Impact drivers

[Slimy]

I came to my car earlier in the week to find some gorilla in a garage somewhere has tightened my wheel nuts with what was either a socket attached to a scaffolding pole, or even an air impact wrench. My best efforts to remove them has met with a bent cross wrench. It does appear that the nuts themselves are still intact though.

I was once told that impact driving is better than high torque to remove stubborn bolts, because there is less chance of breakage or rounded heads. My first thought would be to take the car to a reputable garage, get them to remove the nuts with an air tool then torque them up properly, so I can then work on the car as I expected. Then it occurred to me, I do have a hand impact driver, similar to this;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300400349562

If I bought a 17mm impact socket with a half inch drive, and used this impact driver, would that be similar to using an air tool? Obviously I'm expecting a fair few strikes to get it to move.

 

[DPJ]

I think you'd be bashing away all day. A power impact driver delivers many many blows per second.

Better spend your money on something like this.

 

[vroomtshh]

I think you'd be bashing away all day. A power impact driver delivers many many blows per second.

Better spend your money on something like this.

Agreed. Or a decent sized breaker bar. I like my wheels torqued properly but TBH, I've never found any problems removing nuts, no matter how tight they are.

 

[Slimy]

I had a breaker bar in the end of the wheel brace, which is probably why it twisted! Unfortunately the socket that I had intended to use has actually shattered on some previous job, so I guess I should get a replacement and see if the breaker bar can do the job on it's own first.

If I remember rightly, impact sockets don't like being used with breaker bars? And normal sockets can't withstand the impact blows?

 

[vroomtshh]

If I remember rightly, impact sockets don't like being used with breaker bars? And normal sockets can't withstand the impact blows?

Thats the theory, but generally they are ok. If you're buying a socket, make sure to get a 6 sided one

 

[Slimy]

Thats the theory, but generally they are ok. If you're buying a socket, make sure to get a 6 sided one

Definitely, my first set was a 12 sided one as I believed the marketing. Several rounded bolts later I picked up a 6 sided set and never looked back.

I like the ones that are 6 sided, but the corners are also 'cut back', so the force is applied on the sides? A few brands do them, and call them something specific.