Asked by: Aharon Tabacaru
automotive auto safety technologies

Can an impact wrench be used as a driver?

Last Updated: 31st January, 2020

41
An impact wrench is used to either remove or tighten screws, bolts, and fasteners. Impact wrenches fulfill the same general role as impact drivers. If an impact driver is more powerful than a regular cordless drill, then an impact wrench is more powerful than both combined (and then some).

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Moreover, can you use an impact driver to remove lug nuts?

The short answer is yes, but it depends. You can remove lug nuts of your car using an impact driver provided the nuts are tightened at the right amount of torque (80 to 100lb-ft) and your impact driver's output torque is higher than 100lb-ft.

Furthermore, what can you use an impact driver for? Impact drivers are high-torque tools primarily used for driving screws and tightening nuts (an operation known as nut setting). Their chuck accepts only bits with a ¼-inch hex shank.

Thereof, when should you not use an impact wrench?

Here are some of the most common mistakes which you can avoid when using an impact wrench.

  • #1)Over Tightening Fixings.
  • #2)Damaging Threads.
  • #3)Using mismatched sockets.
  • #4)Purchasing the Wrong Wrench Size.
  • #5)Purchasing the Wrong Wrench Kind.

What's the difference between an impact wrench and an impact driver?

By contrast, an impact driver is more compact and lightweight than a standard drill-driver and usually has more torque or twisting force. An impact driver's main purpose is to drive large fasteners. Long screws and, with the use of an adapter, lag bolts can be driven in more easily by an impact driver.

Related Question Answers

Peregrina Frattini

Professional

Will a 3/8 impact wrench remove lug nuts?

Re: M12 Fuel 3/8" impact on car lug nuts
Mine will loosen them up to about 80 foot pounds, but even then not reliably.

Haroldo Sudhindranath

Professional

Can I use regular sockets with impact wrench?

The short answer is no, you should not use a standard socket with an impact wrench. A normal socket will crack or break when used on an impact tool due to how brittle the material is. Contrary to common belief, it's not the torque applied to the socket that causes the biggest issue.

Christof Wilkshire

Professional

Is Impact Wrench and Impact Driver the same thing?

In general, impact wrenches are heavier, bulkier, and much more powerful (have more torque) than impact drivers. Also, impact wrenches use a square drive (generally ½”) and are made for loosening/fastening sockets, while most impact drivers use a ¼” hex drive and are used for driving screws.

Sanford Scharfenkamp

Explainer

Do I really need an impact driver?

The answer is, when you're using softer woods, you need the lighter touch and finesse of a traditional cordless drill/driver. For harder woods, concrete, masonry, and especially long fasteners being worked into heavy materials, you want an impact driver.

Zhaneta Galduroz

Explainer

Should you use an impact wrench to tighten lug nuts?

Do not use the impact to tighten the lug nuts, though. It is very easy to over torque them. Use a ratchet and finish up with a torque wrench for accuracy.

Ela Zabal

Explainer

How strong of an impact wrench do I need?

For most regular-sized vehicles, a 1/2-inch impact wrench should have more than enough power and flexibility to handle working with the vehicle. At that size, the impact wrench will have enough power to do whatever job you need it to do.

Tahmina Wreden

Pundit

Can you use regular drill bits in an impact driver?

The short answer is that you can use hex-shank drill bits in an impact driver. But if precise hole placement, size, and roundness are crucial, then stick with a drill and regular drill bits. It is worth pointing out that you can generally only find general purpose bits with 1/4″ hex shanks.

Alcantara Teigman

Pundit

What is the tool called that removes lug nuts?

A lug wrench is the name for a type of socket wrench used to loosen and tighten lug nuts on automobile wheels. In the United Kingdom and Australia it is commonly known as a wheel brace. Lug wrenches may be L-shaped, or X-shaped.

Jolie Engver

Pundit

Will impact wrench break bolts?

A pneumatic or electric impact gun should be the tool of last resort because it often simply breaks the bolt. Use the proper impact socket, wear gloves and safety glasses. Since these tools can be quite powerful, save them for larger nuts. If possible, use the impact on the nut side and hold the bolt with a wrench.

Sylwia Queija

Pundit

Are impact wrenches worth it?

Getting Impact wrench IS worth it.
An impact wrench and the needed compressor would be expensive ONLY until you used it. They make things a lot easier. Even though right now you think you would only use it for limited jobs but once you have it, you will probably discover other jobs.

Colin Tekloth

Pundit

Can you adjust the torque on an impact wrench?

Currently, none of the cordless impact wrenches will allow you to adjust the torque to those exact settings. (An air impact wrench won't either for that matter.) The only solution is an attachment that fits onto to the end of the impact and then the socket fits onto it.

Laszlo Brunzema

Teacher

Why do I need an impact wrench?

They're commonly used for loosening lug nuts from cars and trucks, but they can also be used in any high-torque situation. When loosening a lug nut you'll notice the socket attached to the impact wrench moving slowly as the lug nut is loosened and then quickly when it's loose.

Ilda Justenhoven

Teacher

How many foot pounds of torque do I need for tire lug nuts?

And when you look at that, and realize that the average torque required on a lug nut, to hold the wheel on, is 80 to 90 ft-lbs, well you can imagine how over-tightened some of these lug nuts are. Now that's a problem because it almost guarantees warped brake rotors.

Timmy Guerrini

Teacher

How many pounds of torque do I need to remove lug nuts?

If you tighten a lug nut to 100 ft-lbs, you should be able to immediately remove it using a tool that can deliver 100 ft-lbs of torque. There are some factors that might make this untrue, but under ideal conditions, a fastener tightened to a certain torque should require similar torque for removal.

Bran Ojeda

Teacher

What is the best impact wrench for auto repair?

The Best Cordless Impact Wrench For Automotive Use
  • Ingersoll Rand W7150 Impact Wrench.
  • Milwaukee 2753-22 M18 Fuel Impact Wrench.
  • Bosch IWBH182B Cordless Impact Wrench.
  • DEWALT DCF883M2 20Volt Wrench Kit.
  • Makita XWT11Z Cordless Impact Wrench.
  • Ryobi P261 18 Volt One+ Impact Wrench.
  • Impact Wrench Torque.

Tita Denisov

Reviewer

Can a hammer drill be used as an impact wrench?

The main difference between a hammer drill and impact driver is what they are used for. You will go for a hammer drill when you need to drill holes into tough materials like concrete. You use an impact driver when you want to rusted or over-torqued screws and to drive screws into a tough material.

Loree Mittelmeier

Reviewer

Should I buy a drill or impact driver?

Why You Should Buy the Drill
So the drill takes care of drilling and boring tasks much better than an impact driver, even though you could use an impact for that task. The drill may not be as fast as an impact driver on screws and other fasteners, but you won't lose the quality of the result by using it.

Asley Rochera

Reviewer

Do Impact Drivers strip screws?

An impact driver is specifically designed to drive screws and bolts that would otherwise stall out a cordless drill. It does this by using concussive force to drive a screw into wood. You're also less likely to strip screws, while the additional force means you can drive them with more precision.

Melannie Weitzdorfer

Supporter

What is the difference between a hammer drill and an impact driver?

What's the difference between a hammer drill and an impact driver? A hammer drill exerts greater force directly into the bit as it hits the material being drilled, while an impact driver increases the force being delivered perpendicular to the bit.

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31st January, 2020

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