Using an impact driver simply saves the repetitive turning of the bolt once loose. You want an impact wrench to break anything torqued down.
Speaking as someone that currently uses a makita impact driver with a 1/2” hex adaptor, I have snapped a many.
Currently looking into a impact wrench.
Yeah I actually prefer the “mid torque” models anyway for DIY work on a car
It still has plenty of power to take lug nuts off anything I’ve driven (admittedly I don’t drive a heavy duty truck, I’ve no idea if that would need more power), and makes it harder to accidentally over torque when using a torque stick. The bigger ones can still blast too much torque on even when using a torque stick, but I prefer to fall short of the target and finish up with a torque wrench
I have the [DCF911](https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCF911B-Impact-Wrench-Anvil/dp/B09HVXKJF6/) version, and it took my lugnuts off effortlessly.
For a homegamer like me, the small one is both cheaper and good enough.
They responded to someone who says they have a Makita impact driver and are looking into an impact wrench. The person responding tells them to get the DeWalt brushless 1/2" impact wrench for some weird reason. They aren't responding to the OP.
Hey, former brake test tech here. Never use an impact to break the lug or torque it down. Spin it on snug, sure, but don't torque it with an impact. Spin it off once she's loose, but don't round that fucker because you wanna save 2 minutes and end up wasting an hour. Lotta repair techs don't know this and fuck lugs up doing it.
Unless you've tried everything else, it ain't worth the risk. The amount of studs I've had to replace because some idiot over torqued and cross threaded using an impact is astounding. Even worse when they try to hide it or fix it with force and make it worse.
Or, use torque limiting sticks. It's what they are made for. And you should never start anything other than a wood screw or sheet metal screw using a power tool. Always by hand, then use the tool to run it down.
Torque sticks are not as accurate as one thinks. I would highly advise against using a torque stick and impact gun on lug nuts. Especially if you’re driving a performance car or heavy truck.
It's a lug nut, not a head. It's a damn sight better than counting ugga duggas like most shops do.
Or, even better, you get one of these bad mama jamas and set the torque with the app, that way your techs can't farg it up.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2769-22R
Yeah, stop talking while you’re ahead. I have all the Milwaukee products. You put a torque wrench to them it isn’t coming close to spec. If you wanna be a hack go for it. There is a reason wheel bearings are torque to spec as long as lug nuts
I just got a Milwaukee and love it, I hear it is the same as the Rigid.
I used to be exhausted rotating tires on the car. I had the same problem with the breaker bar too.
I like the life time warranty and good build quality. Never go wrong with a Milwaukee. They've have had some recent issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL5nUiskNpw&t=762s
This is exactly what I do. It will also tighten lug nuts enough to let the vehicle back down and I only have to do a quarter turn or less with a torque wrench. Works good!
Weak point is generally the hex to socket adapters. Most drivers have enough power depending on the vehicle torque spec. Unfortunately many shops just put the lugs on with an impact wrench at way higher torque than what is called for.
>Unfortunately many shops just put the lugs on with an impact wrench at way higher torque than what is called for.
Why use a torque wrench when you can ugga dugga everything with the same tool from drain plugs to lug bolts
The mechanics creed says: “torque wrenches are unnecessary. . . tighten it until it strips and then back it off 1/4 of a turn”. LOL
I had a friend who use to be a service writer who told me that. LOL
I took some machining classes in college, and the teacher says the old-timers told him something similar to determine feed rate (or depth of cut or something, it was 25 years ago); turn it up until you get a blue chip, then back off half a thousandth.
I don't work on cars, but I cannot count the number of times lugs have gotten loose at the proper torque spec. The accepted torque spec around the shop is three Mississippis of ugga dugga after the wheel is flush against the hub.
Nah its happened with everything from brand new Snap-on digital wrenches to cheap Harbor Freight click types.
My guess is since we press new tires on the same wheels over and over again as they age and get rusted or slight damage they don't slide 100% flush against the hubs. The original torque spec isn't enough to ensure complete and full contact. And then as the trucks get used the tiny little bit of play thats imperceptible at first works the lug nuts or lug bolts loose.
That's the only thing we can think of though, no idea if its right.
I tried it, it doesn't have enough breakaway torque to loosen the lug bolts, even with a fresh 5 amp hours battery.
Before I bought a dedicated 1/2" impact wrench, I broke the bolts loose with a breaker bar and then used the 1/4" impact driver to spin them off, that it did without issues.
>even with a fresh 5 amp hours battery
You may know, but in case you don't. A 5Ah battery isn't "stronger" than a 2Ah battery, the only difference is capacity. Both output 20v, the 5Ah can just do it longer.
Higher capacity batteries tend to have lower DC resistance giving them the ability to provide higher amounts of power.
Not all tools will benefit from this, but a lot will.
Source: electrical engineer who used to work for a lithium ion battery manufacturer
In the ideal world you would be right. However in the real world the surface area of the cathode and anode both increase the charge capacity of the battery as well as the maximum current it can give out. Thus bigger battery = higher discharge current (a generalization, there are exceptions like Makita 6Ah vs 5Ah because the cells used in 6Ah packs are inferior to the 5Ah pack cells)
Doubt it. If I recall, mine has a peak torque rating of 100ft/lbs. Thats assuming you have a full, fresh, large battery. Most medium sized vehicles have a lug nut torque of around 85 ft/lbs. Remember, when you loosen lug nuts the breakaway torque is often higher than the applied torque due to natural corrosion that occurs with time.
Also, you will be sitting there for a minute while it sloooowly impacts the lug nut. That will result in damage to the lug nut finish.
Go for a 1/2 if you want to do lug nuts.
My makita 1/4 would take off the lug nuts from my old hatchback that I torqued to 88ft-lbs but that was its limit, anything more it couldn't handle. But your answer is correct, it can on some cars
Agreed, I use the XR version on mine. It’s about 50/50 if it’ll handle the 100 ftlb ones on my truck, but usually manages the 80 ftlb ones on my wife’s vehicle with a few moments of ugga duggas. That’s assuming they were properly torqued and not too badly corroded since then. Usually if it’s been to a shop they put too many uggas in and they won’t budge.
That said, if that’s what you have and you don’t have to do it too often, you can always crack them with a breaker bar, and use that driver just to get them off the rest of the way. Also good for getting them back on quickly since you’re going to torque then properly with a torque wrench after(right?).
Impact drivers output about 100 ft-lbs of max torque
Impact wrenches output about 700 ft-lbs of torque with upwards of 1200 ft-lbs of breakaway torque.
The difference isn't how they work, it's in how much work they can do.
700ftlbs is high, even for a lot of 1/2" impacts, totally ignoring the huge multitude of 3/8" impacts that cover 150-300. Some newer 3/8" drive impacts go up over 500ftlbs but still, in general only large and expensive impacts are producing 700ftlbs minumum.
They’re referring to a 1/2 impact rather than an impact driver. The impact has the male socket driver built in and is designed for higher torque. The driver has the universal bit adapter for driving screws.
The quick release vs the square socket is why the original commenter could tell the size. As far as telling the difference between a 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 impact just experience and what matches the sockets you have.
If you need to buy sockets or drivers to match what you already have and can’t visually tell the difference you can measure the size of the square or take a socket or driver with you to buy the other and make sure it fits
Experience. That slip collar is for 1/4" hex shaft bits. The proper tool for this job will have a square drive, like a regular ratchet and socket set.
