Looking at getting an impact wrench

[Lateralus]

I use my Milwaukee 1 /2" drive at work occasionally and at home for tire rotations. It saves so much time and energy. I buy Milwaukee since all my power tools are Milwaukee. My favorite new tool from them is the compact 12 volt surge impact driver. Big power from a small package.

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[Snowcavemike]

Thinking about picking up an impact wrench for suspension work and tire removal. Don't really know much about them so I figured I'd rely on those more knowledgeable.

I just invested in a nice Dewalt cordless drill so I'd like to stay there so I don't have to buy different batteries. Unless of course I can get a steal on something else that will do the job.

What is the minimum torque and breakaway torque I need for lug nuts and suspension work??

I have the car and I use it for the motorhome lug bits at 165ft/lbs. Most of the time the shop puts them on tighter. 30 seconds to pull all ten nuts off. My gladiator log nuts are easy with the dewalt.

 

[it_trailblzr]

Back in the day (90`s) I worked for a guy that bought the Milwaukee commercial line drills.
They would sit in the bed of a truck in south Florida rain (occurs daily @ 2:00 - 3:00) and work flawlessly. Literally while wet.

 

[Shifu]

Any specific model number Milwaukee impactor to look for?

 

[tommyp]

Any specific model number Milwaukee impactor to look for?

Depends what you want to do. Stubby m12 3/8 2554-22 does alot probably a good choice to start. But you may need the power of a 1/2” high torque fuel on larger bolts and lugs.

 

[Shifu]

Depends what you want to do. Stubby m12 3/8 2554-22 does alot probably a good choice to start. But you may need the power of a 1/2” high torque fuel on larger bolts and lugs.

Looking for compact or smallest 1/2” that can handle lug nuts.

 

[DTJB]

Mechanic by trade and if I were to give my opinion, I wouldn’t worry about the minimum breaking strength, go for the strongest you can afford (I don’t recommend hammering on any bolt with a stout impact for too long) but there will always be a situation where you need more power and never a situation where you need less... if the OP has dewalt tools already, I’d buy a dewalt... it sucks having 15 chargers and 15 batteries for different tools. The dewalt is an outstanding battery impact for the money. I know several people with them and I’ve used a few of them myself...( I don’t own one, all of my tools are pneumatic)... if it’s going to be an impact for strictly shop use I’d invest in a good pneumatic *insert name brand here (snap-on, Mac, IR, Cornwell, ect...)* assuming you have an air compressor that will push 4+cfm @90 psi (some smaller compressors will work them fine with intermittent use)... now I’m pandering so to wrap it up... family tools that share batteries are sweet, no such thing as too much power and you don’t have to have a $700 impact to do the job at hand

Remember: ymmv and good luck... impact sockets are very strong across the board so feel free to go to Harbor Frieght and score deals on those, a swivel and a couple of 1/2” dr. Extensions can be lifesavers

 

[Free2roam]

I dropped a Milwaukee 1/2 corded drill from around 20 ft. up nothing to slow it down but the concrete it hit. Brand new. Boss picked it up....pulled the trigger worked just like he took it out of the box. Never failed. I trust Milwaukee.

 

[Sallaman]

This is just my opinion but i say buy a very very nice set of impact sockets first and then buy the nicest you can with the money you have left in the budget. All the top brands make good/great impacts, you almost cant go wrong but a shitty socket will ruin your night

 

[tommyp]

Looking for compact or smallest 1/2” that can handle lug nuts.

Stubby should handle most car/ jeep lug nuts and will possibly start to struggle on dually lug nuts. I have the the big milwaulkee so i usually just grab that to get lug nuts off and then put them back on with the stubby on medium and the torque to spec with a wrench. The stubby will do a ton of stuff on a car. Especially new non rusted cars but you may need something bigger at some point. Axle nuts, maybe tie rod ends.

The best bet for lug nuts would be a mid torque or a high torque but then using something like that for other stuff around the car is a pain.

So now you have this tool that you only use for lug nuts and other heavy bolts. There really isn’t a one size fits all yet. The stubby is really close. Buy one and see if it does your lug nuts it should. Make sure you have a good battery like a 4.0 or 6.0 they have more capacity and will work slightly better than a 2.0 or 3.

They make the stubby in 1/2” (not more powerful just different size) but 3/8’s makes more sense for a stubby with most bolts on a car. I would then buy a big impact with 1/2” stuff if you are finding that the stubby with good batteries can’t do what you want.

Everything up here is rusted to hell so I tend to use the 1/2” fuel impact more, like on exhaust clamps and other rusted parts where that may not be the case for you.

 

[Shifu]

Stubby should handle most car/ jeep lug nuts and will possibly start to struggle on dually lug nuts. I have the the big milwaulkee so i usually just grab that to get lug nuts off and then put them back on with the stubby on medium and the torque to spec with a wrench. The stubby will do a ton of stuff on a car. Especially new non rusted cars but you may need something bigger at some point. Axle nuts, maybe tie rod ends.

The best bet for lug nuts would be a mid torque or a high torque but then using something like that for other stuff around the car is a pain.

So now you have this tool that you only use for lug nuts and other heavy bolts. There really isn’t a one size fits all yet. The stubby is really close. Buy one and see if it does your lug nuts it should. Make sure you have a good battery like a 4.0 or 6.0 they have more capacity and will work slightly better than a 2.0 or 3.

They make the stubby in 1/2” (not more powerful just different size) but 3/8’s makes more sense for a stubby with most bolts on a car. I would then buy a big impact with 1/2” stuff if you are finding that the stubby with good batteries can’t do what you want.

Everything up here is rusted to hell so I tend to use the 1/2” fuel impact more, like on exhaust clamps and other rusted parts where that may not be the case for you.

Thanks for the tip! I was afraid that was going to be the case with no one size does all.

 

[AmishMike]

Get yourself a good matching 1/2"drive DeWalt at Home Crappo or bLowes so you can exchange it if necessary. I am a huge DeWalt fan. My mechanic now has a set of DeWalt to replace his old Makita. I have had Milwaukee in the past and had great luck with them too.
To mirror what others have said, above 250 ft/lbs..
Remember that adding extensions lowers your break-away torque etc.. Get some decent 6 point sockets! 12 pt on an impact leads to rounded heads, and ugliness. Kobalt, Craftsmen, and the better line at Harbor Freight are decent enough sockets. Tools are a lot better now then ever, some reviews will tell you that most come out of the same factory. Yes, actually torqueing things back on is necessary.
(Been a mechanic for 25 years, have a fleet of buses, toolbox full of Mac, Snap-On, Cornwell etc.)

 

[AKID_RBM]

I've been eyeing this one...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...One-5-0-Ah-Battery-and-Bag-2767-21B/312012941

What size impact sockets work best on the Jeep? Coming from Toyota I am metric based so need to understand Jeep sizes.

 

[Garemlin]

This is the one I was eyeing.

Thoughts?

DCF901B

 

[FutureOdin]

This is the one I was eyeing.

Thoughts?

DCF901B

That's a 12V one--do you already have the batteries for the Dewalt 12V system?

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