Rather than replace my claw-hammer, I've decided to invest in a good battery-powered impact driver wrench.

I've frequently borrow my cousin's mains-powered "Rattle Gun" (as he calls it) it's a good tool but running a mains cable out to the driveway in our wet climate is fraught with danger, don't forget our mains supply is 240V not 110V Plus he's not exactly "next door" and I hate borrowing tools.

Thing's like wheels (monthly and kills me) skid frame bolts (very frequent), exhaust bolts (quite frequent), body mounts (not so often) wheel carrier bolts (today in fact) seem to be justification enough.

I've no garage and I don't have a compressor (yet)

I'd love a battery or 12V lifting jack too.

Any suggestions on a good impact-driver?

 

i use a milwakee fuel m18 1/2" impact gun it removes all the things you mentioned.

 

Milwaukee here in the states. Not sure what is available over there. I've had good luck with Hitachi, now Metabo as well which I'd think would be available there. For lug nuts, etc 12v is not going to cut it. 18v or more will be needed as well as one of the upper level impacts (not the cheapest ones, those will not have enough torque).

 

I use a Matco. Had an Ingersol-Rand that was very good until it wasn't. IG couldn't get parts to fix it. That was 18 months ago. Bought the Matco in the interim. Both were around $550.00. My wife carries the Milwaukee 18V when she tows her horse trailer.

 

I use a 300 ft.lb.torque C3, 19.2v battery for my collection(around 30) of power tools, lawn&garden tools, radio, & lights. Still works as advertised.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, it's good to know nobody said "don't get one"

It's weird buying American stuff here in the UK, if available it's usually the same in pounds as dollars i.e. $260 will be £260, so roughly 35% more expensive. Couldn't easily find Matco or Craftsman, but Milwaukee, Metabo and Hitachi yes.

The Milwaukee Fuel M18 1/2" boasts an astonishing max torque of 745Nm / 550ft.lbs and a "Nut_Busting" torque of 881Nm / 650ft.lbs, just watched amazing!

Plus I can get one delivered on Next Day

 

Milwaukee has impacts that are more powerful than that one also...if you need that.

 

Milwaukee fuel m18 1/2", It removes a crank pulley with ease. I've used it to remove head bolts also.
We just had a milwaukee rep come in and recommended the 1/2" over the 3/4". He brought in a 1" drive also and that thing is a monster.
this is the one you want, if you want max power.

 

Thank you all very much for your suggestions.

After researching cost, size, versatility, functions, nut-busting torques etc, a Milwaukee M18 FMTIW2F12 (Gen 2) 1/2" the mid-torque unit is on it's way.

fastNYsix
At 46% nut-busting torque and 55% torque of the High-Impact, and only 15% cheaper with no blue-tooth, a mid-torque may be the wrong decision, time will tell.
However the Gen-2 model has some nice features, it's smaller, lighter (by 1kg/2.2Lbs), the auto-mode looks good and so does the extra lighting. I tend to work with smaller mechanical stuff, which is factor, but if it can undo those pesky exhaust-flange bolts and lug-nuts I'll be a happy man.

One thing I've gathered is Milwaukee impact-drivers are excellent, so choosing one of these is a good decision and certainly not a wrong one.

In the end it's hard choosing products from data that seems designed to confuse, just like laptops, so I guess it all comes down to factoring-in all you can and then going with "your best" judgment.

 

yeah thats what i paid for mine. it did not come with a battery or a charger. but i already had a few millwalkee tools and batteries. but if you do not have that then it will be an added cost