Is getting a right angle impact wrench worth it?

[YoshiMoshi3]

I'm debating if getting a right angle impact wrench is worth it when I already have an impact wrench?

I thought of getting one for tight spaces where a normal impact wrench is to big to provide access. I was thinking of getting either the Milwaukee or Kobalt ones.

Anyone have a right angle impact and have found it was worth getting if you already have a decent impact wrench and allowed you to access the head of fasteners you would otherwise not be able to?

These things aren't cheap. So if someone has both and found it was a waste of money, I'd like to know before I get a right angle impact wrench.

 

[sparky 1971]

I have one that I bought from Harbor Freight (Earthquake?) that I bough specifically for changing the front shocks on my truck because I knew a regular impact wasn't going to fit with the required deep socket. It worked well, but I had enough clearance that a stubby which is only about 1/4" longer would have worked just as well. I don't have a stubby, but would have bought it instead if I had known since it would have been quite a few $ less. I'm sure there is somewhere that the right angle will be the only tool that will work.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I have an 1/2" Ingersoll Hammerhead. It is great splitting tractors and running the tensioner in and out on the gathering chains of our corn head.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I got the Milwaukee 2564, it hits pretty good and gets into some tight spots, I’d say it’s worth it.

 

[jsaw]

I have 2 pneumatic right angle impacts, and use them both in tight areas.

 

[Squankum]

I have an I-R Hammerhead but haven't really put it to the test yet. I can say that Rainman Ray, YouTube celebrity mechanic, has the Milwaukee (in 1/2", maybe also 3/8"?) and uses it alllll the time and it appears to have some kickass power, too. (Then again, he's in FL and fasteners there apparently merely... unscrew.)

 

[rlitman]

I'm just not feeling the right angle love. Maybe it's because cheap @#$$#@ing air ratchets bust knuckles so badly.
But seriously, if I can't reach it with my stubby with an Astro Nano socket, how much smaller would the right angle be, and at what expense in torque?

 

[charbar]

I bought a bunch of Milwaukee 12v stuff to replace all my Snap On 14.4 about a year ago and the 3/8" right angle impact was one of the tools I got. I wrench for a living (automotive and tractor) and I literally never use it. I think I've used it maybe twice just to say that I used it. Maybe I forget that I have it or maybe I just never seem to find a place where I think I need to use it, not sure.

But on the other hand I have a buddy who works on combines and balers all winter and he seems to use the **** out of his. Although I don't think he has a baby impact, cordless ratchet, or decent stubby impact either.

Up to you to decide if you think it will actually get used or not. Do you find yourself saying "Man a 90* impact would be perfect for this" often or not? Im sure mine will come in handy some day, but that day hasn't come yet.

 

[xjfish]

Picked up MAC 1/2" version off truck last week. I've kinda wanted the IR for years. (I think these are IR?) Seems legit. Not extremely powerful but has been useful for caliper and motor mount bolts thus far. 200Ft lbsish?

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

Thanks guys. I don't have a "compact" impact wrench so I was debating the right angle one. Seems like some people love it while some don't have much of a use. I'll have to ponder it a bit more.

 

[demarpaint]

Short answer yes. I did a clutch job to my 88 E-150 over the summer. This tool was worth it's weight in gold, not exactly a right angle impact, consider it a more versatile right angle impact. Astro Tools 1834

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Short answer yes. I did a clutch job to my 88 E-150 over the summer. This tool was worth it's weight in gold, not exactly a right angle impact, consider it a more versatile right angle impact. Astro Tools 1834

The astro bendy-boy is a favorite of mine as well. I have the 3/8 and it's surprisingly strong.

IMO it's a right angle impact and then some.

 

[demarpaint]

The astro bendy-boy is a favorite of mine as well. I have the 3/8 and it's surprisingly strong.

IMO it's a right angle impact and then some.

+1 Well worth it.

 

[beemerphile]

I have 2 pneumatic right angle impacts, and use them both in tight areas.

^This^. Half the price and twice the torque of the Milwaukee battery model. If the portability is not important, there is still a lot of value in pneumatic tools.

 

[milkovich]

Not extremely powerful

That's my problem with them. After these stall on a fastener, I use a long breaker bar. I'm not sure how much torque I put out, but it's more than any of these make. Once I break the fastener loose (or off ), a regular ratchet or wrench works fine.

