Uses for an impact driver for industrial repair

[Brian247]

I have a growing collection of Milwaukee tools in my service van that I use for various repairs on forklifts. My main go to is the 3/8 12v Milwaukee for almost everything that I can fit it on to. I have been thinking about buying the m12 version of the Milwaukee surge impact driver and it just went on sale at Home Depot for $179 for the whole kit. My question is do you guys use impact drivers for loosening/tightening bolts just like the 3/8 impact wrench? I know it has a little less power but I don’t use it to take off lugs with it, I go to my big m18 1/2 inch drive with all the power. I just want to make sure I am not going to be breaking bolts off with it and causing myself more work in the long run. If any of you guys use these for auto repair or industrial repair let me know what you think about it!

 

[Bannik254]

Used the m18 hex impact driver for a good long while with 3/8 and 1/2 square adapters before picking up the m12 stubby 1/2 drive. Driver came free with the m18 1/2 big gun, so I tried it out in the shop.
The main issue I ran into was the frequency in which the square adapters would break, Dewalt's 3/8 and Makita's 1/2 square adapters held up best respectively.
The impact driver had no issue removing lug nuts, green loctited capscrews, etc. no idea why Milwaukee just doesn't put a square anvil on that driver, would be perfect otherwise. The current adapters available aren't strong enough for long-term, repeated use.

 

[Jlarson]

I use my m12 driver mainly with a 6" long Phillips and 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8" nut driver bits. Also running a heavy duty 1" wire end brush with it, I use that all the time for cleaning up threads on fittings, hydraulic cylinders, bolts.

 

[ChevyEFI]

The M18 Surge version is really nice for driving fasteners into wood. It will make quick work of M6 bolts underhood If you're working with larger, tighter-torqued fasteners, it will not act like an impact gun. Esp. on lug nuts. I'd like to try a non-surge version back to back with it, but just getting a 1/2" anvil impact is probably better for me. I do have to assume the following is about the non-Surge.

Used the m18 hex impact driver for a good long while with 3/8 and 1/2 square adapters before picking up the m12 stubby 1/2 drive. Driver came free with the m18 1/2 big gun, so I tried it out in the shop.
The main issue I ran into was the frequency in which the square adapters would break, Dewalt's 3/8 and Makita's 1/2 square adapters held up best respectively.
The impact driver had no issue removing lug nuts, green loctited capscrews, etc. no idea why Milwaukee just doesn't put a square anvil on that driver, would be perfect otherwise. The current adapters available aren't strong enough for long-term, repeated use.

 

[driz]

I have both the M12 and M18 drivers. I much prefer the smaller M12 for nearly all my mechanical needs. I find it handles better and is all the power I need for nuts and bolts without overdoing things. It feels more controllable to not snap stuck bolts.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[csi123]

Most of the newer Milwaukee impact wrenches have an auto mode that will stop the impact as soon as the bolt is tight so you don't need to worry about snapping it. You still have to torque them down to spec with a torque wrench after.

 

[RedneckWelder]

They work for smaller bolts. An M12 Fuel 1/4in driver has no problem up to M10 bolts in many cases (16mm head for what I work on). It’s especially useful with nutdrivers and torx and Allen bits for panels and interior work also. And it’s excellent for driving self tapping screws for mounting fire extinguisher brackets and other accessories.

 

[dacan23]

Like others mentioned, the Surge isn't really designed for nuts & bolts unless small ones, its mainly for wood, sheet screws, small threads, and small drilling.

The difference between the Surge and normal hex impact is the surge delivers consistent power where an impact will hit peak and then apply lighter pressure over and over. This can cause issues where the Surge on full power will break or strip a fastener easily that a traditional impact would not. The learning curve with the surge is on full you may bury screws in wood too much or crack the wood if you are not paying attention.

Using the surge for mid to heavy impact scenarios could damage it. I love the surge and have both M18 & M12, for assembly & wood projects its my first choice. My other 10 impacts are for car work, never the surge.

 

[whateg01]

They work for smaller bolts. An M12 Fuel 1/4in driver has no problem up to M10 bolts in many cases (16mm head for what I work on). It’s especially useful with nutdrivers and torx and Allen bits for panels and interior work also. And it’s excellent for driving self tapping screws for mounting fire extinguisher brackets and other accessories.

OT, but I want to thank you for calling the M10 bolt an M10 bolt and not a 16mm bolt! I hate watching youtube videos where somebody says take out the M10 bolt, but it's actually an M6 with a 10mm hex head!

Dave

 

[u2slow]

I'm on the Makita 18v train, but the basic 1/4" hex impact is my go-to. One type of batteries for me. Use the 3/8 and 1/2" drive adapters.

It puzzles me why almost the same gun has to cost so much more because they put a square drive anvil on the end.

 

[RedneckWelder]

OT, but I want to thank you for calling the M10 bolt an M10 bolt and not a 16mm bolt! I hate watching youtube videos where somebody says take out the M10 bolt, but it's actually an M6 with a 10mm hex head!

Dave

I got trained that way because it’s how the OEM I work on does it. It took a bit of getting used to at first but it’s a lot more uniform especially when you run into different standards for the head size

 

[engineer2]

My question is do you guys use impact drivers for loosening/tightening bolts just like the 3/8 impact wrench?

My 1/4 hex impact driver is my most used tool. I use the HF adapters (1/4, 3/8, 1/2) with sockets as needed. I can finesse tiny screws with a Phillips #0 bit or do lugnuts. I have a Makita 18V, but hex drivers work the same. They spin like a drill until they meet resistance, they they go into impact mode. I find I don't even use a torque wrench as much because I know Low is around 40 ft-lbs, Medium is about 80 and Hi is about 120.

 

[whateg01]

... I find I don't even use a torque wrench as much because I know Low is around 40 ft-lbs, Medium is about 80 and Hi is about 120.

Remind me not to have you rebuild my engine! The torque an impact produces varies depending on several things. If you let it stop when it first starts to pound, the effective torque on the bolt may be lower than you think it is. If you let it pound away all day, it will continue to tighten a fastener little by little until it can't anymore, but the amount of torque it takes to stop it from spinning most dramatically depends on how well charged and how old the battery is. This is why when it won't take a lugnut off, you charge it up and then it hits harder.

 

[engineer2]

Remind me not to have you rebuild my engine!

Haha! I should have clarified. For some non-critical things "goot-n-tight" is good enough. You just need a feel for the torque rise. Who uses a torque wrench to assemble a wheelbarrow?

...dramatically depends on how well charged and how old the battery is

Not on my Makita. It's microprocessor controlled and works the same until it decides the battery is too low and it shuts off and flashes the battery light. Then you know it's time to replace/recharge the battery.

 

[charbar]

Years back when I worked at a GM dealer that is EXACTLY what I did. Not Milwaukee specific as you are talking, but I had a Dewalt impact driver and the first thing I did was get a hex to 1/4 and 3/8 square drive adapters.
Never had an issue with it, thought it was the best thing ever to be honest! One tool to cover multiple types of fasteners. I wouldn't worry about snapping anything off with it, that's what trigger control is for After some time using it you'll know about how tight your getting something, just like anything else.


Having said that, I now have actual 3/8 impact guns that get grabbed 25 times to 1 over an impact driver...