Impact wrench as impact driver

[rick carpenter]

An impact driver review on another board didn't rank the Bosch 182 impact driver/wrench at the top but was very favorable toward it nonetheless. It has a 1/4" hex collet inside a 1/2" anvil and puts out 137 ft/lbs. The Ryobi 3/8" impact wrench delivers 150 ft/lbs, and could be combined with Facom's 3/8" anvil to hex adapter. I'm thinking either of these would be good for construction (lag screws, construction screws, and deck & phillips screws) as well as light duty automotive. I'm sure other 3/8" impact wrenches would work fine, but I already have a Ryobi 18v system so a Ryobi bare tool would be a good buy. OTOH, the Bosch's slightly lower torque rating would be better for construction.

Any thoughts on the general line of thinking and/or specific tools?

https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/18v-one-plus-38-in-impact-wrench

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I5VHYJ6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Farmall450]

I disagree w/ lower torque being better for construction...it's not like a few more lbs is going to make the bolt explode.

There are times when I'd been using my 1/4" on lags that I wish I'd had the 325# 3/8" I have now.

I'd stick with one battery system, though.

 

[Dieselhammer]

I have said bosch impact, was given to me as a christmas gift and i ended up taking it out of my shop box and use it just for wood work, it doesnt have the nuts for anything auto/heavy duty. even though it has a 1/2" anvil, it really should have a 3/8" anvil on it for what it actually puts out, and even then its pretty weak. Good for lag bolts and decking screws.

 

[DFB]

Ya the Bosch combo has always been unique, an all around contractor style tool been around for awhile but the power level falls short of many dedicated impact drivers now days.

Myself I more often use 1/4" shank adapters in impact drivers than the other way around though I do have some 3/8" bit adapters I mainly use for M12 3/8" impact wrench.

 

[dogdog]

that is pretty ingenious....

 

[Bretny]

I have a proto 3/8 square to 1/4in hex adapter. My milwaukee 3/8 non fuel impact drives screws my old m18 1/4in driver will not. We are mostly talking 4in screws or lag bolts onto one or more piece of hard wood. For driving screws in pine the normal 1/4in driver is fine.

 

[mike93lx]

150 lb ft on an impact wrench isn't particularly useful, imo. Nothing a good driver can't do with an adapter

Keep them separate to get more effective tools.

 

[Robinson1]

When released the Bosch 182 was at the top of its class for impact drivers. Still a very respectable tool. Its aimed at contractors working with a variety of fasteners. Mainly screwed and lag bolts. It really shines for deck construction. As an impact wrench its weak but generally plenty for construction use with lag bolts. Not an automotive use tool and was never intended to be.

Still my favorite impact driver and one of the first tools off the truck on practically every job I do.

I think Bosch hit it out of the park with the 182

 

[rick carpenter]

I really wanted to go with the newer 150 ft/lb version of the Bosch but the smaller dia range of sockets readily available for the 3/8 Ryobi won me over.

However, the Husky 3/8 thin wall impact set I bought with it doesn't seem to fit right. The pic shows the Husky socket retained on the anvil only by the friction ring. This is my first impact wrench so I guess I don't know what to look for. What socket specs do I need?

 

[Nero]

I really wanted to go with the newer 150 ft/lb version of the Bosch but the smaller dia range of sockets readily available for the 3/8 Ryobi won me over.

However, the Husky 3/8 thin wall impact set I bought with it doesn't seem to fit right. The pic shows the Husky socket retained on the anvil only by the friction ring. This is my first impact wrench so I guess I don't know what to look for. What socket specs do I need?

That socket should fit most of the way on the anvil..is the square drive end on the socket damaged? Or are the detents on the socket in the wrong place? Do you have another ratchet or something to test that socket with?

 

[rick carpenter]

That socket should fit most of the way on the anvil..is the square drive end on the socket damaged? Or are the detents on the socket in the wrong place? Do you have another ratchet or something to test that socket with?

The anvil does not look to be damaged or malformed. I don't know what you can see clearly in the pic, but the Husky sockets have small stopped half-barrels milled into the recess faces, then shallower grooves continuing down to the base of the recess. No ring slot at the base of the recess. They all pop on the anvil past the friction ring and then can slip on fully but jiggly loose, and they do not snap into place when they bottom out. They slide in & out about 1/4" like in the pic in my original post with only the ring hitting the stop to keep them from falling off. I figure it's gotta be something with those grooves??? I tried an OEM Industrial ball detent socket on the Ryobi and it secures fine. The same OEM socket and the Husky sockets secure fine on a regular Snap On 3/8" spring ball detent ratchet.

 

[AA/FC]

I use a 1/4 hex adapter on my compact 1/2 Milwaukee impact all the time. Pull the collar back to release the bit, just like an air chuck. Works great!

 

[bwringer]

I'm invested in the Bosch 18V tools/batteries, and it really cheezes me off that they haven't released a real 1/2" impact. They just put a different anvil on the 1/4" impact. I mean, whoopee.

When I am King of the World, I will forcibly standardize tool battery interfaces...