Bluestripe67

I have noticed on some of the car tech shows, Truck-U, HP TV, and others the increased use of cordless drills for undoing and attaching nuts, bolts etc. How many of you guys are using cordless drills for the same and describe the drill. I realize that they have power limits, but with the development of more high tech batteries, the range of use is really expanding. Dennis

magicv8

I often use a generic power drill to buzz lug nuts, bolts, and screws to the point that I want to hand torque them.

I have been doing it for years to keep my carpal tunnel pain away. Carpal tunnel is also hurt by the hammering and weight of impact wrenches, and I always prefer to hand torque all bolts - so the transition was easy.

I also use the torque wrench to break bolts loose, then use the drill and socket drive to remove them. That way I know how much the fastener was originally torqued, and I can replace it to that level if I don't see it on my web torque chart.

Dan Hampton

I have a Milwaukee 28V Cordless impact wrench that I use for my Solo cars. Outstanding performance (275 ft/lbs) and it makes short work of changing and rechanging tires. They normally come with two battery packs. Once you own one, you will never be without one. They run around $300.00. The Lithium-Ion battery is nice, too. It doesn't slow down when power is down. It runs full bore and then, simply, stops working. It comes in a carrying case and I always throw it in the truck or SUV when taking longer trips, just in case I would experience a flat tire.

Snap-On makes a really nice lightweight one, but the cost is considerably more. The Milwaukee weighs around 7.5 lbs.

Don Keefhardt

Believe it or not, the "Goodyear"-branded cordless impact gun that Pep Boys sells for ~$80-90 is great. I've had one for 4 years...still works great...will remove any lug nut that hasn't been over-torqued by 200%, or rusted on.

Also have a good Ingersoll air impact gun, but I'll usually reach for the cordless impact first, just so I don't have to do battle with the hose.

No question that the Milwaukees and Snap-Ons are great tools...but I'm just a miserable cheap bastard.

jim lockwood

I've never found the breakaway torque of any fastener to be equal to the originally applied tightening torque (and I do check). It is always less because a portion of the tightening torque is lost in friction. So, if you retorque a fastener to the breakaway torque, it won't be as tight as it should be.

Jim

magicv8

I always retorque to the torque chart (that I made from 4 GM manuals for Corvette assembly and repair), but every once in a while I run across some obscure bolt that is not in those manuals and that's when I rely on the torque removal reading.

I didn't intend my previous post to imply otherwise. Using a torque wrench to remove the bolts is an old habit from the 60s when I worked as a mechanic while going to school nights. Try to find the flywheel torque for a GTO when you work at a Chrysler dealer, or the water pump bolt torque for an XK120 Jag engine when you work at a Chevy dealer. You're working flat rate, and taking time to call another dealer on the phone means you won't pay your bills this week.