angles. It can have a ball joint design for more flexibility or only rotate in one or two directions. It can be connected to an extension for increased length but has reduced strength due to the joint.
A swivel socket is a specially designed metal tool that is used to tighten or loosen bolts. The head of the socket rotates in different directions to allow the user to access bolts in tight spaces or at awkward angles. The socket is connected to a driver that the user turns and applies force to leverage to loosen or tighten the bolt. Swivel socket designs can vary based on the purpose of the tool, and the size of the socket opening can also vary to accommodate different bolt sizes.
A popular swivel socket design features a ball joint; the part of the socket that fits into the driver has a ball end that fits into the socket frame. This allows the frame to move in a circular motion relative to the socket ball, which is attached to the driver to apply force. The joint works similar to the hip joint in a human, which allows for circular motion in the leg. A set of swivel sockets will include different sizes of sockets with this ball joint design to allow for more flexibility when dealing with different sized bolts.
Another type of swivel socket can only rotate in one or two directions. Some socket wrenches feature a swivel socket at the other end of the tool, and the socket will only spin forward and reverse. This is a useful addition to the socket wrench, but the user will be limited in the application of the socket, as they may not be able to turn in the direction needed to access a bolt in a difficult orientation. This situation commonly occurs when working on automobile engines, where the bolts may be oriented in an odd direction or may be in a very tight spot.
To increase the usability of a swivel socket, the socket can be connected to an extension attached to the driver end of the socket. This extends the length of the socket, but does not increase the overall mobility of the socket. Most sockets only rotate back and forth to ensure that the user can apply torque to the driver without the tool slipping or not engaging cleanly on the bolt. One of the disadvantages of using swivel sockets is the reduced strength of the unit: adding a joint to the socket invariably reduces its strength and resistance to twisting damage, although most sockets are strong enough for one use regular.
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