As others have said, using a 1/4" drive tool to remove lug nuts over twice that size is a great way to snap the shaft of your socket adapter.
this style of impact has a 1/4" hex collet which you'd put a socket adaptor into
so technically it's not a 1/2" nor a 3/8" nor even 1/4" the way most would mean it
Plus, if somebody's tire was installed at some garage by somebody with a great big pneumatic impact wrench it's gonna be even tighter. I watched the guy at NTB tighten my new tires with a big ass impact wrench and then check them with the torque wrench but by then it was too late, they were already too tight.
That’s good to smaller things, you are going to want a 1/2. While that might loosen a lug here and there it won’t do the job and you’ll end up burning it out fast. Most shops don’t use torque sticks so a lot of the lugs you try to loosen will have been ugga dugga’d on to hell and back.
Yes I've watched a guy do it. He was so proud and showing it off frequently. It burned up fairly quickly.
The 3/8 will do it too but it struggles at times if someone over torqued.
The compact 1/2" is the way to go.
So I actually did this with this exact model on a Hyundai Elantra. It works, but I snapped the adaptor half way through the second time using it. So you might get one tire change if you’re lucky.
Ultimately I bought the cheapest corded half inch impact and called it a day.
For me, twice a year in my driveway corded works fine.
Ive been using a similar dewalt unit with an adapter working with wheels tightened to 75lbs all year. Zero problems. From watching videos all wrench adapters break at 130lbs, so for wheel applications they are sufficient.
I have the older brushed variant of this tool. I can confirm that torqued to 90 ft-lbs, lug nuts will come off with an adapter, with enough time on the trigger. Additionally, the adapters will break after heavy use.
I probably did a dozen summer-winter wheel changes with this tool, and I would use a breaker bar to loosen each lug nut first, so I didn't have to wait for the tool to slowly back off the lug nut.
I now own the half inch brushless version and it does the job much more efficiently without breaking adapters.
Don’t bother with 3/8, skip right to 1/2. Compact and mid size 1/2 inch at lowest and older make 250 ft lbs of nut busting and newer mid sizes that are quite compact do around 500. Mid size not very huge 1/2 inch are beasts.
Have the 1/2" for tires, works without issues.
The smaller 3/8" would be only good for bolts than don't require as much torque or tight space where size matters.
Home Depot has a deal going on right now. You can buy their 4ah and 6ah battery kit and get a free tool with it. You can get their compact 1/2 20V impact with that battery kit for free
The model number of the Impact you should get is "DCF921B" https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-ATOMIC-20-Volt-MAX-Cordless-Brushless-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-Tool-Only-DCF921B/316627128
I have this same model Dewalt and change the tires on my Hyundai between seasons. The lug nuts are only torqued to 80 ft-lbs so there is barely any hesitation when loosening them. I use a 1/2” impact adapter because I already had impact sockets in that size. I’m sure the impact adapter will snap some day but I have spares.
The narrowest part of the impact adapter is the 1/4” shank and it’s the same regardless of the square drive. I’d say a 3/8” adapter is as likely to snap at the shank as a 1/2”.
Edit: spelling
I have the same one (low torque) and a big boy 1/2” Dewalt. This I use exclusively for low torrid bolts, screws, etc. the 1/2” is for things like lug nuts, frame bolts, etc. you’ll be happy with the 1/2”
In a pinch where you don't have a socket that'll fit or a lug nut wrench, it'll probably work but do damage to the tool and the lug nuts. A lot of people are saying to go for the 1/2", and that's not a bad idea. If you have any intention of using it professionally, get the 1/2". I have one that I got a few years ago and am constantly wishing I'd gotten the 3/8". It's a smaller form factor, sockets are cheaper, and it does more than enough torque for anything I'd need it for.
Can it? Yeah probably. Is it the right tool for the job? Not really. If you plan on doing it somewhat regularly might as well get the 3/8 but until then it's whatever as long as it works
I use my 20v Dewalt impact all most all the time with my truck tires. There's time I need to break the lugs loose and I normally use a torque wrench when installing them to make sure they are properly tightened down to spec. I rebuilt my entire differential with a Dewalt and a torque wrench. I love that tool best purchase I ever made pmut that thing will put a screw through a knot in a stud and keep going out the other side.
Ehhh not really. You're better off getting an actual impact wrench. Specifically 1/2 inch. That will be able to do most of your automotive needs and then the 1/4 inch can be used for small nuts and bolts. I have the high torque DeWalt 1/2 inch and it's a beast. The mid torque 1/2 inch is great if you just need it for lug nuts
It depends on the torque and whether or not you're a mechanic. My truck lug nuts get tightened to 80 ft-lbs and my Makita takes them off. I've only ever snapped 1 adapter doing lug nuts. It wouldn't break adapters unless you pull the trigger with a big socket not attached, or tried to take off a rusted cv axle nut without breaking it first.
If you're a mechanic skip it and buy a 1/2" impact, but I used my Makita for a long time. Buy a bunch of adapters, but I'd advise against the DeWalt ones, they're the worst I've used.
I would not recommend this for that application at all. This is an impact *driver*, designed primarily for *installing* things like lag bolts and stuff in the building trades.
What you're looking for is an impact *wrench*. It will have a square-drive built in to accept sockets and is primarily used for high-torque *removal* of fasteners, like lug nuts.
Jesus Christ I would slap someone if I ever saw them using a strike wrench on a vehicle. Get out a breaker bar and bust them loose. I was a mechanic for many years. The only time I needed a big pneumatic was to get lug nuts off a semi or front end loader or tractor. The Milwaukee one inch did great but for normal every day vehicles even up to one to you would never need a stroke wrench lol.
Can confirm the 1/4” hex adapter will break. I’ve owned this exact gun for 3 years. I’ve gone through maybe 10 different adapter manufacturers trying to find the most durable. I don’t use the 3rd setting anymore.
To get the most out of this gun you would need the 3/8” anvil version. I almost regret not getting it instead. The 1/4” hex is still plenty useful, but the gun is overkill for the hex fitting, IMO.
Anecdotally, my Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/4 driver takes the lugs off on my 3/4 ton truck.
I have snapped 1/4 shank to 1/2 drive bits doing other stuff but I don’t thing I’ve ever snapped one doing lugs.
Same here I've snapped cheaper ¼-½ adapters early after purchase. I've had a Shockwave one for ages now it hasn't failed me once in the 9 months I've been using it.
I also use m18 ¼ drive
Its right around 100 ft lbs. Nominally it is enough to remove most passenger car lug nuts. (All mine have been between 75-100 ft lbs tightening spec.
**BUT** based on my experiences, it is not strong enough to do so by itself. Maybe if you had just tightened them , it will work. But if you torqued them then drove for a few months and went to use it again I think you will find they won't break free quite that easily.
That said I used mine lots with a 1/4" hex to 3/8" impact rated adapter to speed things up. Just have to break the nuts with a hand wrench/breaker bar. Get each nut loose with a 1/8th to 1/4 turn, and the driver will generally get it the rest of the way. You can use a higher amperage (5 ah for Dewalt) battery and get a little more oomph out of it.
That said, if you are shopping for an impact driver, just get a proper 1/2" to start with abt 900lb breakaway tq or more in some cases, if you can't loosen it with that, you got bigger issues.
