Do you own a HAND impact driver

[Dillithium]

I bought a 3/8ths one when I first had the chance. I've witnessed the significance of them on honda brake rotors, and for the price I couldn't leave it. The real challenge is finding good bits as mentioned previously. I haven't had to use it yet, but I know it'll pay for itself soon.

 

[theknurl]

yes, SO PIT-120 when i bought it ~'75, it was cheaper than CM

and CM wouldn't guarantee the tips either, found a 2nd one at the junk yard

its a tool that when you need it its the only thing that will do the job

 

[DoubleA]

I have a lisle impact driver with a so #3 Phillips bit in my cart for rotors. Its a must have.

 

[Ray916MN]

I have a cheap one that I've had for probably close to 30 years. Can't imagine not having one. One of the first tools I ever bought that made me realize how important and nice it is to have the right tool for the job.

 

[Steevo]

I still have the first one I bought when I was about 12 years old (1968-ish?), a Craftsman unit, and it still works fine!
Shown here with the wrench set I also bough at the same time:

 

[mrjaw14]

I just got two from my Grandpa who's getting older and can't really use them anymore. Where are you guys getting your bits from? they look like the 5/16" bits that I've seen at sears.

What do you guys consider "good bits"

 

[rob0781]

Another good use is the rusty phillips screw that hold the fuel pump on the metal fuel tanks, used mine on these about a dozen time and has worked great and saved a lot of time, drilling out screws is bad enough on a gas tank is even worst!!

 

[redwrench60]

I have one everywhere I have a toolkit. They are a must have anywhere a rusted or damaged screw head lurks. Automotive, HVAC, appliance, motorcycle, They only have to save your *** once or twice before you understand.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Also good on older door latch and hinge screws on car doors. Nothing electric or battery will turn the screws that one of these will turn. As said necessary on motorcycle engines and transmissions, worth a million dollars every time you use it.

 

[Murphy4570]

I have the 3/8" drive Snap On set and I used it every day, or nearly every day. They are indispensable for taking apart old, stuck, rusted equipment. I use mine on vise restoration, power tool rebuilds... really anything old with Phillips or standard screw fasteners where camming out is a possibility. I absolutely couldn't get by without mine. Just used it this morning in fact, on an old vise main screw locking collar. That thing absolutely wouldn't budge with a regular screwdriver and a bit on a ratchet was tearing up the head.

X2 same here. I use mine on phillips head screws that retain brake rotors on jap cars, and seized bleeder screws on calipers.

pretty much anything where you need precision control is where it is useful. A few whacks with a hammer is easier to be precise with than a rat-tat-tat of the impact wrench.

 

[Danglerb]

Nothing like it, impact down to push the bit into the fastener with a shock to break it loose at the same time it applies torque to turn it.

$5 on sale at HF, or $15 for a Lisle, $25 for Craftsman, etc., but they are all pretty much the same inside. The "anvil" connected to the square drive has pins on the sides that ride in a V channel on the inside of the tool body. You stick the bit into the fastener head, rotate the body of the tool in the opposite direction you want to turn the fastener, whack it on the end, repeat.

** I maybe have the rotate backwards backwards.

 

[893cv]

I've had a hand impact driver since I was 12. After 46 years and more motorcycles then I can remember I replaced it with a Koken Attack Driver. I don't normaly name my tools, but this one I'm calling Steely Dan.

 

[fowlwishes]

I have a 3/8 and a 1/2 drive version. One snap on and one Lisle I think. They work just as good as talked about above.

One other thing I didn't see mentioned was using the impact drive with one of the fluted sockets to remove a rounded off bolt. Some people call them a twist socket I believe. I have gotten out of a bind a few times by throwing one of this sockets on a hand driver!

 

[gbh]

I made do with a cheap Taiwanese one for years. It sometimes popped apart in use. I finally bought a snap on recently. When you really need to use an impact driver they are worth their weight in gold!

 

[tyheuser]

I use one at work on door hinges all the time absolutly necessary no way would you get the large countersunk phillips heads with locktite out otherwise. As other said some cars have screws holding the brake rotors on and are a must have for older screw headed type motorcycle cases. Thats what I originally bought one for a cheap one from autozone that lasted me for years. I bought one on sale from sears a year ago that was a craftsman usa. It was broke right from the factory, swapped it used it maybe 4-5 times and its broke again, I will invest in a snap on as I borrow a coworkers all the time and its been beat to hell and works amazing really really good bits.

 

[Seanbev24]

I have a Lisle impact driver in my cart at work and a Craftsman one in my garage. I probably need it at work once every 1-2 weeks. I don't understand how a mechanic could live without one.

The 2 I have work so well, I see no point of spending the money on anything more expensive. The big thing is the bits. The Craftsman bits are absolute ****. Before I ordered some from my Snap-on dealer I decided to give the VIM set a try. They're great, haven't broken one in the 9 months I've had them.

http://www.tooltopia.com/vim-impact-8-03.aspx

 

[pendragon1998]

On more than one occasion, when one of them has saved my life, I've remarked, "This is the best thing I have ever bought." It made me that happy.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I've got a Proto at work, and Mac and Lisle units at home. They are "that" tool that rarely gets used, but bails my *** out every time I need them.

