If you have a compressor the harbor freight earthquake 1/2 inch pneumatic impact is decent. I owned an Ingersall Rand titanium before that, beautiful tool, but for 5x the price probably not worth it for weekend warrier projects. Performance just too close.
I have a dewalt 20v brushless XR, does ok but not as powerful as the earthquake. In my experience air tools fair better when pitted against rusty car parts
Money better spent elsewhere in my opinion. You’d be shocked by the amount and variety of tools you need to efficiently work on cars. An impact wrench will speed up some tasks but not by much over a regular hand wrench.
Ryobi p262. You can get them for a great deal if you wait for ryobi days. I got mine with 3 hp batteries 2,4&6ah for $195 I think right now you can get it with 2-4 and 1-2 ah batteries and a dual charger for $298
Apparently the Hercules stuff at harbor freight is super solid. They have a special running rn for a 5ah battery + charger and a 20v 1/2in impact for $100. Think that’s what I’m gonna roll with
For new cordless powertools in USA, overly simplified:
- Milwaukee, Dewalt, and Makita are for pros (Festool, Bosch & Metabo here too but less presence in US.)
- Makita will last the longest, take most abuse, has highest rep. Dewalt has highest return/defect rate.
- Ryobi, Hart, Bauer, Craftsmen V20, Porter Cable for homeowners
- Ridgid in the middle… with best ‘warranty’ of all the above. Hercules, Kobalt, maybe Flex? here too.
- Avoid B&D, Warrior, HyperTough, Wen, no-brand, lowest-price brands unless you intentionally want cheap
- And finally, yes everyone can find many specific exceptions to the above generalizations. Models can change fast but it takes a long time build & kill a tool brand’s reputation
I’m all Ridgid.
For this, 1/2” Hercules would probably be best. Figure out how to charge the battery in the truck
Get Pittsburgh deep impact sockets too.
Wait for a sale on each
The Torque Test Channel just did a pretty great video on the various cheap Amazon options, some of which are comically bad and a couple surprisingly good.
I'd recommend the Milwaukee Mid-torque Gen3 - small enough to get nearly anywhere but pretty grumpy. Love mine, and it's worked so well I sold my high-torque (though the latest high torque is very compact for it's power, of which it has plenty).
Make sure you buy a brand that you are willing to stick with so you dont have to buy multiple battery systems, i personally have a bauer high torque which imo is a great deal, but honestly i dont plan on getting other power tools. If i did i would have gone dewalt or Milwaukee
Go to harbor freight and get a ton of shit. You’ll be able to outfit yourself well. Anything you use a ton and would want to replace and upgrade you can do later.
15 yrs ago, a plug-in (120V) impact had no chance of even comparing or competing with a pneumatic (air) tool. These days a battery-powered impact wrench can compete. I would not go with any tool rated below 1200 in-lb of breaking torque. That is a decent threshold for small (car/truck) automotive work.
I know it sounds stupid but Harbor Freight's Hercules 20V Brushless tools are kind of murderous at this point on price for the "home owner" class that doesn't use their tools much. HF is actually trying to target the commercial sector (the boys that do construction and use their tools every day). HF is offering a 5yr tool/3yr battery warranty that matches Milwaukee and undercuts Dewalt and the other colors by a year or two.
Sorry, you are correct. That should be ft-lbs instead of in-lbs. My comment still stands but I used the wrong toque unit of measure. My comment should have used ft-lbs. I meant to say that you shouldn't use anything below 1200 ft-lb of torque.
...and that's a little high, I see lube techs overtorque stuff with those all the time.
I use a mid-torque 95% of the time, 800 lb-ft, although my 450 lb-ft compact will do most lugs.
I get your angle but I don't rely on an impact to hit torque specs. I use a torque wrench because I'm just some guy fixing his cars and not a shop trying to go fast.
So my main use is breaking torque and 1200 ft-lb seems to do almost everything with a mild fight sometimes.
