Impact Driver

[Jmellc]

My 1/4 inch Ridgid brand driver is too weak to remove a lawn mower blade with 15/16 socket. Would a 1/2 inch driver work or do I have to get an air type and air compressor? Big Orange has a Ryobi 1/2 inch for $100.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Hakeem]

Put a wrench on the fastener and hit it with a mallet. The sudden shock might break the nut free. Failing that, take some donuts to the nearest auto shop and ask if one of the techs can break it free for you with their gun.

I wouldn’t shell out for an impact gun just for this one task. They are useful but if you’ve gotten this far without one, I wouldn’t say you need one.

THAT SAID - I’d think almost any 1/2” impact wrench sold today would take it off. Corded, cordless, pneumatic, cheap, expensive — they all hit pretty hard.

 

[engineer2]

You might just need to upgrade to a newer Ridgid impact driver. They have models that are 200 ft-lbs.

 

[nadogail]

Quarter inch drive tools are not suitable for real work.

 

[Vinny]

Holy smokes, I didn't know they made 15/16 sockets in 1/4 drive!

 

[bigfunwmu]

Holy smokes, I didn't know they made 15/16 sockets in 1/4 drive!

Driver not wrench. It's got a 1/4 female hex and he has an adapter to a square drive.

 

[dscheidt]

Block the blade with a block of wood, and use a ratchet or breaker bar.

 

[engineer2]

You buy square drive adapters for 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 sockets. Very handy tool for all kinds of real work.

 

[JSutter]

5te

 

[engineer2]

A mid-range 1/2" impact will do what you need and lug nuts too.

 

[whitesco]

Maybe just me but an impact driver is for speed, or running in/out a bunch of fasteners (or the older I get, basically a screwdriver substitute). Impact WRENCH comes out for anything that needs more torque than a typical screwdriver.

 

[Jaywalk3r]

Quarter inch drive tools are not suitable for real work.

Depends on what sort of real work one is doing, I suppose. For me, my 3/8- and 1/2-inch drive tools are completely useless. Only my 1/4-inch drive stuff (square, hex) gets any use at all when wrenching to keep myself and others on the road.

 

[sk farmer]

Depends on what sort of real work one is doing, I suppose. For me, my 3/8- and 1/2-inch drive tools are completely useless. Only my 1/4-inch drive stuff (square, hex) gets any use at all when wrenching to keep myself and others on the road.

ha! great comment!

so often, people hammer on others who need sae, metric, large, heavy, small or light tools as if they are useless because they don't see a need for them in their work yet others may use them every day.

the correct tool is the tool that gets the job done.

 

[ArmyVW_GuyInTX]

The definition of "Real work" varies from person to person doesn't it? My nephew tinkers around his garage in his off time but is a reconstructive orthopedic surgeon for "real work" and some of his tools are quite a bit smaller than 1/4" drive tools - yet still very much "real work" ........

 

[mepstein]

The definition of "Real work" varies from person to person doesn't it? My nephew tinkers around his garage in his off time but is a reconstructive orthopedic surgeon for "real work" and some of his tools are quite a bit smaller than 1/4" drive tools - yet still very much "real work" ........

Exactly. For the large equipment operator, 1/2" isn't cutting it. Horses for courses.

 

[ohhimark]

I use the block of wood and ratchet method mentioned above, even though I have impact wrenches. That said, if you have a compressor, you can get a used 1/2" impact affordably, and the ryobi you mentioned is probably not bad for $100.

 

[Jmellc]

Holy smokes, I didn't know they made 15/16 sockets in 1/4 drive!

I used an adaptor.

 

[zimman]

Quarter inch drive tools are not suitable for real work.

I bought my Matco off the truck back in 2012 and use them every day for almost everything. Many bolts, nuts under the hood can be handled by a .25" impact. I'm not talking alternator, water pump, power steering ****, but 10mm coil bolts, valve cover bolts, firewall and fender well bolts and battery clamps. The usefulness of this tool is a 10 on the professional level.
I do real work.
Zim

 

[zendriver]

IMO 1/4 impact can do "real work", but seems totally unsuited for removing a lawn mower blade bolt.

That's how tools get broken.

 

[nadogail]

My 1/4 inch Ridgid brand driver is too weak to remove a lawn mower blade with 15/16 socket. Would a 1/2 inch driver work or do I have to get an air type and air compressor? Big Orange has a Ryobi 1/2 inch for $100.

Thanks for any feedback.

I stand corrected, the last socket set I purchased in 1988 was 3/4 drive because my half inch drive set was inadequate for the work I was doing at the time

 

[NUTTSGT]

Sounds like it's time for a new tool purchase, 3/8" or 1/2" battery impact wrench.

 

[engineer2]

GJ members don't need much of an excuse to justify a new tool.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Bosch added a stouter 1/4 hex / 1/2 sq drive Freak model. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bosch-Impa...K/835J825a5lJrVWdJ6luBgM/9KHQTSV/AlBdFzA0BAAA

 

[shoggoth80]

GJ members don't need much of an excuse to justify a new tool.

This is true.

Seriously, I use a 1/4 impact driver all the time. From running screws, drill bits, slapping in 1/4 and 3/8 adapters. I even sheared the shank on 1/2 adapter. Little gun was fine

A 1/2 electric impact will put a fair bit more grunt into it though.

 

[impactims]

Are we talking about one of these?

This is what comes to mind when i think impact driver.

 

[finn]

People are overthinking this. I have at least half dozen, and likely closer to a dozen or more battery and air impact wrenches and drivers, but I don’t recall ever using anything other than a plain old 1/2” drive ratchet or even a breaker bar to change a lawnmower or lawn tractor blade. A 3/8 drive would work, but would involve an adaptor.

