how to use an impact driver

( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The same way you'd loosen any other screw/bolt/nut/whatever.

Lefty Loosey. Righty Tighty.

FFS! If you need to use an impact driver to remove your wheelnuts...

The message from Adrian contains these words:

That is a bit scary, innit.

As for which way to set it...put the square end on the floor and push down firmly on the other end. The square end will turn slightly - this will let you know which way to set the control.

Left to loosen and right to tighten, though you should never need to use it other than to loosen. You do know that you are meant to hit it hard with a heavy hammer? So obvious but I never know ;-)

Huw

The message from "Huw" contains these words:

Whilst pre-twisting it in the direction you want to go.

Then you've been to quickfit. & you'll need a real one , not the sort you hit with a hammer.

And watch your bloody fingers, thumbs, knuckles, kneecaps etc. That's if you are as good with a hammer as I am, that is.

ok once i tried this on the floor i got the hang of it. L- loosey, R- Tighty

i didnt realize the square end would have to be depressed by that much for it turn. i would have to hit it with a club hammer. at the same time you have to keep the handle from turning in your hand. sounds more like a two man job?

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my roadwheel bolts were not stuck, i mentioned them just as an example on which i could try the driver on. but i wasnt sure if my driver could handle that abuse,maybe it is just for screws and maybe a two handed version (for a three handed man!) would be for large bolts. thanks

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( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Umm, yes, that's why it's called an *IMPACT* driver.

It's for screws and bolts that won't shift any other way. It is a tool of last resort. (Well, almost - just before the drill and/or angle grinder)

Don't use it until you *need* it. The art of it's use is knowing when that point is - it's just *before* you round the head on the bolt.

Mines 1/2" drive and yours looks to be the same. Only use special impact sockets, usually black (never chromed or other pretty finish as it will flake off), must be full hex (6 sided) and not the 12 point type that you usually get in tool kits. Normal sockets will damage the nut or crack and splinter.

Better to use a longer lever. Get a breaker bar. About 2ft 6in long or more with a 1/2" drive on a swivel at the end. Fit on wheel nut with handle parallel to ground. Lift the bar handle, you can lift more than your own weight but can't push down with more than your own weight.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Peter Hill saying something like:

Course you can. Trick is to know by how much.

The message from snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com contains these words:

Yup - that's what it's called an IMPACT driver not a slight tap driver. You belt it very hard indeed with a lump hammer.

Not on things like aluminium castings you don't, unless you want to push the whole lot through and end up with a big hole or crack!

(ooh-err!)

Decent lump hammer would do a better job.

Wrong tool for the job?

An example here when I used mine once. Foglight on front of the car, screw heads facing forward so taking the full brunt of the elements for, oh, 13 years! just a small pozi drive head.

Started having a go with a normal screwdriver and there was simply no way I was going to shift it. It would chew the head way before the screw started to turn, so before I did that I got out the trusty impact driver.

Place the correct bit in the end, make sure its set to lefty loosey, and one or two wallops with a hammer and the screw started turning! Bloody marvellous I say! It then justunscrewed with the normal driver.

Without that I would have rounded it off and resorted to drilling the thing out.

Also handy to remove the small screws that hold brake disks onto hubs as they never unscrew!

The message from "JonnyBoy" contains these words:

I never put 'em back without copper grease. Actually - I rarely put 'em back at all - the whole thing seems to do perfectly well without 'em.

Impact drivers are very useful dismantling things like motorcycle engines. Big cracks or holes in the castings are not helpful!