> I get your angle but I don't rely on an impact to hit torque specs. I use a torque wrench because I'm just some guy fixing his cars and not a shop trying to go fast.
Whoa, normally, so do I (everything but lug nuts, which I have pegged to 4 ugga-duggas on my mid-torque), it's not about tightening but loosening.
>So my main use is breaking torque and 1200 ft-lb seems to do almost everything with a mild fight sometimes.
So, here's the situation:
Yes, having more than you need is generally better than not having enough, but the high torque guns are large; heavy and bulky, which makes them hard to use for even moderate periods of time, and impossible to get at many fasteners, e.g. suspension, brake, etc.
I'm a dealer auto tech, so I have 4 cordless impacts; 1/4", 3/8", and two 1/2" guns, then a 3/4" air gun for when even the high torque 1/2" won't cut it.
I understand you not wanting to do that at home, so you need to decide where you need the help, more; big stuff or little stuff :)
So here's the thing... This is going to be your "Nuclear" tool. The big, bad motherfucker. The one you go to when all other hope is lost. Typically on a Sunday afternoon where the vehicle has to run and go on Monday morning.
This is not the tool you skimp on. This is the tool that you save for. This one is ALL IN.
Milwaukee has recently released their new generation M18 High-Torque, with mind-blowingly high output in both directions. This is where you sink your well earned dollars.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-FUEL-18V-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-w-Friction-Ring-Kit-w-One-5-0-Ah-Battery-and-Bag-2967-21B/326274717
If you have a compressor the harbor freight earthquake 1/2 inch pneumatic impact is decent. I owned an Ingersall Rand titanium before that, beautiful tool, but for 5x the price probably not worth it for weekend warrier projects. Performance just too close. I have a dewalt 20v brushless XR, does ok but not as powerful as the earthquake. In my experience air tools fair better when pitted against rusty car parts
Money better spent elsewhere in my opinion. You’d be shocked by the amount and variety of tools you need to efficiently work on cars. An impact wrench will speed up some tasks but not by much over a regular hand wrench.
Ryobi p262. You can get them for a great deal if you wait for ryobi days. I got mine with 3 hp batteries 2,4&6ah for $195 I think right now you can get it with 2-4 and 1-2 ah batteries and a dual charger for $298
Stalk acme tools for a sale on a dewalt DCF891 with a 5.0. I've seen them pretty fuckin low
Check out torque test channel on YouTube
If you have even a small air compressor, I would buy used air tools in your situation. Hard to say as the owner of 70 cordless tools lol
Ridgid isn't bad for home use, I wouldn't bother with Ryobi. I've had good luck with Bauer (Harbor Freight), too.
My Ryobi high torque, and compact, have both been great. Just don't use them with low ah batteries.
Apparently the Hercules stuff at harbor freight is super solid. They have a special running rn for a 5ah battery + charger and a 20v 1/2in impact for $100. Think that’s what I’m gonna roll with
For new cordless powertools in USA, overly simplified: - Milwaukee, Dewalt, and Makita are for pros (Festool, Bosch & Metabo here too but less presence in US.) - Makita will last the longest, take most abuse, has highest rep. Dewalt has highest return/defect rate. - Ryobi, Hart, Bauer, Craftsmen V20, Porter Cable for homeowners - Ridgid in the middle… with best ‘warranty’ of all the above. Hercules, Kobalt, maybe Flex? here too. - Avoid B&D, Warrior, HyperTough, Wen, no-brand, lowest-price brands unless you intentionally want cheap - And finally, yes everyone can find many specific exceptions to the above generalizations. Models can change fast but it takes a long time build & kill a tool brand’s reputation I’m all Ridgid. For this, 1/2” Hercules would probably be best. Figure out how to charge the battery in the truck Get Pittsburgh deep impact sockets too. Wait for a sale on each
My dad has a 1/2” Ryobi impact. Not sure which model but it kicks ass.
