Friction Ring Vs. Pin Detent - What Should I Buy?

Impact wrenches are made with new technology to assist the user in many ways. In order to maximize the user experience, many types of equipment have been introduced. In order to increase safety, the collet has been designed as a friction ring and pin detent. This is the bottleneck of socket usage. So let’s see all in detail about the friction ring vs. pin detent.

The friction ring impact wrench is easy and comfortable to insert into the collet, but less safety and pin detent is tight to insert, but it is safer. If you use many sockets in a day friction ring is good for you and 1-2 sockets per day you can use a pin detent impact wrench.

So this is a brief description of the comparison of friction ring and pin detent. So let’s keep reading in detail about both tools.

Friction ring and pin detent impact wrench collets

Table of Contents

What is an Impact Wrench?

An impact wrench is a high torque generation tool that is used for lug nut tightening or losing. According to that the power of the impact wrenches, there are 03 main types. Among them, we use electrical impact wrenches. Corded and cordless impact wrenches are mainly used impact wrenches. According to the motor, there are two types of impact wrenches used those are brushed and brushless. After considering all facts, finally, there are two types of impact wrenches that are varied from the collet type.

Collet is the outer end of the anvil. Anvil end is really designed as the socket adaptor. Impact wrench uses sockets for transferring the torque to the nut or bolt. Normally collet end is square, and it has different sizes. 1/2″ 1/4″ are frequently available sizes. According to the power of the impact wrench, anvil sizes is varied.

Collet/tool head is designed as two types. Friction ring and pin detent are them. Both are designed for providing the best user experience to the user. More than the user experience, there is a safety. So let’s see in depth about friction ring and pin detent.

What is a Friction Ring Impact Wrench?

Friction ring impact wrench can be considered a regular or hog ring impact wrench. There is a lock ring end of the collet. Normally most of the tools consist of a friction ring rather than a pin detent. The friction ring is with a square collet, and it has fully designed to mount the socket.

This is the easiest impact wrench collet that we can use.

When I am using different types of sockets every time, I use the Dewalt impact wrench that I have mentioned below.

There is less safety in the friction ring impact wrench. Because it can lose while the rotation. Normally you can quickly use this impact wrench with many sizes of sockets.

When we consider the other electrical and mechanical operations, all are the same. There is no difference in both impact wrenches.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Friction Ring

Advantages

Socket adapting quickly
Easy to use
Can be used with many tools with less time

Disadvantages

Less safety

What is a Pin Detent Impact Wrench?

Have you seen there is a ball bearing at the end of the collet? This mechanism is called the Pindetent impact wrench. This pin is really fit with the socket hole. It is really high safety. When the socket is adapted to the collet, it will not remove while rotating due to the well being tight with the socket and anvil.

In fact, mounting the socket to this type of impact wrench is really difficult. You have to mount the socket by shaking two sides. You cant fix it directly to the anvil due to the bearing ball/pin. So gradually fix the socket as the ball bearing is pressed inside the anvil using a nail/rod. Remember to match the hole side and bearing side together.

If you wish to use the 1-2 sockets per day, this is the real solution. But that is not a real solution for the regularly used impact wrenches.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pin Detent Impact Wrenches

Advantages

High safety

Disadvantage

Socket and mounting take time
The socket can be clogged
Need additional nail/rod

By considering both pin detent and friction ring we should know whether pin detent is better than friction ring.

Friction Ring or Pin Detent; What Should You Buy?

This is the most important thing that we should know when we buy this. In this topic, we can discuss it all in detail step by step.

Normally the most important case is safe when you select these tools. As I described, the above friction ring impact wrenches are really less safe than pin detent impact wrenches, So if you need a high safety, you can buy the pin detent.

But not only safety, but we must also consider the user experience. Actually, the pin detent will take much time to mount the socket with the pin detent collet. When you need to mount the socket to that collet, you have to press too much by shaking two sides as it removes the bearings effects. So it will take more time rather than standard socket adapting.

Also, when it removes you have to pul it tightly with pushing with using a nail/rod to push the bearing. Some tools can remove the socket quickly with the pull. But some Milwaukee tools are available with extremely safe. You will need a nail or small rod definitely.

So if you use one or two sockets per day permanently, you can use this impact wrench. It is really safe, and it will provide a high user experience.

The friction ring is the general collet, as I described above. It will not have an additional force to mount or remove the socket. Due to this, it is a bit unsafe. When the collet is rotating, it can throw away due to removing from the collet. So think about safety before you buy both.

If you have to use so many sizes of sockets per day, I recommend you to buy a friction ring impact wrench. It will reduce the tool changing time. Easily you can mount the socket and collet.