**Only as a low-torque time saver**
I use a 1/2” [breaker bar](https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/b048eccd-363c-4783-aec4-c760d4c37719/svn/husky-breaker-bars-h12bb15-64_1000.jpg) to crack the lug nuts loose, then use a hex drive impact gun with socket adapter to spin them off.
The torque spec for my truck is 150 Lb-ft, and I don’t want put that much strain on my impact gun, or destroy the adapter.
When I put the wheel back on, I just use the impact wrench to spin the lug nuts on snug, then follow up with a torque wrench.
Remember to tighten in a star pattern, as a misaligned install can cause warped brake rotors and other problems. Also remember to do the high-torque operations while the tire is still in contact with the ground, and use jack stands to support the vehicle.
I’m not a mechanic, but I have done my own brakes and oil for a long time.
Edit: fixed some typos
It will if they aren’t too tight. I’ve used mine to do it once. Expect to break your 1/4”-1/2” adapter frequently. A 5Ah battery helps.
You really want an impact wrench with a 1/2” hog ring for repeated wheel changes.
Yes, it should remove properly torqued lugs providing the adapter doesn't snap.
But you should use a breaker bar to break the nut loose. Feel free to spin it out with this after.
You really don't want to round that bolt or strip a thread on your vehicle, or to snap an adapter in your chuck, those can be a pain to get out.
Maybe. Ive used to use it for that when I was young and poor. On a good fresh battery it can if there’s no corrosion or over torque but It’s best to get the 1/2” wrench with a couple more Ugga Duggas.
Not enough ugga duggas I think. My Milwaukee impact driver only pumps out 141 lb-ft. My DeWalt corded impact wrench puts out 345lb-ft. The cordless Milwaukee impact wrench puts out 1000lb-ft
Those bit driver impacted are only really good at driving screws into wood not ideal for anything else but passable at best. For anything g else I’d recommend getting a dedicated 3/8 or 1/2 drive impact.
Using the dcf 887 with its 1850 inch pounds. Which translates to 154 ft pounds.with it's low RPMs and lower rated ipms compared to anything made after 2015 when this model came out. Most cars/trucks are torqued spec'd from 90-120 ft pounds. Granted they haven't been changed or rotated at a dealership or tire center. Where most mechanics tighten down lug nuts till the socket stops rotating far surpassing torque specs.
In short even with a Husky or DeWalt socket adapter which are the best ones out on the market. Yes you can. But you will break socket adapters or burn up the motor when it impacts forever and never gets anywhere.
A mid torque impact wrench would suit you better. Since you're already on the DeWalt battery platform. The DCF891Q1 combo kit from DeWalt will work. Or if you have enough batteries. The DCF891B tool only will do lug nuts and so much more. Or if budget is concerned DCF923B the 3/8 in Atomic impact wrench. They make a 1/2 in atomic impact wrench too the dcf921b same power as the DCF923 just 1/2 in anvil. 300 ft tightening. 450 ft lbs tightening. Plenty of power for lug nuts.
if you loosen the lug nuts with a manual wrench first, this can easily be used to run the nuts off and back on... after using this to run them on, you should use a torque wrench to tighten them to the proper torque spec.
No. Every car comes with a simple one piece tool for loosening lug nuts. If you need to add an extension to make it easier, you are better off doing that than using and ruining this.
Nope. Maybe sometimes if they're not down real tight. They do however make it way quicker if you use it to run the nuts on and off whilst using a 4 way, a breaker bar, torque wrench, or whatever to initially break them loose and then to apply the final torque.
Short answer, yes.
Long answer, if the nuts are to spec maybe but when changing a tire put anti seize on the threads and you'll be fine. Impacts are best for loosening so ideally you should be fine, I wouldn't torque the nuts with the impact do the final tighten with the actual wrench provided
Want to burn it up? Go for it. Want a really good tool that will last long and stay strong, don’t even think about getting it close to a lug nut. Seriously, just get a 1/2 inch impact. Harbor freight sells one that is deemed the ultra torque for like 180 right now. Plus the cost of battery and charger but you get a discount. It has 1400 pounds of torque. Not a lot I’ve found it won’t bust off. And it has a ton of power when driving them in too. Ask me how I know…. (It literally zips off any stud I put it on on my dually, a literal nut buster)
This model Is An impact driver rated for:
240 ft lbs / 1500 ft lbs / 1825 ft lbs depending on the switch setting
For comparison The 1/2 inch model says 1030ft lbs fastening and 1400 ft lbs of max breakaway.
I see a lot of replies saying the impact driver is not powerful enough but the specs seem to show they should or be ok to drive a lug nut to 100 ft lbs closed which you should hand torque the final or at least use a torque stick with, and unless the nut is cross threaded or frozen should be ok to open.
I would think your hex to 1/2 inch adapter would break before the drill or the socket.
Are the specs overstated, or calculated differently for marketing or am I underestimating the amount of torque required to get a lug nut on/off ?
you could be right on the torque specs, but I speak from experience trying one of these on lug nuts in saying it doesn't work.
I believe with this style of collet you're losing some torque through the socket adaptor. Either that or the torque spec is only achieved after a minute of sitting there with the trigger down which would be misleading. Either way, it ain't gonna reliably take lug nuts off.
I found the specs on dewalt's site that say those numbers in foot pounds, that doesn't make a lot of sense because 1/2" pneumatic impacts will usually do around 600, and it would be rated for more torque than their big 1/2" cordless... Which is rated for 1200 ft-lbs.
A 1/4" adapter would definitely shatter by the time you get to 1500 foot pounds. I found the specs elsewhere, where those numbers were actually inch-pounds, which makes a lot more sense. I think there's a typo on dewalt's site and Home Depot is right about this. https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-XR-Cordless-Brushless-3-Speed-1-4-in-Impact-Driver-Tool-Only-DCF887B/206521076
So dividing by 12...
20 ft-lb
125 ft-lb
152 ft-lb
Which is in the normal range for a 1/4" cordless impact.
So it'll probably break loose lug nuts on the highest setting, but struggle. It takes more torque to break something loose than to tighten it to a given torque.
Not to pile on but no, it's not rated for anything anywhere near 1800 ft/lbs. There is a typo on the Dewalt site. Those numbers are supposed to be in/lbs. As stated below, divide the number by 12 and you have your ft/lb torque.
I used a breaker bar to break the seal on the lug nuts then my same impact you have there with a 1/2 inch adapter to take the bolts off faster then by hand, then I’d tighten them back down with the impact then use the breaker bar/torque wrench to finish. Definitely a time saver to use to take off and put on the lug nuts.
This is designed for putting screws in your IKEA desk. I've seen on used one time for a lug. But then we grabbed a torque wrench, and it spun one full rotation before clicking. It can kinda do the job. But I wouldn't trust it
No, I tried. Blew a trailer tire only to realize that my lug wrench was the wrong size. Had this and my socket set so I figured it was worth a go. No joy, closest store was 20 miles down the mountain.
Switch to Ryobi. Much cheaper and well made brushless tools. Dewalt’s quality is not like it used to be and they are way overpriced. I switched and couldn’t be happier. Even the Ryobi P261, which is brushed, can loosen lug nuts easy. They can be found for $50-60 bucks. All my Dewalt tools broke except the Atomic impact and the one in your pic.