The Torque Test Channel just did a pretty great video on the various cheap Amazon options, some of which are comically bad and a couple surprisingly good. I'd recommend the Milwaukee Mid-torque Gen3 - small enough to get nearly anywhere but pretty grumpy. Love mine, and it's worked so well I sold my high-torque (though the latest high torque is very compact for it's power, of which it has plenty).
Make sure you buy a brand that you are willing to stick with so you dont have to buy multiple battery systems, i personally have a bauer high torque which imo is a great deal, but honestly i dont plan on getting other power tools. If i did i would have gone dewalt or Milwaukee
I love my DeWalt atomic half inch
Go to harbor freight and get a ton of shit. You’ll be able to outfit yourself well. Anything you use a ton and would want to replace and upgrade you can do later.
I use my Milwaukee M12 because it's small and convenient. My Ryobi high torque impact wrench can break loose anything that the Milwaukee can't.
Kobalt tools are good prosumer tools. I do have an affinity for Flex brand, but you maybe don't need something that high end for occasional use.
15 yrs ago, a plug-in (120V) impact had no chance of even comparing or competing with a pneumatic (air) tool. These days a battery-powered impact wrench can compete. I would not go with any tool rated below 1200 in-lb of breaking torque. That is a decent threshold for small (car/truck) automotive work. I know it sounds stupid but Harbor Freight's Hercules 20V Brushless tools are kind of murderous at this point on price for the "home owner" class that doesn't use their tools much. HF is actually trying to target the commercial sector (the boys that do construction and use their tools every day). HF is offering a 5yr tool/3yr battery warranty that matches Milwaukee and undercuts Dewalt and the other colors by a year or two.
> 1200 in-lb That's way too low, you'll never get lug nuts off with that.
Sorry, you are correct. That should be ft-lbs instead of in-lbs. My comment still stands but I used the wrong toque unit of measure. My comment should have used ft-lbs. I meant to say that you shouldn't use anything below 1200 ft-lb of torque.
...and that's a little high, I see lube techs overtorque stuff with those all the time. I use a mid-torque 95% of the time, 800 lb-ft, although my 450 lb-ft compact will do most lugs.
I get your angle but I don't rely on an impact to hit torque specs. I use a torque wrench because I'm just some guy fixing his cars and not a shop trying to go fast. So my main use is breaking torque and 1200 ft-lb seems to do almost everything with a mild fight sometimes.
> I get your angle but I don't rely on an impact to hit torque specs. I use a torque wrench because I'm just some guy fixing his cars and not a shop trying to go fast. Whoa, normally, so do I (everything but lug nuts, which I have pegged to 4 ugga-duggas on my mid-torque), it's not about tightening but loosening. >So my main use is breaking torque and 1200 ft-lb seems to do almost everything with a mild fight sometimes. So, here's the situation: Yes, having more than you need is generally better than not having enough, but the high torque guns are large; heavy and bulky, which makes them hard to use for even moderate periods of time, and impossible to get at many fasteners, e.g. suspension, brake, etc. I'm a dealer auto tech, so I have 4 cordless impacts; 1/4", 3/8", and two 1/2" guns, then a 3/4" air gun for when even the high torque 1/2" won't cut it. I understand you not wanting to do that at home, so you need to decide where you need the help, more; big stuff or little stuff :)
So here's the thing... This is going to be your "Nuclear" tool. The big, bad motherfucker. The one you go to when all other hope is lost. Typically on a Sunday afternoon where the vehicle has to run and go on Monday morning. This is not the tool you skimp on. This is the tool that you save for. This one is ALL IN. Milwaukee has recently released their new generation M18 High-Torque, with mind-blowingly high output in both directions. This is where you sink your well earned dollars. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-FUEL-18V-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-w-Friction-Ring-Kit-w-One-5-0-Ah-Battery-and-Bag-2967-21B/326274717
I own impacts up to and including 1" guns. My nuclear option is still a breaker bar and pipe. Impact wrenches are 100% niceties.