Impact driver suggestions

[DSM21]

Ive been searching through the forums and other websites on impact driver reviews and I am still not decided and thought I would draw on the personal experience of fellow members. *Sidenote I have no air compressor and I have no room for a air compressor or the budget for one or I would.

Right now I am leaning towards this rigid
http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-H...river?Ntx=mode%20matchall&NCNI-5#.Uo2euSOYNok

My main reasoning behind this is
:Lifetime limited warranty (especially on the batteries)
:compact
owerful 146 ft lbs!!!!!
:Reasonable price.
Has anyone else used this model or a similar rigid
Please share your personal experience with electric impact.

I mainly want to use this for DIY work. busting tires, brakes, suspension, engine and transmission removal.
Please let me know what electric impact would be best for working on cars and trucks.

 

[MISTERgadget]

You will not be busting lugnuts, caliper bolts, or pulling drivetrains with that thing.

I have an IR W7150 and love it, I am a DIY guy as well. I tow a car hauler with it and use it regularly to swap tires at the track, so I figured it was worth the splurge.

 

[CWP1616L]

I mainly want to use this for DIY work. busting tires, brakes, suspension, engine and transmission removal.

In that case you need one with a square drive. That one you linked to is for driving construction screws into wood.

 

[Conductor562]

As CWP1616L said, you need an impact wrench, not a driver. The IR W7150 is top dog in the cordless impact category, but you'll pay for it. The Milwaukee M18 high torque may be a fit. They offer a compact as well, but it may not have enough *** for a lot of suspension work. Don't remember the exact torque, but it's around 150 ft. Lbs. It's essentially an impact driver with a square plug.

 

[sloppy]

I would go with IR or Milwaukee's fuel

If you are on a tight budget the non fuel Milwaukee, Dewalt 18v, or even the Craftsman should be fine for a DIY'er.

You do not want a driver like you posted as others have stated..

 

[PoorOwner]

Check out the milwaukee m18 fuel 3/8 drive

200 ft lbs and compact

 

[MattPersman]

You need a 1/2 impact like the IR W7150. Yes it costs much more but it takes much more to bust down what you stated

 

[reptilezs]

try this one http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-R86010B/203930523#.Uo4Ll-LxC9I the ryobi and craftsman c3. kobalt has one too i think. all these are pretty low power about 200ft lbs. i would step up to a stronger one especially if you live in the rust belt

 

[trogo]

Check out the milwaukee m18 fuel 3/8 drive

200 ft lbs and compact

I have that 3/8" fuel impact and it is a great tool. Best thing about Milwaukee is the vast assortment of tools that share the same batteries.

 

[DSM21]

Check out the milwaukee m18 fuel 3/8 drive

200 ft lbs and compact

try this one http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-R86010B/203930523#.Uo4Ll-LxC9I i would step up to a stronger one especially if you live in the rust belt

I do live in the heart of the rust belt OH!

I do have a question though whats the differance between a impact driver and impact wrench????

But the above two is probably what I would want. The rigid has a limited lifetime warranty and a lifetime warranty on batteries, with 300lb foot pounds.

But the Milaukee is more compact and is 3/8ths.

Which one of these two would you guys recommend ?

Oh and thanks for the help!

 

[PoorOwner]

The way I see it is that you can get a 1/2" torque monster but if it doesn't FIT to take that caliper bolt off, you are back to hand tools.

With the Milwaukee you would already have 2 batteries (get the XC4.0, $329) and then later you can invest in the 1/2" high torque tool only ($169) or the new 1/2" FUEL high torque tool only ($219).. I recommend the FUEL for minimal price difference.
So you just may do pretty good for $500ish with 5 year warranty.

The FUEL series have 3 modes controlled electronically on the compact 3/8", the mode 1 is 30ft lbs, mode 2 is 75 ft lbs, mode 3 is 200 ft lbs. useful when reinstalling things.

Home depot has both the Ridgid and Milwaukee on display and you can check them out.

 

[kerryt1]

Get yourself a 1/2" cordless impact wrench, impact driver, and drill that share the same batteries, and get some lithium ion batteries. The only way to fly, in my opinion. I have a Craftsman set up because that's how it worked out, but other family members have DeWalt. If starting from scratch I'd go DeWalt or Milwaukee most probably.

 

[CWP1616L]

I do have a question though whats the differance between a impact driver and impact wrench????

The impact driver will have a 1/4 inch quick release chuck for attaching 1/4 inch hex shank screwdriver bits. The impact wrench will have a square drive for attaching sockets.

 

[Conductor562]

The Milwaukee 2655 1/2" Compact Impact wrench (209 ft. lbs.) goes for $329 for the kit which includes 2 4.0ah XC batteries.

The Milwaukee fuel High torque model with 750 ft. lbs. goes for $269 with 1 battery.

The IR W7150 goes for $389 with 1 battery and has 1100 ft. lbs.

The IR is hard to beat if you're only looking for an impact. However, the Milwaukee platform allows you to use a couple hundred other tools with the same batteries. I hear IR is expanding their cordless line though.

 

[trogo]

Home Depot has most of the M18 Fuel Line Kits w/XC 4.0 batteries with an extra tool. I believe CPOMilwaukee also has the same deal. You can also get great deals on Ebay for new Milwaukee bare tools.

I have the Ridgid Hyper X4 Combo Kit with drill and impact driver. It's a great set for woodworking and construction work, and the lifetime battery warranty is great. So get both the Milwaukee and Ridgid.