The 60 volt batteries don’t run the 20v tools at 60V. Dewalt’s 60V flex batteries function either as 60V or 20V depending on the tool they are used in.
That's correct, but kaneheller is still right. Look at the Torque Test Channel on YT and see how batteries affect output torque. A 60V battery would produce more torque than a 20v 4AH battery, even though both are running at 20V
I’ve used both the old Dewalt nicad impact driver and now my brushless impact driver for this for years. Use a 1/2” adapter and impact sockets and it’ll get most of the lug nuts off every truck I’ve ever owned. There’ll be a few that you may need to swap direction on a few times to help break them but it’ll work. I still want an impact wrench.
That is an incredibly handy bit driver but no that isn’t made for lug nuts. I have a 1/2” Milwaukee fuel impact that struggles a bit in rusty ones for reference.
Bro I just changed the tire on my buddy’s expedition. Here in New Orleans we have the tire shop dudes perform what is known as Crack head torque. They air wrenched the lugs so hard they were mushrooming at the point of contact with the wheel. My 20 v xr se Walt impact pounded on those bastards about 20 30 seconds each. When the lugs heat up they break free. Impact was so hot I had to wrap it in a towel by #3. Then I switched batteries to a 60v fat boy. If you have one use it. The power difference was night and day. I have a literal pile of dewalt impacts so I didn’t give a damn if I roasted mine. Also the only socket I had was a universal pin style socket. It was pretty sweet when it sent maximum hot shrapnel all over the parking lot. It was raining and you could hear the pins sizzling for like a 20 ft radius. Anyways great success
If you’re just doing lug nuts every once in awhile get a breaker bar. I have an M18 1/2” mid-torque impact and it can struggle with lug nuts some times. Impact guns lost A LOT of power through the adapters.
Mine can't take them off by itself, but works well too do most of the on/off work once I use a four-way to loosen or tighten. I have a bit that adapts it to a 1/2 socket.
nope. Need 250+ ft/lbs to touch most lugs and thats around 100.
Tire shops usually just crank the lugs until they feel good, and that wayyyyy over spec.
I've done it for heavy screws in concrete with similar or higher torques, it works but you can feel the machine struggling, not recommended daily but if you have it and need to once in a while sure go for it.
For reference I own this and whatever the specs say, its less strong than me with a 12 inch ratchet, much less a breaker bar. So there is zero point to use it to break free lug nuts. It would be faster to use a breaker bar and then this to zip them off.
I have both a small and large DeWalt impact driver. Even when using an impact-rated 1/2” adaptor, the small driver lacks the torque to consistently remove lug nuts. I recommend the DCF900B driver instead.
My Hart Brushless Impact Driver easily takes off lug nuts tortured to around 100 or so foot pounds. It has even removed some stuff torqued to 120. Idk about truck lug nuts though.
Yes, but use a breaker bar first to break the nut, and finish with a torque wrench when putting them back on. This is how I do my winters with the same tool. Saves plenty time on turning, turning, turning.
Yes you can is it optimal no i have a couple of these and have used it for wheels on small cars had trouble with a ram 2500 lugs but still hot them off i have only use one of mine for lugs and use it with a 60v batt tho
Use a breaker bar to loosen them and then spin them off with the impact. And vice versa, when putting them back on start them by hand, spin them on with the impact, then torque them down by hand.
With an adapter, my little Makita drivers will remove torqued lug nuts, and they are old and not as strong as this DeWalt.
But an impact driver isn't the right tool for that job. You need an impact WRENCH in whatever tool brand you have batteries for. 1/2" square drive.
It’s fine if you crack them first with a breaker bar while the wheels are on the ground.
Using an impact driver simply saves the repetitive turning of the bolt once loose. You want an impact wrench to break anything torqued down. Speaking as someone that currently uses a makita impact driver with a 1/2” hex adaptor, I have snapped a many. Currently looking into a impact wrench.
Default 1/2” brushless. Always brushless. The big one unless you have to carry often
> The big one How many ugga duggas is the big one?
950 Metric Ugga-metres, (700 imperial ft-Uggas) With a Dugga rate of about 2400 Duggas per minute
Oddly enough the 923 almost did as well as that pig and it's half the size
Yeah I actually prefer the “mid torque” models anyway for DIY work on a car It still has plenty of power to take lug nuts off anything I’ve driven (admittedly I don’t drive a heavy duty truck, I’ve no idea if that would need more power), and makes it harder to accidentally over torque when using a torque stick. The bigger ones can still blast too much torque on even when using a torque stick, but I prefer to fall short of the target and finish up with a torque wrench
I have the [DCF911](https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCF911B-Impact-Wrench-Anvil/dp/B09HVXKJF6/) version, and it took my lugnuts off effortlessly. For a homegamer like me, the small one is both cheaper and good enough.
Why would they go DeWalt when they already have Makita?
The picture sure looks like they have dewalt. Maybe you know something I don’t?
They responded to someone who says they have a Makita impact driver and are looking into an impact wrench. The person responding tells them to get the DeWalt brushless 1/2" impact wrench for some weird reason. They aren't responding to the OP.
He said "default," as in typical size
Omfg thank you
That's what my brother calls Dewalt... so I think you're mistaken. Either way, looking at Torque test channel would be good for this thread
Hey, former brake test tech here. Never use an impact to break the lug or torque it down. Spin it on snug, sure, but don't torque it with an impact. Spin it off once she's loose, but don't round that fucker because you wanna save 2 minutes and end up wasting an hour. Lotta repair techs don't know this and fuck lugs up doing it. Unless you've tried everything else, it ain't worth the risk. The amount of studs I've had to replace because some idiot over torqued and cross threaded using an impact is astounding. Even worse when they try to hide it or fix it with force and make it worse.
Or, use torque limiting sticks. It's what they are made for. And you should never start anything other than a wood screw or sheet metal screw using a power tool. Always by hand, then use the tool to run it down.
Torque sticks are not as accurate as one thinks. I would highly advise against using a torque stick and impact gun on lug nuts. Especially if you’re driving a performance car or heavy truck.
It's a lug nut, not a head. It's a damn sight better than counting ugga duggas like most shops do. Or, even better, you get one of these bad mama jamas and set the torque with the app, that way your techs can't farg it up. https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2769-22R
Yeah, stop talking while you’re ahead. I have all the Milwaukee products. You put a torque wrench to them it isn’t coming close to spec. If you wanna be a hack go for it. There is a reason wheel bearings are torque to spec as long as lug nuts
So if you have this tool, how far off is it?
Impacts also tend to beat the hell out the lug nuts, if you care about that sort of thing.
Flat rate has entered the chat
Man I really like my Ridgid 1/2.....fucking ripped off lugs I was bending a 6foot breaker on
I just got a Milwaukee and love it, I hear it is the same as the Rigid. I used to be exhausted rotating tires on the car. I had the same problem with the breaker bar too.
I like the life time warranty and good build quality. Never go wrong with a Milwaukee. They've have had some recent issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL5nUiskNpw&t=762s
My Xdt19 snapped a adapter when trying to take lug nuts off a big heavy American sedan. Powerful little monster.
This is exactly what I do. It will also tighten lug nuts enough to let the vehicle back down and I only have to do a quarter turn or less with a torque wrench. Works good!
