Torque control on impact wrench?

YD Forums · Post by **YD Forums** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:14 pm

I am considering buying a cordless impact driver, similar to the attached, that can accommodate both 1/2" sockets as well as standard hex shank screwdriver bits. As I have never used one of these tools, I'm wondering how one avoids overtightening when driving screws, since none of them appear to have torque settings, like those on most cordless drill/drivers.

Can someone explain this to me.

Thanks

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:16 pm

The primary use for these tools is nut/screw REMOVAL and they are very good at it. As for tightening - some people (wrongly) use them to nip up nuts - wheel nuts typically - but the proper way is to use a torque wrench to tighten to the correct level.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:11 pm

I would say that impact drivers are "self regulating"

Just saying............
Yes he is American but he says that impact drivers are a "game changer" for inserting fixings.

fin · Post by **fin** » Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:16 pm

1 uggadugga or maybe 2 i guess

my mates son calls impact drivers bap baps coz of the noise they make

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Sat May 01, 2021 6:13 am

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:11 pm I would say that impact drivers are "self regulating"

No, they're not.

They have a rating (often stated in newton-metres) which is effectively a 'fixed' torque setting. My impact wrench has a rating of 250 ft-lbs - far in excess of any nuts I've ever had to tighten (so far). If your nuts need tightening (giggidy) to the 250 ft-lbs (say) of the impact wrench you have then 'great' - but do ALL nuts need that torque?

I now have a 1/4" and a 1/2" wrench so I don't bugger up the nuts/screws when either removing or refitting (which I nearly always do by hand anyway).

Tire fitters seem to think that wheel nuts should be done up to the max - until you get a puncture and realise you can't shift the buggers! Even wheel nuts have a proper ft-lb rating, just like every nut on a machine.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Sat May 01, 2021 9:17 am

a normal drill driver will easily screw in a 50-75mm screw most decent ones will do 100mm plus
ideally an 1/4"impact driver should be avoided below 50mm as overkill and noisy without need
i have never used a 1/2" but anything over say 230nm will have too much power and can easily run away
modern impacts are really good have 3speed and soft control all electronic [random link to the one i have]
https://www.toolstation.com/dewalt-dcf8 ... ver/p68100

in short get an impact iff you have loads off heavy fixing but little finnese required
and would suggest a half inch drive should be more considered as can put in screws but more as a novelty "sledge hammer to crack a nut way" :dunno:

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Sat May 01, 2021 12:01 pm

My son uses a Snap On impact wrench all the time I think it’s 450kn , but then it’s for truck and bus wheel nuts. And the rear hub nuts on my car which fly off with it where’s as jumping up n down on a 4ft pole does zip all !.

Might add he always religiously checks wheel nuts with a torque wrench , and at work that’s 6ft long !

I use my little Makita all the time , including wheels nuts just to whiz em off and on , and torque when car is back on ground.

Hitch · Post by **Hitch** » Fri May 07, 2021 4:44 pm

Just stop when the screw head is flush (csk screws only)

You get a feel for them pretty quick. Just because its an impact driver doesn't mean its going to use the impact motion unless it needs to. I use impact driver for just about any screws, small screws go in without the impact mechanism kicking in.

For nuts and bolts, again, you get a feel for it and can tell by the sound. Used them for years doing bolts up. Anything torque sensitive like wheels, just use it to spin the nuts on, and check with a spanner/torque wrench as appropriate.

If it says 230Nm or whatever, it wont kick in at 230Nm straight away, it will build up to it, the longer you keep your finger on the trigger and the more it impacts, the tighter the torque.
I doubt i'm alone in saying I very rarely use the torque setting on a cordless drill?

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Fri May 07, 2021 4:48 pm

Hitch wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 4:44 pm I doubt i'm alone in saying I very rarely use the torque setting on a cordless drill?

They have torque settings????????

Dialled up to 11 and left there - as always!

etaf · Post by **etaf** » Fri May 07, 2021 5:01 pm

I doubt i'm alone in saying I very rarely use the torque setting on a cordless drill?

Never Used it myself
just the twist drill setting & the Hammer setting , in fact been using the Bosch Multipurpose Drills, and haven't used Hammer in masonry since having those drills.

kellys_eye · Post by **kellys_eye** » Fri May 07, 2021 6:00 pm

Anyone reasonably competent with tools will know how to 'torque' stuff and the limits you can approach before causing damage. I reckon I can guesstimate a torque setting by hand (although will always use the right tool where the occasion demands) but use my power tools without any torque settings and rely entirely on feel.

That said, as a student (donkeys years ago) we had metalwork lessons where one guy had no idea of pressures, tension, torque or anything like that. He was tasked to use a parting tool on a lathe and simply 'wound the cross slide in as fast and as hard as he could'....... exploding parting tool shrapnel all over the place! There was no way to educate him in 'feel'......

A similar thing happens when my missus uses the battery screwdriver - she NEVER presses hard enough to keep the bit in the screw and strips both the driver and the screw head - every. frikken. time.