 

[crewchief888]

Check out the milwaukee m18 fuel 3/8 drive

200 ft lbs and compact

I have that 3/8" fuel impact and it is a great tool. Best thing about Milwaukee is the vast assortment of tools that share the same batteries.

not many tools impress me, but the milwaukee fuel 3/8" drive impact the big batteries has so far.

i'm getting over 3 weeks on a single battery charge, not continuous use, but intermittent daily use.
i've removed lug nuts torqued to 160 ft/lb so i believe milwaukee's claim of the 200ft/lb.

ridgid's claim of lifetime battery warranty only works if you follow their explicit registration process, and they dont "loose" the paperwork you HAVE to send in, as well as registering the tool & batteries online.

 

[PoorOwner]

This just came out..

The M18 1/2" FUEL vs IR W7150

 

[Murphy4570]

The impact driver will have a 1/4 inch quick release chuck for attaching 1/4 inch hex shank screwdriver bits. The impact wrench will have a square drive for attaching sockets.

Lolwut? No.

An impact driver is driven by hammer blows. You attach a bit, and whack it with a hammer. It twists at the same time it is being driven into the fastener. Useful for rotor retaining screws.

An impact wrench is driven by an external power source. These are used by mechanics for a lot of jobs. They are most commonly pneumatically driven, but cordless electric models are popular as well.

 

[sloppy]

Lolwut? No.

An impact driver is driven by hammer blows. You attach a bit, and whack it with a hammer. It twists at the same time it is being driven into the fastener. Useful for rotor retaining screws.

An impact wrench is driven by an external power source. These are used by mechanics for a lot of jobs. They are most commonly pneumatically driven, but cordless electric models are popular as well.

Your definition.

Everyone I know calls a 1/4" shank impact a impact driver. Because you drive screws with it.. I cant recall a manufacture who does not call it the same thing..

Mechanically they all work the same just like a hand held Impact driver. a hammer hitting something that is being twisted..

 

[CWP1616L]

Lolwut? No.

An impact driver is driven by hammer blows. You attach a bit, and whack it with a hammer. It twists at the same time it is being driven into the fastener. Useful for rotor retaining screws.

An impact wrench is driven by an external power source. These are used by mechanics for a lot of jobs. They are most commonly pneumatically driven, but cordless electric models are popular as well.

They share the same name; although the impact driver you're referring to is now called a manual impact driver in order to differentiate it from the more modern battery powered impact driver.

 

[Skin]

Lolwut? No.

An impact driver is driven by hammer blows. You attach a bit, and whack it with a hammer. It twists at the same time it is being driven into the fastener. Useful for rotor retaining screws.

An impact wrench is driven by an external power source. These are used by mechanics for a lot of jobs. They are most commonly pneumatically driven, but cordless electric models are popular as well.

Try explaining that to the cordless tool companies. They all call battery operated impact tools with a 1/4" collet an impact driver.

 

[ol'Red]

not many tools impress me, but the milwaukee fuel 3/8" drive impact the big batteries has so far.

i'm getting over 3 weeks on a single battery charge, not continuous use, but intermittent daily use.
i've removed lug nuts torqued to 160 ft/lb so i believe milwaukee's claim of the 200ft/lb.

ridgid's claim of lifetime battery warranty only works if you follow their explicit registration process, and they dont "loose" the paperwork you HAVE to send in, as well as registering the tool & batteries online.

+1 on the m 18 fuel.

 

[richfinn]

Lolwut? No.

An impact driver is driven by hammer blows. You attach a bit, and whack it with a hammer. It twists at the same time it is being driven into the fastener. Useful for rotor retaining screws.

An impact wrench is driven by an external power source. These are used by mechanics for a lot of jobs. They are most commonly pneumatically driven, but cordless electric models are popular as well.

I now refer to my old hand impact driver as an "attack driver" as that's what Koken call them.

1/4 hex cordless impact driver seems to have adopted the name

 

[T-Mac]

well used-well liked-and i have removed lugnuts with it just to see if it could!

 

[DSM21]

+1 on the m 18 fuel.

Well you guys convienced me I think I am going to go with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 3/8
It just seems the best for what fits my needs. Does anyone know if these are going on sale on Black Friday??? I want to try and use a 25% coupon and score a good deal

 

[Conductor562]

Here's a very good comparison of the M18 Fuel and the W7150 from OPT

http://http://www.coptool.com/high-torque-impact-wrenches-milwaukee-m18-2763-22-vs-ingersoll-rand-iqv20-w7150-k2/#more-2693

 

[sweetcretin]

Here's a very good comparison of the M18 Fuel and the W7150 from OPT

http://http://www.coptool.com/high-torque-impact-wrenches-milwaukee-m18-2763-22-vs-ingersoll-rand-iqv20-w7150-k2/#more-2693

I'm not sure how you did what you did with your link, but I fixed it.

 

[2tomplum]

As a regular user of the 1/2" MKE impact- that would be my vote. Mine is pre fuel- but has 450 foot pounds of torque and really isn't much bulkier than the 1/4" as far as fitting into places. If you check out the parts diagrams, there aren't really any differences between that and the 3/4" except for the anvil. It replaced a DeWalt 120 VAC and is more compact and stronger than that one was. I use 3/8 MKE impact sockets w/ my 1/4" all the time as well. With a 1/2" wrench, you have a better / stronger socket selection, torque sticks are readily available etc. My 2 cents anyways. Love all my M18 tools.