 

[dnschmidt]

If being pneumatic doesn't bother you ASTRO has several options including a new two handed model that will fit wherever the Milwaukee right angle will and then some. Check out the latest edition of the Torque Test Channel. The nano is really short as well as is the "bendy" model mentioned above. Twice the power at half the price.

 

[Mr_B]

In short, air yes, battery no, in most cases battery ones not beneficial for cost .

 

[sz0k30]

I thought of getting one for tight spaces where a normal impact wrench is to big to provide access.

Exactly where are those tight spaces? In over 50 years of playing with cars i haven't found them.

 

[Jswain]

Thanks guys. I don't have a "compact" impact wrench so I was debating the right angle one. Seems like some people love it while some don't have much of a use. I'll have to ponder it a bit more.

Even if a right angle impact is a have to have tool, I would definitely place a compact impact above it on the priority list.

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

FWIW, the Kobalt is LOOONG. It does, however, have the juice.

I've used the hell out of mine removing/installing roll cages in race cars. Here the handle length is actually a benefit as it allows me to get up in fender wells and under the car without much hassle. I got mine free with the purchase of the high torque 1/2" XTR impact, but would have bought it anyway for the cage work.

 

[rpcraft]

I've been eyeballing one of the M12 right angle impacts but worried I will be disappointed and still busting my knuckles on stuff in tight places, lol.

 

[rpcraft]

Exactly where are those tight spaces? In over 50 years of playing with cars i haven't found them.

I have several on the strut towers in my 2013 frontier I would have loved to use one on. I can't imagine no other car has that going on...

 

[engineer2]

I have both battery and air ratchets. Neither has a lot of torque. The battery powered tool is a bit bulky for some under the hood stuff. If it's a small job like an alternator swap, I just use hand tools or my impact driver if there is room.

 

[Garcky]

I'm debating if getting a right angle impact wrench is worth it when I already have an impact wrench?

I thought of getting one for tight spaces where a normal impact wrench is to big to provide access. I was thinking of getting either the Milwaukee or Kobalt ones.

Anyone have a right angle impact and have found it was worth getting if you already have a decent impact wrench and allowed you to access the head of fasteners you would otherwise not be able to?

These things aren't cheap. So if someone has both and found it was a waste of money, I'd like to know before I get a right angle impact wrench.

I wouldn't. Breaker bar and a cordless or pneumatic ratchet, probably 3/8" drive. If there's enough room for a right angle impact wrench, there's room for a breaker bar. Once the fastener is started, the ratchet will finish the job, or vice-versa.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I wouldn't. Breaker bar and a cordless or pneumatic ratchet, probably 3/8" drive. If there's enough room for a right angle impact wrench, there's room for a breaker bar. Once the fastener is started, the ratchet will finish the job, or vice-versa.

Uhh, how many cars do you see a week?

Long handled ratchets are the modern breaker bar. You're talking 5 or 6 clicks between running out of room. Breaker bars don't work in 2022..... or a lot of stuff in 2002.

 

[sparky 1971]

I wouldn't. Breaker bar and a cordless or pneumatic ratchet, probably 3/8" drive. If there's enough room for a right angle impact wrench, there's room for a breaker bar. Once the fastener is started, the ratchet will finish the job, or vice-versa.

Not necessarily.

This

1/2 in. Right Angle Composite Air Impact Wrench, Jumbo Hammer, 400 ft. lbs.

Amazing deals on this 1/2In Composite Angle Air Impact Wrench at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

will fit into places that this

30" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

30" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

sktools.com

this

24" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

24" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

sktools.com

or this

1/2" Drive Axis 90-Tooth Locking Flex-Head Comfort-Handle Ratchet - 26"

1/2" Drive Axis 90-Tooth Locking Flex-Head Comfort-Handle Ratchet - 26"

www.mactools.com

won't fit. I own all four examples so I'm pretty sure I have experience.

 

[dnschmidt]

The one thing that breaker bars can do that impacts can't is Subaru head bolts. The damn things are torque sticks but slightly longer than torque sticks. I've always had to break them free with a breaker bar and finish them with an impact.

 

[RedneckWelder]

One coworker has the Milwaukee right angle impact in 3/8, another has the IR hammerhead pnuematic in 1/2”.

They are useful at times for sure. Nice thing is being an impact no chance of knuckle slamming like the air ratchets do (the battery ratchets will still do it to some degree but don’t seem nearly as bad by any means

 

[2ndGearRubber]

For sure, gotta have a breaker bar. But you're not using that on the tight areas a right angle impact is gonna play in. And that right angle ain't fitting where my impacting air ratchet fits.