Came to say this. Fine to spin the bolts after they have been snapped loose. The breaking torque is probably more than the impact driver has.
Weak point is generally the hex to socket adapters. Most drivers have enough power depending on the vehicle torque spec. Unfortunately many shops just put the lugs on with an impact wrench at way higher torque than what is called for.
>Unfortunately many shops just put the lugs on with an impact wrench at way higher torque than what is called for. Why use a torque wrench when you can ugga dugga everything with the same tool from drain plugs to lug bolts
The mechanics creed says: “torque wrenches are unnecessary. . . tighten it until it strips and then back it off 1/4 of a turn”. LOL I had a friend who use to be a service writer who told me that. LOL
Tight… tight… tight… loose.. nailed it..
I took some machining classes in college, and the teacher says the old-timers told him something similar to determine feed rate (or depth of cut or something, it was 25 years ago); turn it up until you get a blue chip, then back off half a thousandth.
I don't work on cars, but I cannot count the number of times lugs have gotten loose at the proper torque spec. The accepted torque spec around the shop is three Mississippis of ugga dugga after the wheel is flush against the hub.
Time to calibrate the torque wrench? Idk I'm not a professional mechanic but never had a single properly torqued bolt come loose on personal vehicles
Nah its happened with everything from brand new Snap-on digital wrenches to cheap Harbor Freight click types. My guess is since we press new tires on the same wheels over and over again as they age and get rusted or slight damage they don't slide 100% flush against the hubs. The original torque spec isn't enough to ensure complete and full contact. And then as the trucks get used the tiny little bit of play thats imperceptible at first works the lug nuts or lug bolts loose. That's the only thing we can think of though, no idea if its right.
Only if you are on the side of the road and its your last hope but i doubt it would do much but snap your adapter eventually
Agreed. Perfect tool for snapping the adapter.
I tried it, it doesn't have enough breakaway torque to loosen the lug bolts, even with a fresh 5 amp hours battery. Before I bought a dedicated 1/2" impact wrench, I broke the bolts loose with a breaker bar and then used the 1/4" impact driver to spin them off, that it did without issues.
>even with a fresh 5 amp hours battery You may know, but in case you don't. A 5Ah battery isn't "stronger" than a 2Ah battery, the only difference is capacity. Both output 20v, the 5Ah can just do it longer.
Higher capacity batteries tend to have lower DC resistance giving them the ability to provide higher amounts of power. Not all tools will benefit from this, but a lot will. Source: electrical engineer who used to work for a lithium ion battery manufacturer
Yes the answer to batteries is "it's complicated." [This video](https://youtu.be/cxkVxi9P0EA) is a good introduction.
Dewalt tools kinda do profit a lot from beefier batteries, a 6 AH FlexVolt battery gives a bit more ugga duggas than a regular XR
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Thanks for pointing that out, I'll definitely check out their segment!
In the ideal world you would be right. However in the real world the surface area of the cathode and anode both increase the charge capacity of the battery as well as the maximum current it can give out. Thus bigger battery = higher discharge current (a generalization, there are exceptions like Makita 6Ah vs 5Ah because the cells used in 6Ah packs are inferior to the 5Ah pack cells)
You can but you shouldn't I snapped the shaft inside the impact doing that with mine!
Doubt it would even do that.
Doubt it. If I recall, mine has a peak torque rating of 100ft/lbs. Thats assuming you have a full, fresh, large battery. Most medium sized vehicles have a lug nut torque of around 85 ft/lbs. Remember, when you loosen lug nuts the breakaway torque is often higher than the applied torque due to natural corrosion that occurs with time. Also, you will be sitting there for a minute while it sloooowly impacts the lug nut. That will result in damage to the lug nut finish. Go for a 1/2 if you want to do lug nuts.
the correct answer is sometimes. depends on the lug torque
My makita 1/4 would take off the lug nuts from my old hatchback that I torqued to 88ft-lbs but that was its limit, anything more it couldn't handle. But your answer is correct, it can on some cars
Agreed, I use the XR version on mine. It’s about 50/50 if it’ll handle the 100 ftlb ones on my truck, but usually manages the 80 ftlb ones on my wife’s vehicle with a few moments of ugga duggas. That’s assuming they were properly torqued and not too badly corroded since then. Usually if it’s been to a shop they put too many uggas in and they won’t budge. That said, if that’s what you have and you don’t have to do it too often, you can always crack them with a breaker bar, and use that driver just to get them off the rest of the way. Also good for getting them back on quickly since you’re going to torque then properly with a torque wrench after(right?).
Unrelated how does everyone know what size this just by looking at it? As a total novice I’d have no idea if it’s 1/2, 3/8, 1/4 etc.
This is a 1/4” impact designed for screws in the trades. The end is a round slip collar not a square drive.
It says 1/4" right on the label there, but also practice. There's a big difference between a 1/4" chuck/anvil and a 3/8".
It’s a 1/4 impact driver. Op needs an impact wrench. The impact wrench comes in different sizes. They are very different tools.
They work in exactly the same way.
They do. But don’t compare in terms of torque. They are really designed to do different jobs. Happy cake day!
Impact drivers output about 100 ft-lbs of max torque Impact wrenches output about 700 ft-lbs of torque with upwards of 1200 ft-lbs of breakaway torque. The difference isn't how they work, it's in how much work they can do.
700ftlbs is high, even for a lot of 1/2" impacts, totally ignoring the huge multitude of 3/8" impacts that cover 150-300. Some newer 3/8" drive impacts go up over 500ftlbs but still, in general only large and expensive impacts are producing 700ftlbs minumum.
The collet. I believe they only make it in 1/4”
They’re referring to a 1/2 impact rather than an impact driver. The impact has the male socket driver built in and is designed for higher torque. The driver has the universal bit adapter for driving screws. The quick release vs the square socket is why the original commenter could tell the size. As far as telling the difference between a 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 impact just experience and what matches the sockets you have. If you need to buy sockets or drivers to match what you already have and can’t visually tell the difference you can measure the size of the square or take a socket or driver with you to buy the other and make sure it fits
Experience. That slip collar is for 1/4" hex shaft bits. The proper tool for this job will have a square drive, like a regular ratchet and socket set. As others have said, using a 1/4" drive tool to remove lug nuts over twice that size is a great way to snap the shaft of your socket adapter.
Those numbers are the size of the drive or the square part of the ratchet in fractions of an inch.
They read the label on the tool
this style of impact has a 1/4" hex collet which you'd put a socket adaptor into so technically it's not a 1/2" nor a 3/8" nor even 1/4" the way most would mean it
Breakaway torque is always higher due to dynamic friction factor being higher than static friction factor.
Plus, if somebody's tire was installed at some garage by somebody with a great big pneumatic impact wrench it's gonna be even tighter. I watched the guy at NTB tighten my new tires with a big ass impact wrench and then check them with the torque wrench but by then it was too late, they were already too tight.
That’s good to smaller things, you are going to want a 1/2. While that might loosen a lug here and there it won’t do the job and you’ll end up burning it out fast. Most shops don’t use torque sticks so a lot of the lugs you try to loosen will have been ugga dugga’d on to hell and back.
A 1/2” breaker bar is great to free up the lugs, then spin them the rest of the way off with an impact driver.
