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3/8 Impact wrench or 1/4 impact driver?


rb26deet32

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I've been trying to figure out what to spend the Sears gift card that I got for Christmas. I have pretty much everything I need at the shop now that costs less than $500 or so it seems. I've decided to get a small electric impact I can use in tight spots and to remove pretty much everything but lug nuts, crank pulley and suspension bolts. I use my pneumatic impacts for that.

 

The options are the brushless Milwaukee, Dewalt and Makita 18/20v impacts. I've been looking into them quite a bit but I haven't really understood the point of having one except for a few occasions. But since I have the gift card already I'm really thinking about getting one. But now I need to figure out if I want the 1/4 inch impact driver or 3/8 impact wrench.

 

If anyone owns any of these please lmk what you think and what you would recommend. I do all kinds of work on cars and would like to know what everyone thinks would be the best money spent. I understand that the driver is primarily for construction and non automotive work but damn near every mechanic I know has one.

 

Also I understand the difference between the two. The driver impacts forward and to tighten/loosen. The wrench would just be a weaker version of what I already have.

 

As is I have a Dewalt DCF899 for when I go to the junkyard. It busts lug nuts, axles nuts and crank pulley bolts loose every time. I also have 3 pneumatic Ingersoll 1/2 inch impacts that do most of the work plus a 3/4 inch for iffy nuts/bolts.

 

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

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You have an electric ratchet? Favorite tool in my box.

 

Yes and I love it. It's a little bulky but it is great. I also have an old and bulky 3/8 ingersoll along with 2 or 3 1/4 ratchets.

 

I've just spent the past hour or so trying to find out why people seem to like the 1/4 inch impact drivers so much. So many people seem to say it's their "most used too" I just don't see how. But maybe that's because I don't have one lol.

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1/4 electric impact dealt or Milwaukee I have used both and it makes life especially inside the car so much easier

 

Does it being a 1/4 inch chuck make it easier for doing interior or tight engine bay work? I feel like I would use it on every speaker/heater core replacement as well as pretty much every bolt in the engine bay but the crank pulley.

 

But have you ever tried using it on brake caliper bolts? If so I might pick one up tonight on the way home from the shop. I'm just worried It will have so little power that it struggles to remove something as simple as a door hinge bolt or air box bolt.

 

Thanks for the replies!

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My brushless Dewalt will remove properly torqued lug nuts up to 150 lb lbs. Caliper bolts it likely won't do. It works great for tight engine work, coils, valve covers, sensors, etc.

 

Well damn, I guess I'll get one. I've been doing so many tune ups and heater cores lately and I feel like it'd help tremendously for those things.

 

Do you have the 3/8 or the 1/4 inch? I'm wanting the 1/4 inch now mainly because of being able to use my little mac set of 1/4 inch wobble impact sockets that I've had sitting in my overflow drawer lol.

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Have the Snapon 3/8 battery impacts. Older 14.4v and new 14.4v. Would trade them in a second for the equivalent Milwaukee M18 Fuel line.

 

From what I've been told and read anything under 18v is for light use only. Also anything with nicad is essentially outdated. I just picked up a dewalt 20v 1/4" impact. I'll take it to the shop tomorrow and see what I can do with it.

 

Thanks for all the feedback!

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Well damn, I guess I'll get one. I've been doing so many tune ups and heater cores lately and I feel like it'd help tremendously for those things.

 

Do you have the 3/8 or the 1/4 inch? I'm wanting the 1/4 inch now mainly because of being able to use my little mac set of 1/4 inch wobble impact sockets that I've had sitting in my overflow drawer lol.

 

1/4" on both

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I have a makita 1/4. LOVE IT. I use it for pretty much everything. Buy an adapter so you can use sockets. It make everything faster. From driving in screws, to backing out bolts on a car. It's freakin' awesome. it has really impressed me in what it can do. I mean, it's not going to remove lug nuts, but I have a dewalt electric 1/2" impact that will do that. Both are very helpful, especially if you are ever pulling something at the junkyard.
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I am going to interrupt this thread and ask a dumb-ass question. whats the difference? isn't the 1/4" driver just a weaker version? also this has the hex chuck in it right, so how is that 1/4"?

 

Impact Driver?

http://www.bayshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Best-Impact-Driver-Review.jpg

 

Impact Wrench?

http://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Dewalt-Premium-Impact-Wrench.jpg

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I am going to interrupt this thread and ask a dumb-ass question. whats the difference? isn't the 1/4" driver just a weaker version? also this has the hex chuck in it right, so how is that 1/4"?

 

Impact Driver?

http://www.bayshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Best-Impact-Driver-Review.jpg

 

Impact Wrench?

http://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Dewalt-Premium-Impact-Wrench.jpg

 

The main difference is the impact driver not only impacts to loosen or tighten but it also pushes into the bit similar to a hammer drill. That is why they are nice for construction since you don't have to push into them very hard to have the bit not cam out of a phillips screw. The impact is just a weaker version of a 1/2 inch impact. It has a standard 3/8 socket anvil and works like every impact wrench out there. I picked up both last night and did a little comparison on a few things at work so far. They both seem to have just about the same power but I'm going to be returning the 3/8 impact. For the size it's just not strong enough. The 1/4" driver on the other hand is truly a great little tool to have. I already used it on a heater core this morning and I have to say I wish I bought one years ago.

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

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I'm not a mechanic but I got a DeWalt 1/4" impact driver last year and it's the shit, I use it constantly. My cousin works for DeWalt and brought one out to one of our ChumpCar wrenching sessions, I made fun of him for being a sally but goddamn if it didn't blow my mind. You won't regret your decision.
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I'm not a mechanic but I got a DeWalt 1/4" impact driver last year and it's the shit, I use it constantly. My cousin works for DeWalt and brought one out to one of our ChumpCar wrenching sessions, I made fun of him for being a sally but goddamn if it didn't blow my mind. You won't regret your decision.

 

Great to hear. Thanks!

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