Power tools don’t automatically make every job easier.

 

[whitesco]

Power tools don’t automatically make every job easier.

I’m certain there is some kind of GJ demerit system that kicks in when statements like this are made!!

 

[finn]

I’m certain there is some kind of GJ demerit system that kicks in when statements like this are made!!

Guilty.

I’m a well known anarchist.

 

[AEAdam]

I think impact WRENCHES are game changers for removing lawn mower blades, engine pulleys, lugs, and other stuff that isn’t easily immobilized.

 

[finn]

I think impact WRENCHES are game changers for removing lawn mower blades, engine pulleys, lugs, and other stuff that isn’t easily immobilized.

A sturdy leather glove easily immobilizes a mower blade. If that fails, a chunk of 4x4 is the next step.

You’re probably right about pulleys, though.

 

[Farmall450]

I bought my Matco off the truck back in 2012 and use them every day for almost everything. Many bolts, nuts under the hood can be handled by a .25" impact. I'm not talking alternator, water pump, power steering ****, but 10mm coil bolts, valve cover bolts, firewall and fender well bolts and battery clamps. The usefulness of this tool is a 10 on the professional level.
I do real work.
Zim

It was a wild time 2012 and before when Milwaukee and Dewalt didn't have the good li-ion stuff they do now. I think the 20v MAX platform came out in the early 2010s at least. What a game changer.

 

[four.cycle]

@Jmellc -
Not sure whether or not you've solved your problem, but I am a bit confused.
The only 15/16" socket required for most any walk-behind lawnmower is for the flywheel nut on a Briggs & Stratton engine.
You may or may not need an impact to remove that nut.
If you are removing the blade bolt at the bottom (drive) end of the crankshaft, you should be dealing with a 9/16" or 5/8" bolt head, not 15/16".

In either case, the bolt (or nut) may be rusted or galled, in which case you need to pony up for a can of good penetrating oil, douse it good, and go back in the house for a day or two and let the oil do its magic, then hit it with the blue wrench/cheater bar/impact gun as necessary.

I have found that a 120-volt "Bauer" 1/2" drive impact gun works wonders.

 

[KnurledNut]

@Jmellc -
Not sure whether or not you've solved your problem, but I am a bit confused.
The only 15/16" socket required for most any walk-behind lawnmower is for the flywheel nut on a Briggs & Stratton engine.
You may or may not need an impact to remove that nut.
If you are removing the blade bolt at the bottom (drive) end of the crankshaft, you should be dealing with a 9/16" or 5/8" bolt head, not 15/16".

In either case, the bolt (or nut) may be rusted or galled, in which case you need to pony up for a can of good penetrating oil, douse it good, and go back in the house for a day or two and let the oil do its magic, then hit it with the blue wrench/cheater bar/impact gun as necessary.

I have found that a 120-volt "Bauer" 1/2" drive impact gun works wonders.

Likely a mower deck spindle nut.
Some of those can get pretty tight.
I fought a 15/16 that laughed at my 1/2 impact wrench.

 

[Wrench-Polisher]

I’m certain there is some kind of GJ demerit system that kicks in when statements like this are made!!

There is it's called age and arthritis.

 

[four.cycle]

Likely a mower deck spindle nut.

ah!
I only work on walk-behinds.. I don't have space or facilities to deal with riders.

 

[bassJAM]

This is my 1/2 impact. It zips off my trucks lug nuts, Dad even used it to remove bushhog blades he was struggling to get free with a breaker bar.

And yes I use it to remove my lawnmower blades twice a year, and then use my 1/4 drive Bosch impact to drive them back on. I think I paid about $100 a couple years ago and it was worth the small investment, given that a similar Bosch tool only that would fit my battery system was about $270 at the time.

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench Kit with 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger PCL265K1 - The Home Depot

Give a strong addition to your workstation with RYOBI ONE LITHIUMION CORDLESS IMPACT WRENCH KIT with Battery and charger.

www.homedepot.com

 

[four.cycle]

^ I think I paid right about $50 bucks for that Bauer and three of us have just beat the **** out of for the last three years. Keeps on going!

 

[LSU]

I like to buy tools just as much as the next person if not more. I have a 1/4" drill & impact driver. Rigid brand. Works fine for little stuff. I have the Lowe's brand 1/2" impact driver i use on my boat trailer lugs that get dunked in salt water. Works fine.

If I had just one or two nuts to take off - I'd go to Harbor Freight and buy a Breaker Bar, stop by your local hardware store and make up a cheater pipe and for under $20 (less if you have a coupon). this will take off any nut you come across. Spray a little Kroil if you're still having a problem.

 

[AEAdam]

I like to buy tools just as much as the next person if not more. I have a 1/4" drill & impact driver. Rigid brand. Works fine for little stuff. I have the Lowe's brand 1/2" impact driver i use on my boat trailer lugs that get dunked in salt water. Works fine.

If I had just one or two nuts to take off - I'd go to Harbor Freight and buy a Breaker Bar, stop by your local hardware store and make up a cheater pipe and for under $20 (less if you have a coupon). this will take off any nut you come across. Spray a little Kroil if you're still having a problem.

That sounds good and believe me, we’ve all been there and done it.

My mower has 3 blades. And they get tight. And they can be so tight, you can pull the mower off the jack stands with a breaker bar. But that won’t happen with an impact gun.

Conversely, you can’t always fit an impact gun under a mower for various reasons. So a long breaker, or better, a long ratchet, is a smart first choice.

 

[bornbadbob]

I use my 1/4” impact driver a lot, I have a couple them but my fave is my 10ish year old Dewalt. One of the best tools I have ever owned.