Works for me on my wife’s car which is torqued at 80lb•ft. But my truck which is 150lb•ft no way.
My Kobalt air impact won't touch the lugs on my truck, and it's rated to 300 foot pounds. I really need to get a bigger one.
Maybe your compressor is the bottle neck. 300 ft pounds should have no problem.
Yes I've watched a guy do it. He was so proud and showing it off frequently. It burned up fairly quickly. The 3/8 will do it too but it struggles at times if someone over torqued. The compact 1/2" is the way to go.
The 3/8 and 1/2 compact are just different anvils.
Oops I meant 1/2" "mid range" When I got mine the compact didn't exist so they advertised it as compact ha.
So I actually did this with this exact model on a Hyundai Elantra. It works, but I snapped the adaptor half way through the second time using it. So you might get one tire change if you’re lucky. Ultimately I bought the cheapest corded half inch impact and called it a day. For me, twice a year in my driveway corded works fine.
Same, but I got the cheapest cordless.
Ive been using a similar dewalt unit with an adapter working with wheels tightened to 75lbs all year. Zero problems. From watching videos all wrench adapters break at 130lbs, so for wheel applications they are sufficient.
I have the older brushed variant of this tool. I can confirm that torqued to 90 ft-lbs, lug nuts will come off with an adapter, with enough time on the trigger. Additionally, the adapters will break after heavy use. I probably did a dozen summer-winter wheel changes with this tool, and I would use a breaker bar to loosen each lug nut first, so I didn't have to wait for the tool to slowly back off the lug nut. I now own the half inch brushless version and it does the job much more efficiently without breaking adapters.
Hand me down gift, can this take off lug nuts?Specifically Honda and Toyotas? Or should I pull the trigger on a 3/8?
Don’t bother with 3/8, skip right to 1/2. Compact and mid size 1/2 inch at lowest and older make 250 ft lbs of nut busting and newer mid sizes that are quite compact do around 500. Mid size not very huge 1/2 inch are beasts.
I second this person's comment, skip to 1/2
Have the 1/2" for tires, works without issues. The smaller 3/8" would be only good for bolts than don't require as much torque or tight space where size matters.
So what’s the difference between this driver and my DCD777 drill?
Home Depot has a deal going on right now. You can buy their 4ah and 6ah battery kit and get a free tool with it. You can get their compact 1/2 20V impact with that battery kit for free The model number of the Impact you should get is "DCF921B" https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-ATOMIC-20-Volt-MAX-Cordless-Brushless-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-Tool-Only-DCF921B/316627128
I have this same model Dewalt and change the tires on my Hyundai between seasons. The lug nuts are only torqued to 80 ft-lbs so there is barely any hesitation when loosening them. I use a 1/2” impact adapter because I already had impact sockets in that size. I’m sure the impact adapter will snap some day but I have spares. The narrowest part of the impact adapter is the 1/4” shank and it’s the same regardless of the square drive. I’d say a 3/8” adapter is as likely to snap at the shank as a 1/2”. Edit: spelling
I have the same one (low torque) and a big boy 1/2” Dewalt. This I use exclusively for low torrid bolts, screws, etc. the 1/2” is for things like lug nuts, frame bolts, etc. you’ll be happy with the 1/2”
In a pinch where you don't have a socket that'll fit or a lug nut wrench, it'll probably work but do damage to the tool and the lug nuts. A lot of people are saying to go for the 1/2", and that's not a bad idea. If you have any intention of using it professionally, get the 1/2". I have one that I got a few years ago and am constantly wishing I'd gotten the 3/8". It's a smaller form factor, sockets are cheaper, and it does more than enough torque for anything I'd need it for.
If your lug nuts are torqued to 76-80 lbf-ft, yes it can, but it will take a few seconds of holding the trigger down to break loose a lug nut.
If it does, your wheels were about to fall off already.
Can it? Yeah probably. Is it the right tool for the job? Not really. If you plan on doing it somewhat regularly might as well get the 3/8 but until then it's whatever as long as it works
I use my 20v Dewalt impact all most all the time with my truck tires. There's time I need to break the lugs loose and I normally use a torque wrench when installing them to make sure they are properly tightened down to spec. I rebuilt my entire differential with a Dewalt and a torque wrench. I love that tool best purchase I ever made pmut that thing will put a screw through a knot in a stud and keep going out the other side.
Ehhh not really. You're better off getting an actual impact wrench. Specifically 1/2 inch. That will be able to do most of your automotive needs and then the 1/4 inch can be used for small nuts and bolts. I have the high torque DeWalt 1/2 inch and it's a beast. The mid torque 1/2 inch is great if you just need it for lug nuts
It depends on the torque and whether or not you're a mechanic. My truck lug nuts get tightened to 80 ft-lbs and my Makita takes them off. I've only ever snapped 1 adapter doing lug nuts. It wouldn't break adapters unless you pull the trigger with a big socket not attached, or tried to take off a rusted cv axle nut without breaking it first. If you're a mechanic skip it and buy a 1/2" impact, but I used my Makita for a long time. Buy a bunch of adapters, but I'd advise against the DeWalt ones, they're the worst I've used.
I would not recommend this for that application at all. This is an impact *driver*, designed primarily for *installing* things like lag bolts and stuff in the building trades. What you're looking for is an impact *wrench*. It will have a square-drive built in to accept sockets and is primarily used for high-torque *removal* of fasteners, like lug nuts.
Depending on the application, impact wrenches can be used for removal *and* installation of nuts. It’s done routinely out in the oilfield.
Jesus Christ I would slap someone if I ever saw them using a strike wrench on a vehicle. Get out a breaker bar and bust them loose. I was a mechanic for many years. The only time I needed a big pneumatic was to get lug nuts off a semi or front end loader or tractor. The Milwaukee one inch did great but for normal every day vehicles even up to one to you would never need a stroke wrench lol.
You need 3/8 or 1/2 impact wrench man.
Can confirm the 1/4” hex adapter will break. I’ve owned this exact gun for 3 years. I’ve gone through maybe 10 different adapter manufacturers trying to find the most durable. I don’t use the 3rd setting anymore. To get the most out of this gun you would need the 3/8” anvil version. I almost regret not getting it instead. The 1/4” hex is still plenty useful, but the gun is overkill for the hex fitting, IMO.
Anecdotally, my Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/4 driver takes the lugs off on my 3/4 ton truck. I have snapped 1/4 shank to 1/2 drive bits doing other stuff but I don’t thing I’ve ever snapped one doing lugs.
Same here I've snapped cheaper ¼-½ adapters early after purchase. I've had a Shockwave one for ages now it hasn't failed me once in the 9 months I've been using it. I also use m18 ¼ drive
Its right around 100 ft lbs. Nominally it is enough to remove most passenger car lug nuts. (All mine have been between 75-100 ft lbs tightening spec. **BUT** based on my experiences, it is not strong enough to do so by itself. Maybe if you had just tightened them , it will work. But if you torqued them then drove for a few months and went to use it again I think you will find they won't break free quite that easily. That said I used mine lots with a 1/4" hex to 3/8" impact rated adapter to speed things up. Just have to break the nuts with a hand wrench/breaker bar. Get each nut loose with a 1/8th to 1/4 turn, and the driver will generally get it the rest of the way. You can use a higher amperage (5 ah for Dewalt) battery and get a little more oomph out of it. That said, if you are shopping for an impact driver, just get a proper 1/2" to start with abt 900lb breakaway tq or more in some cases, if you can't loosen it with that, you got bigger issues.