 

[kbeefy]

I have the bendy Astro impact in 1/2 and it's pretty cool. I also have a couple stubby pneumatic impacts that aren't much thicker.

They don't get used often, but when they do they are nice.

 

[xOccupantx]

I have 2 pneumatic right angle impacts, and use them both in tight areas.

I hope you’re implying at the same time. Because that’d be pretty awesome.

 

[Chumly]

I gotta play devil's advocate here: Is a breaker bar not going to fit where a right angled power tool will? Give me a lever any day if so. Just 1mm of movement and I'm back to the ratchet. And Kroil of course.

 

[jsaw]

Exactly where are those tight spaces? In over 50 years of playing with cars i haven't found them.

Mostly brake calipers and caliper brackets, motor mounts, torque converter bolts. Suspension work.

 

[Jweebothee]

Coworker at Subaru has the Milwaukee one and I’ve seen him use it doing timing belts, I’m guessing crank bolts, not positive on that, but I know he used while doing timing jobs, mainly so he didn’t have to take the front bumper cover and rad out.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I gotta play devil's advocate here: Is a breaker bar not going to fit where a right angled power tool will? Give me a lever any day if so. Just 1mm of movement and I'm back to the ratchet. And Kroil of course.

It will fit mechanically in the space. The issue is you can't actually swing it.

Same deal as 6pt vs 12pt wrenches.

 

[joel63]

Not necessarily.

This

1/2 in. Right Angle Composite Air Impact Wrench, Jumbo Hammer, 400 ft. lbs.

Amazing deals on this 1/2In Composite Angle Air Impact Wrench at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

will fit into places that this

30" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

30" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

sktools.com

this

24" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

24" 1/2" Drive Flex Breaker Bar

sktools.com

or this

1/2" Drive Axis 90-Tooth Locking Flex-Head Comfort-Handle Ratchet - 26"

1/2" Drive Axis 90-Tooth Locking Flex-Head Comfort-Handle Ratchet - 26"

www.mactools.com

won't fit. I own all four examples so I'm pretty sure I have experience.

Excellent job pointing this out. The applications for tools and their uses is constantly changing.
Causing us to buy more tools to replace tools that used to work everywhere as second gear pointed out.

 

[milkovich]

The one thing that breaker bars can do that impacts can't is Subaru head bolts. The damn things are torque sticks but slightly longer than torque sticks. I've always had to break them free with a breaker bar and finish them with an impact.

Also the stupid caliber bracket bolts on the outback that are obstructed by the strut. You're not putting an impact on them and they're loctited in.

 

[Kent_B]

Also the stupid caliber bracket bolts on the outback that are obstructed by the strut. You're not putting an impact on them and they're loctited in.

Yup. The upper bolt is the worst. My go-to is breaker bar, extension and a crow-foot.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Also the stupid caliber bracket bolts on the outback that are obstructed by the strut. You're not putting an impact on them and they're loctited in.

Yup. The upper bolt is the worst. My go-to is breaker bar, extension and a crow-foot.

If you do a lot, snap on sells a special socket for those.

Btcs1. Obviously you can snap them off if they're frozen with rust in the knuckle. You can also use a zero offset long handle wrench.

 

[Handyandy23]

I've got an Astro Nano with the Nano sockets. They advertise the head length at 3 7/8". That Astro bendy guy they advertise just under 3 1/2". Milwaukee's M12 right angle they say is about 2 1/4".

I use my Nano quite a bit, like others said areas like caliper brackets where you have limited clearance. I can't say I've ever come across a situation where the Nano wouldn't fit, but the inch-shorter M12 would have fit, at least that I can remember. I'm sure it exists, but for me the Nano seems to give 95% usability that a right angle impact provides, but with twice the power.

I also have the M12 Stubby, and up here in Canada with salted roads in the winter, it struggles with caliper bracket bolts, whereas the Nano pneumatic zips them right off. Feels like 200 ft-lbs would be an optimistic rating for the M12, and the Nano is 350+. The M12 right angle I believe is even a little less powerful than the Stubby, so that's another deterrent to me buying it.

Nano would be my recommendation for someone just wanting a tight-clearance option in their toolbox, but if there's a specific job you have to do then that would be different.