Best budget impact driver (1 Viewer)

[devildogcruiser25]

I'm to the point where I have changed enough tires on the trail using a tire iron that I am thinking of buying a impact driver for such tasks. I'd like to have an all around tool, basic trail repairs, tire changes etc.

Help me spend my money!

 

[e9999]

spend money on better tires?

 

[Weber Sarge]

The 18v Dewalt gets some good reviews as well as the Milwaukee units .
Sarge

 

[e9999]

OK, OK, a tool then...

from what I saw -in passing admittedly-, I would guess that a battery impact driver that can handle a wheel nut would likely be pretty expensive.
But I saw some inexpensive 12V corded ones that are easy to store and carry around. No idea how powerful those are but at least some were cheap and you can probably get a feel for the torque from published (optimistic?) specs to compare.

 

[arcteryx]

I use a hitachi http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N2NTE8/ Excellent reviews and I have had no problems with it- and it gets lots of work/abuse. For lugs, it will remove all but the most stubborn ones, which I then perform the initial break, but use it afterwards to remove/install. Not exactly cheap but you get 3 tools for that price.

 

[FJ60Seth]

Not a budget tool but IR makes an excellent cordless impact gun.

 

[arcteryx]

Not a budget tool but IR makes an excellent cordless impact gun.

Yea, I have this IR air impact gun http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WMN2GU It's awesome. Thanks to @orangefj45 for recommending it to me.

 

[Jetboy]

Do you have an air compressor? If so - the answer is pretty obvious.

If not - most any 18v cordless impact will do everything but the initial break loose of lug nuts. If they are torqued to factory specs, it shouldn't be all that tight. I have dewalt tools because they were the first and have IMO the best range of cordless tools for shop use - grinders, cutoff discs, die grinders, etc. I think the basic drills and impacts are all pretty much the same. I once bought a cheap set of ryobi stuff and the actual tools were ok, the batteries were junk. I ended up giving them away. For a car set - buy a ryobi impact, a 20' set of cheap jumper cables, take apart one of the batteries, solder in one end of the jumper cable, and make yourself a 12v tool with a cord that you can run to the battery. They should work just fine on 12 or 14 volts. It's probably the cheapest functional trail tool that I can think of without a compressor.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Not budget but bad a$$, snap on ct761

 

[Tapage]

I have this big boy ..

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-Bare-T...&qid=1426146051&sr=1-4&keywords=dewalt+impact

still to see the one that could resist its torque ..

 

[Tredwards]

I have been very happy with my dewalt 20v cordless impact. Takes off lug nuts. Small enough for fzj80 oil pump cover screws without hitting radiator. And good battery life.

 

[Lowbudgetlc100]

Not budget but bad a$$, snap on ct761

That's what I have too

 

[shelfboy1]

dewalt or mac both the same company .my mac even unwinds the lugnuts on my 6x6 trucks even after heavy use in the mud .dont buy crapsman they are junk at least that was my experiance

 

[Stumpalama]

There is a whole other thread in this section discussing the best cordless impact drivers. I have a Craftsman 1/2" 19.2 Lithium driver that works great and even pulled the lugs through my hub. It is inexpensive and if you have other Cman cordless tools, is a no brainer.