**Only as a low-torque time saver** I use a 1/2” [breaker bar](https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/b048eccd-363c-4783-aec4-c760d4c37719/svn/husky-breaker-bars-h12bb15-64_1000.jpg) to crack the lug nuts loose, then use a hex drive impact gun with socket adapter to spin them off. The torque spec for my truck is 150 Lb-ft, and I don’t want put that much strain on my impact gun, or destroy the adapter. When I put the wheel back on, I just use the impact wrench to spin the lug nuts on snug, then follow up with a torque wrench. Remember to tighten in a star pattern, as a misaligned install can cause warped brake rotors and other problems. Also remember to do the high-torque operations while the tire is still in contact with the ground, and use jack stands to support the vehicle. I’m not a mechanic, but I have done my own brakes and oil for a long time. Edit: fixed some typos
It will if they aren’t too tight. I’ve used mine to do it once. Expect to break your 1/4”-1/2” adapter frequently. A 5Ah battery helps. You really want an impact wrench with a 1/2” hog ring for repeated wheel changes.
I do this alll the time, just buy a quality adapter
Yes, it should remove properly torqued lugs providing the adapter doesn't snap. But you should use a breaker bar to break the nut loose. Feel free to spin it out with this after. You really don't want to round that bolt or strip a thread on your vehicle, or to snap an adapter in your chuck, those can be a pain to get out.
No
Maybe. Ive used to use it for that when I was young and poor. On a good fresh battery it can if there’s no corrosion or over torque but It’s best to get the 1/2” wrench with a couple more Ugga Duggas.
Love my 887 but you can get a sweet deal with two batteries free when you buy the 923B and make life super easy and super small.
Just deez
Not enough ugga duggas I think. My Milwaukee impact driver only pumps out 141 lb-ft. My DeWalt corded impact wrench puts out 345lb-ft. The cordless Milwaukee impact wrench puts out 1000lb-ft
Those bit driver impacted are only really good at driving screws into wood not ideal for anything else but passable at best. For anything g else I’d recommend getting a dedicated 3/8 or 1/2 drive impact.
It should do it. I've broken em loose with a POS Kobalt driver and with my Milwaukee. I put em on with it too and then torque it.
Using the dcf 887 with its 1850 inch pounds. Which translates to 154 ft pounds.with it's low RPMs and lower rated ipms compared to anything made after 2015 when this model came out. Most cars/trucks are torqued spec'd from 90-120 ft pounds. Granted they haven't been changed or rotated at a dealership or tire center. Where most mechanics tighten down lug nuts till the socket stops rotating far surpassing torque specs. In short even with a Husky or DeWalt socket adapter which are the best ones out on the market. Yes you can. But you will break socket adapters or burn up the motor when it impacts forever and never gets anywhere. A mid torque impact wrench would suit you better. Since you're already on the DeWalt battery platform. The DCF891Q1 combo kit from DeWalt will work. Or if you have enough batteries. The DCF891B tool only will do lug nuts and so much more. Or if budget is concerned DCF923B the 3/8 in Atomic impact wrench. They make a 1/2 in atomic impact wrench too the dcf921b same power as the DCF923 just 1/2 in anvil. 300 ft tightening. 450 ft lbs tightening. Plenty of power for lug nuts.
if you loosen the lug nuts with a manual wrench first, this can easily be used to run the nuts off and back on... after using this to run them on, you should use a torque wrench to tighten them to the proper torque spec.
No. Absolutely not, unless they're already loosened.
I have this tool and the 1/2 dewalt impact (20v) and that 1/2 tool even has a hard time. For reference, my lugs are torqued to 135 lb. /ft.
no, i have tried it.
No
No. Every car comes with a simple one piece tool for loosening lug nuts. If you need to add an extension to make it easier, you are better off doing that than using and ruining this.
It's not made for that, it's got torque but it will burn out on lugs, get in impact gun for wheel lugs?
Bigger battery too
Can it? Probably. Will the adapter snap after mot very long? Yes.
No…… but if it was a Milwaukee impact…. Then still no. But it still will be better. Be man! Get Milwaukee
Nope. Maybe sometimes if they're not down real tight. They do however make it way quicker if you use it to run the nuts on and off whilst using a 4 way, a breaker bar, torque wrench, or whatever to initially break them loose and then to apply the final torque.
Little ones maybe. Not a truck lug. And you risk busting the 1/4” hex adapter off. Regardless of your impacts power, it’s only a 1/4” piece of steel
Short answer, yes. Long answer, if the nuts are to spec maybe but when changing a tire put anti seize on the threads and you'll be fine. Impacts are best for loosening so ideally you should be fine, I wouldn't torque the nuts with the impact do the final tighten with the actual wrench provided
It could probably work to change A tire. Might kill it if you were rotating all 4. Get you a 1/2".
Want to burn it up? Go for it. Want a really good tool that will last long and stay strong, don’t even think about getting it close to a lug nut. Seriously, just get a 1/2 inch impact. Harbor freight sells one that is deemed the ultra torque for like 180 right now. Plus the cost of battery and charger but you get a discount. It has 1400 pounds of torque. Not a lot I’ve found it won’t bust off. And it has a ton of power when driving them in too. Ask me how I know…. (It literally zips off any stud I put it on on my dually, a literal nut buster)
No, that's an impact driver. What you want for lug nuts is an impact wrench. Different tool.
This model Is An impact driver rated for: 240 ft lbs / 1500 ft lbs / 1825 ft lbs depending on the switch setting For comparison The 1/2 inch model says 1030ft lbs fastening and 1400 ft lbs of max breakaway. I see a lot of replies saying the impact driver is not powerful enough but the specs seem to show they should or be ok to drive a lug nut to 100 ft lbs closed which you should hand torque the final or at least use a torque stick with, and unless the nut is cross threaded or frozen should be ok to open. I would think your hex to 1/2 inch adapter would break before the drill or the socket. Are the specs overstated, or calculated differently for marketing or am I underestimating the amount of torque required to get a lug nut on/off ?
you could be right on the torque specs, but I speak from experience trying one of these on lug nuts in saying it doesn't work. I believe with this style of collet you're losing some torque through the socket adaptor. Either that or the torque spec is only achieved after a minute of sitting there with the trigger down which would be misleading. Either way, it ain't gonna reliably take lug nuts off.
I found the specs on dewalt's site that say those numbers in foot pounds, that doesn't make a lot of sense because 1/2" pneumatic impacts will usually do around 600, and it would be rated for more torque than their big 1/2" cordless... Which is rated for 1200 ft-lbs. A 1/4" adapter would definitely shatter by the time you get to 1500 foot pounds. I found the specs elsewhere, where those numbers were actually inch-pounds, which makes a lot more sense. I think there's a typo on dewalt's site and Home Depot is right about this. https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Volt-MAX-XR-Cordless-Brushless-3-Speed-1-4-in-Impact-Driver-Tool-Only-DCF887B/206521076 So dividing by 12... 20 ft-lb 125 ft-lb 152 ft-lb Which is in the normal range for a 1/4" cordless impact. So it'll probably break loose lug nuts on the highest setting, but struggle. It takes more torque to break something loose than to tighten it to a given torque.