 

[cheechi]

I'm wondering, has anyone tried using an 18v impact driver on the same fastener and found this would get something off the cordless couldn't? Are the bits you get for an impact driver such as this appropriate for this kind of tool? Any impact sockets will fit or special sockets?

 

[2oolhound]

I learned how to take a screwdriver that had a shank that came to the end of the handle, clamp a vice grip on the shaft and apply turning pressure while smacking the end of the handle with a hammer on stubborn screws. The shock from the hammer did 2 things, provide vibration to the fastener threads and keep the tool tip buried deep into the fastener. It is only when the tool tip works up from the bottom of the fastener head that the head gets damaged. This method worked a lot of the time but when a buddy showed me how his impact driver worked I was amazed and wondered how I ever did without one. Most slotted or philips machine screws have been replaced by allen heads in hi-torque situations but I have several in 3/8 and 1/2 sizes and use them quite a bit.
Like others have said, it's the heavy inward force combined with the turning force that differentiates them from other powered impact tools.

 

[rharman]

I still have the first one I bought when I was about 12 years old (1968-ish?), a Craftsman unit, and it still works fine!

Same here. Just about the same timeframe too. Have had it well over 40 years.

 

[nonwing56]

Dad bought a Craftsman back in '72, it is in the bottom drawer of roller box, always ready.

 

[dirtmister16]

i have a cheap one at home and my dad has one from farm and fleet hes had for probally 20 years.

i use mine on brakes and random things that pop up on mowers once and awhile. one thing ive found they are handy for is setting door hinge screws, once you get the screw tight by hand take the impact give it a whack and set really nice.


i find alot of items that i use mine for on cars and stuff a little heat works better and things come out really nicely without the impact driver at all.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I have a snap on at work at a craftsman at work. I always forget to grab it at work and really when a get some rusty screws a should grab this first before I even grab a screw driver.

 

[Danglerb]

These have a whale more control than an impact wrench which has no smack down on the fastener so wouldn't do the job anyway.

You can tap an impact driver, tap it a bit harder, and keep right on going up to a solid smack.

I don't have enough experience to say, but I haven't heard of a lot of screws breaking either.

 

[JASTECH]

I have 2 sets, both in the metal coffins they came in 30 yrs ago. Like reinerated, when needed it is a blessing to have. I do have some bits missing that need replaced. Maybe GJ member has extra old complete set for sale? PM if do.

 

[nine4gmc]

this thread took off, eh!

what pawn shops do you like? I usually have luck at one on Florida by Little John. I'm going wrench shopping tomorrow looking for fillers, may hit a few thrift stores too.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

if you work on motorcycles, this is definitely a must have!

for sure. harbor freight has them for $5-$10. i have the orange rubber handled one. dont waste your time with that one cause the rubber moves around and the bits broke the first use. i had a mit brand i paid $5 for before but my buddy kept borrowing it so for the price of gas it was chieper to buy another one and let him keep the old one. autozone and advance auto were $12 last i seen. $25 for a craftsman

 

[Bull]

I have one of these, but have never used it. I got it at a flea market a year or so ago. It's a Blue Point USA version. I had assumed that modern cordless impact drivers had made them obsolete. Now I know better!

I'll need to source some bits, though, as mine doesn't have any.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

These are the kind of tools that you never thought you'd need, but the day you need one you thank god you have it. I prefer the solid metal ones myself.

 

[theamcaddict]

I own 3-4.. Invest in good bits versus the driver.

Wouldn't be caught without one, they are life savers.

What he said.

I destroyed a cheap one and decided to get a made in USA Napa version in 3/8" drive.

Life saver

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have one, but don't ask me to find it !

 

[GTO]

I have had my Craftsman since the late seventies.
For those of you who have ever tried taking phillips head screws off the side plates of a Japanese bike,you know what I'm talking about.

 

[Tim Kennedy]

When I was a kid -- [50+ years ago] -- bought one of these to remove the philips head screws that held motorcycle motors together -- no way to get them out without tearing the heads up -- saved my **** more than once. Use impact grade sockets for safety - have split several regular ones -- a safe & effective tool.

 

[Stuart in MN]

if you work on motorcycles, this is definitely a must have!

The engines in old Japanese motorcycles have Phillips screws that were apparently made out of cheese so an impact driver is a must have tool if you work on them.

 

[Davefr]

Wouldn't be caught without one, they are life savers.

^+1. Sometimes they're the only tool that will quickly save the task from failure.

(ex: removing the screws that hold the jaws on old Wilton vises)

 

[JASTECH]

Bull, here are some VIM bits for it, don't know if they carry the long bits that would be handy when needed.
>
>

 

[JASTECH]

You guys said (I think) Lisle has a hand impact but it's not good? I don't recall the brand I have, back then I did use a bunch of S-K but no idea.

 

[Cryptic1911]

Yeah, we have a few really old ones. They aren't used a ton, but they are great for removing brake rotor bolts

 

[stonesfan68]

Great, another tool that I don't have that I didn't know that I needed.