Impact driver for lug nuts?

[Pat Barry]

Gave it a try: the impact driver (rated for 125 ftlbs) with a socket adapter took the lug nuts off with zero problem. Actually "hammered" for less time than my pneumatic impact wrench usually does.

I always rotate my own tires (for the reason Thomas mentions: I don't trust the shops to torque them, properly), so I know they are never torqued above 100 ftlbs (I use a torque wrench to put them back on). Using this impact driver will be FAR more convenient than dragging an air hose around! And while the cordless impact wrench obviously has much more torque, I don't think I need it for what I do.

I am just beyond impressed with these brushless LXT-series tools. The impact driver is comically powerful for its size. I also bought a string trimmer, blower, and lawnmower that use the same batteries, and they are just beyond amazing. Powerful, quiet, and the cordless-ness is just obnoxiously convenient.

I have a green Makita 18V drill driver. I bought a collet adapter for it to use for my 6" ice auger last winter. Previously I drilled ice fishing holes by hand - talk about a work out. Now that Makita drill and ice auger drilled many holes thru 2 feet of ice without a strain. To me that was a huge attest for the power of these tools. I had all I could do to hold onto it.

[John K Jordan]

We had fun today with nuts on a vehicle. I don't think even a powerful impact wrench would have loosened them. A spreader truck broke an axle while spreading 8 tons of lime in my fields - the 2" axle snapped like a matchstick. The eight bolts holding the axle flange needed an 1-1/8" socket and took the weight of a big guy with a 2' breaker bar and a 3' cheater pipe to break them loose. Fortunately the truck broke down in the front field near my shop and I had all the tools needed to fix it. The big guy "torqued" the nuts on the new axle with the 2' breaker bar. Six hundred dollars and six hours after they got here the lime was spread. The tires on that truck were huge, 32" wide I think - 2wd, it's never been stuck even on hills after a rain.

This is nothing at all to do with the subject but it reminded me that hand tools are often all that's needed for even big jobs.

JKJ

[Jerome Stanek]

We had fun today with nuts on a vehicle. I don't think even a powerful impact wrench would have loosened them. A spreader truck broke an axle while spreading 8 tons of lime in my fields - the 2" axle snapped like a matchstick. The eight bolts holding the axle flange needed an 1-1/8" socket and took the weight of a big guy with a 2' breaker bar and a 3' cheater pipe to break them loose. Fortunately the truck broke down in the front field near my shop and I had all the tools needed to fix it. The big guy "torqued" the nuts on the new axle with the 2' breaker bar. Six hundred dollars and six hours after they got here the lime was spread. The tires on that truck were huge, 32" wide I think - 2wd, it's never been stuck even on hills after a rain.

This is nothing at all to do with the subject but it reminded me that hand tools are often all that's needed for even big jobs.

JKJ

Those trucks are awesome ours pulled a loaded semi thought the mud before the driver could release the brakes

[John K Jordan]

Those trucks are awesome ours pulled a loaded semi thought the mud before the driver could release the brakes

Ha! I'm imagining what the semi driver must have thought!

JKJ

[Jerome Stanek]

When he got out he was laughing about it. it slid for about 30 feet to where he was todump the lime

[Matt Meiser]

Any auto shop worth their salt will properly torque lug nuts. They might run them up with a torque stick on a rattle gun, then final torque with a torque wrench.

This. If your place doesn't find a real one. If they get offended when you ask, that's also a good sign its time to go elsewhere. But also, I'm often surprised at how tight proper torque is when I do it especially on an SUV or truck. Even my current car, which is a performance model, has a 150ft-lb spec.

[Russ Filtz]

I have a plug-in impact wrench which works pretty well. At times though I don't think it has the guts to break the lugs free. My procedure it to initially "crack" the lugs free on the ground with a breaker bar, then jack the wheel up. After that, the impact wrench makes super fast work of the lugs. To reinstall I use the exact same procedure in revers. Use the impact with the wheel in the air, lower the car and then use the breaker bar to give each lug a check by feel.