Anyone have one that they'd recommend?

I'm shopping for one, but see that their prices vary quite a bit - $80 all the way up to $400! I want it for working on cars (mainly because doing everything manually is a slow) but might use it on project around the house. Home Depot has an 18v Ryobi impact drill and driver (with lithium batteries) on sale right now for $99 and am thinking about grabbing that, but if there's a better deal/setup, I'm all ears!

Thanks!

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I picked up a Porter Cable 20v about two years ago. It came with a charger and two batteries. I think it was $90 at Lowe's.

And it works great. The two batteries are also handy because you can just slap on the other one.

But Porter Cable has come out with a 20v 'system' which is a fancy way of saying all their 20v tools use the same battery. (I just bought a saws-all, a Porter Cable with the 20v, and it works as well as my $450 corded BOSCH and weights about 50% less.)

OK, nothing new here except for the price. As you mentioned they are all over the place.

But I can say the Porter Cable has held up well, and if you are working on older Mercedes, where every nut and bolt was torqued at the factory, it will take one apart quite nicely. The styling is sort of over the top, but the balance is nice and it will do the job with the best of them.

I have the HD Ryobi. It's great as long as you use the lithium battery. If they're still selling them with NiMH batteries, factor a battery change into the cost. I used it for my snow tires this morning, and in the past, I used it for a complete rebuild of the rear suspension. It's exceeded my expectations, especially given the reasonable price. I also have other Ryobi tools which use the same batteries...drill/driver, circular saw, even a flashlight. Once you make your choice, you're pretty much committed to the manufacturer's system for all your tools.

We are now using Dewalts at Habitat for Humanity. They work well for screwing 2.5" and 3" screws into 2x6s and wood decking, studs, etc.. But about lunchtime the batteries peter out.

Used one from 10am to 330pm at Habitat last week at 10 degrees and it held up all day.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Interesting. We are using the small Dewalts with the small battery. My experience has been different over about thirty or forty workdays. Not sure but ours might be 18V. No work for the rest of the year in Atlanta but I will look in Jan. Then again you never know if the House Leaders had them fully charged when we started in the morning.

Not working in 10 degree weather. Too cold!!!!!! They would have to increase my pay.

Interesting concept using an impact driver as a wrench; have never tried it. Have always used a ratchet.

I have a Milwaukee that puts out a maximum 300 ft. lbs. of torque. My lug nuts cower in fear when they see it coming.

Amp hours are the measure for how far you get with the batteries.

I still have my Dewalt 18v tools. Some of them are going on ten years old. The 1/2" impact has taken loose lug nuts but I use a breaker bar for that kind of work and then use the impact to spin them off.

A friend has a 1/4" ratchet made by Milwaukee. It may actually save you more time.

I have the porter cable setup. The package came with a battery operated angle grinder which I think will come in handy some day at the junk yard.

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With best regards

Al

For me it's all about size. Smaller is better for working in the engine compartment. Look at the 1/4" drive Bosch driver. Only 12v but strong for it's size. Smallest driver on the market. If I need power, I have a pneumatic driver for that.

Let's clarify this a bit. Are you talking about an "impact DRIVER" or an "impact WRENCH"? Two completely different animals.

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

I think he means wrench (from the price range quoted)

I have three options.

1) High torque compressed air jobber - I think it is good for about 600Nm

2) A mains voltage electric cheap piece of junk that is good for about 250Nm

3) A bosch 10.8 volt cordless impact "driver" that is good for 120Nm

####

I really like the Bosch because it is light and not powerful enough to knacker everything you touch.

The problem with these tools is that people often get really lazy when they have them - everything gets undone by them - the chances of damaging parts increases exponentially...

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I've been thinking about the Ryobi 1/2" impact wrench. Mainly because I've already got a Ryobi set of tools and three of the bigger Lithium batteries.

All I have here at the house is a small air compressor which cycles twice while changing one wheel. It'd be nice not to have to drag the air hose out every time I wanted to remove a wheel.

__________________
“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

You need a bigger air compressor.

__________________
With best regards

Al

Ahh you Texans, you always think bigger is better!

Still doesn't remove the need for an air hose.

__________________
“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now