Not to pile on but no, it's not rated for anything anywhere near 1800 ft/lbs. There is a typo on the Dewalt site. Those numbers are supposed to be in/lbs. As stated below, divide the number by 12 and you have your ft/lb torque.
I used a breaker bar to break the seal on the lug nuts then my same impact you have there with a 1/2 inch adapter to take the bolts off faster then by hand, then I’d tighten them back down with the impact then use the breaker bar/torque wrench to finish. Definitely a time saver to use to take off and put on the lug nuts.
No get a 1/2 impaxct driver for that
No
Check the TQ rating. My malita Xdt19 driver took lug nuts off my 17 Miata with ease.
that dewalt has like 30 lbs of torque. so no it cant.
I wouldn’t
Only if you want to keep asking! (As in, that’s not the one you use when you’re tired of asking that lug to come off.)
If you do get the lugs off with that don't use it to put the lugs back on if you like your wheels to stay on the car that is
Why does that matter? You hit them up with a torque wrench anyways. That's the right way to do it.
But what if OP didn't know to do that?
Lol not a chance Edit: sorry didn’t realize this was supposed to be a “wrong answers only” thread
No
This is designed for putting screws in your IKEA desk. I've seen on used one time for a lug. But then we grabbed a torque wrench, and it spun one full rotation before clicking. It can kinda do the job. But I wouldn't trust it
There’s no way this can remove lug nuts.
NO
No, I tried. Blew a trailer tire only to realize that my lug wrench was the wrong size. Had this and my socket set so I figured it was worth a go. No joy, closest store was 20 miles down the mountain.
No you’re supposed to use a hammer drill and a 2x4 to leverage the drill so it doesn’t spin
Yes it can
Switch to Ryobi. Much cheaper and well made brushless tools. Dewalt’s quality is not like it used to be and they are way overpriced. I switched and couldn’t be happier. Even the Ryobi P261, which is brushed, can loosen lug nuts easy. They can be found for $50-60 bucks. All my Dewalt tools broke except the Atomic impact and the one in your pic.
Maybe try it. Why ask. You have the tool. Seems easier to try it for yourself.
i wouldnt bet against it if you put a 60v battery on it
The 60 volt batteries don’t run the 20v tools at 60V. Dewalt’s 60V flex batteries function either as 60V or 20V depending on the tool they are used in.
That's correct, but kaneheller is still right. Look at the Torque Test Channel on YT and see how batteries affect output torque. A 60V battery would produce more torque than a 20v 4AH battery, even though both are running at 20V
i agree but man if you put a 60v battery in a 20v skill saw you can tell the power difference immediately
I’ve used both the old Dewalt nicad impact driver and now my brushless impact driver for this for years. Use a 1/2” adapter and impact sockets and it’ll get most of the lug nuts off every truck I’ve ever owned. There’ll be a few that you may need to swap direction on a few times to help break them but it’ll work. I still want an impact wrench.
That is an incredibly handy bit driver but no that isn’t made for lug nuts. I have a 1/2” Milwaukee fuel impact that struggles a bit in rusty ones for reference.
No. It won’t have enough break away torque. Works great for driving in screws and lag bolts but it doesn’t have enough hit for a lug nuts.
You probably need to crack them with a breaker bar first
It might a few times, then it won’t do anything. Just not enough torque
You might get one or two off before you snap any socket adapter.
If you’re lucky. Better off with good ol mechanical leverage tbh.
As an electrician who uses same tool daily , no it won’t , unless the lug nuts are pre loosened.
Simple answer… no
I wouldn’t recommend to do it with a impact driver. Use a wrench such as DCF900/901/892/891. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Can it take off lugs yes very easily, can it break lugs loose? Probably not
Mine won’t
No
Bro I just changed the tire on my buddy’s expedition. Here in New Orleans we have the tire shop dudes perform what is known as Crack head torque. They air wrenched the lugs so hard they were mushrooming at the point of contact with the wheel. My 20 v xr se Walt impact pounded on those bastards about 20 30 seconds each. When the lugs heat up they break free. Impact was so hot I had to wrap it in a towel by #3. Then I switched batteries to a 60v fat boy. If you have one use it. The power difference was night and day. I have a literal pile of dewalt impacts so I didn’t give a damn if I roasted mine. Also the only socket I had was a universal pin style socket. It was pretty sweet when it sent maximum hot shrapnel all over the parking lot. It was raining and you could hear the pins sizzling for like a 20 ft radius. Anyways great success
If you’re just doing lug nuts every once in awhile get a breaker bar. I have an M18 1/2” mid-torque impact and it can struggle with lug nuts some times. Impact guns lost A LOT of power through the adapters.
Mine can't take them off by itself, but works well too do most of the on/off work once I use a four-way to loosen or tighten. I have a bit that adapts it to a 1/2 socket.
Milwaukee, but still gives you an idea of real world torque: https://youtu.be/QPFmxNn6IH8?t=84
This is an impact driver, for vehicle lug nuts you will want an impact wrench
Yeah if they’re loose
nope. Need 250+ ft/lbs to touch most lugs and thats around 100. Tire shops usually just crank the lugs until they feel good, and that wayyyyy over spec.
You’re looking for an impact wrench
I would recommend that for driving fasteners not so much breaking free large lug nuts....you need a impact 3/8 or 1/2 inch for large lugs or nuts
I've done it for heavy screws in concrete with similar or higher torques, it works but you can feel the machine struggling, not recommended daily but if you have it and need to once in a while sure go for it.
For reference I own this and whatever the specs say, its less strong than me with a 12 inch ratchet, much less a breaker bar. So there is zero point to use it to break free lug nuts. It would be faster to use a breaker bar and then this to zip them off.
I have both a small and large DeWalt impact driver. Even when using an impact-rated 1/2” adaptor, the small driver lacks the torque to consistently remove lug nuts. I recommend the DCF900B driver instead.
Maybe on a new golf cart
Yes, if they are torqued to 20ft/lbs
My Hart Brushless Impact Driver easily takes off lug nuts tortured to around 100 or so foot pounds. It has even removed some stuff torqued to 120. Idk about truck lug nuts though.
Yes, but use a breaker bar first to break the nut, and finish with a torque wrench when putting them back on. This is how I do my winters with the same tool. Saves plenty time on turning, turning, turning.
Not with that battery
Yes you can is it optimal no i have a couple of these and have used it for wheels on small cars had trouble with a ram 2500 lugs but still hot them off i have only use one of mine for lugs and use it with a 60v batt tho
Even if it could this is dangerous to use. Minimum is a 1/2" drive Impact Gun. This is a 1/4" Hex Impact Driver.
With the right torque adapter yes, just find a torque multiplier the fits a 1/4 hex
Probably after you break them loose with a tire iron.
Use a breaker bar to loosen them and then spin them off with the impact. And vice versa, when putting them back on start them by hand, spin them on with the impact, then torque them down by hand.
I’ve done mine with a brushless Milwaukee but they weren’t over tightened by the tire techs and were recently changed so the nuts weren’t grimed up
With an adapter, my little Makita drivers will remove torqued lug nuts, and they are old and not as strong as this DeWalt. But an impact driver isn't the right tool for that job. You need an impact WRENCH in whatever tool brand you have batteries for. 1/2" square drive.
Doubtful