Impact driver vs impact wrench - or just use a hammer drill

My Amazon store: www.amazon.com/shop/theburbbilly
I cover the differences between an impact driver and an impact wrench vs just using a hammer drill. I get asked a lot if you can use an impact driver to take lug nuts off so I figured it was time for a video on this.

[@Itmovesme1]

this is the best demo of these two machines i have seen, and your spot on explanation of how they work was clear and precise, great job.

[@suguride]

hahaha, it's 2020 and I'm just learning about the difference between these. Thanks for the vid!

[@PopExpo]

Me too!!

[@PrimoniousP]

2021 for some

[@ickess]

It’s 2022 and I’m finding this video. Had the question…can’t I just use a hammer drill? Haha

[@rommelphotography]

Hahahaha its 2021 and i am just learning the difference 😅 🤣

[@srikanthdonthi5012]

Better late than never. 😊 Thanks burbbilly.

[@saltyprocrastinator]

THank you for the clear explanation, and for not taking an hour to get around to it like others do!

[@counterpoint6718]

In answer to your question...IMHO - The difference between an impact driver and an impact wrench is about 150 ft/lbs. Impact drivers seem to hover around 150 ft/lbs, whereas impact wrenches really start at 300 ft/lbs. and increase to over 1,000 ft/lbs. in some models.

[@robertdabob8939]

To be clear, if you want to throw your impact wrench in the trunk on a road trip or do a little work on your vehicle at home, then yes, an impact driver is fine. Just break the lugs first with a Johnson bar or whatever first, that's what I usually do. It's not fine for doing mechanic work on a regular basis. I think that's the answer people are looking for. If you're not doing work requiring you use sockets all the time then it makes no sense to purchase a separate impact wrench. I've driven a fuck load of carriage bolts over the last 8 years or so building decks etc, and my brushless makita is still going strong. I use it for everything, it's not gonna break. It'll just hammer away without turning the lug or bolt if it doesn't have the power, that's it. Being brushless it doesn't even get hot.

[@ZERONEINNOVATIONS]

So, if I use impact driver for high torque bolts and nuts, it may break the socket but it's not gonna cause damage to the impact driver?

[@robertdabob8939]

@@ZERONEINNOVATIONS I've yet to have an issue with multiple Makita impacts. No different than driving lag bolts when building decks. Torquing sockets is easier on the impact if anything imo since lags have a lot of resistance all the way in and then almost come to a stop as they struggle to sink the washers in to the wood.

[@Weakeyedominant]

I've seen a few people using impact drivers to remove nuts on car wheels. I'm sure it isn't recommended if anything was to break I would like to think it would be the bit between the impact socket and the driver.

[@Tk3997]

I actually think it's totally fine for doing mechanical work on a continuous basis, because I do in a shop setting. The fact is the huge majority of bolts and screws (and there are plenty of screws particularly in dash and paneling) in cars are not fastened with hundreds of pounds of torque, actually on a passenger car almost nothing is. A good 12v one will zip right off probably about 85% of the bolts on a car, including lug nuts on many of them which are under 100 ft/lb on most passenger cars while be very light and handy. And when it comes to running them down the lack of torque is actually a good thing, you can easily run them flush and give them a few smacks without worrying about over-torquing in most cases. The real actual difference between the two is one has a chuck and one has an anvil. Go look at the Milwaukee quarter inch wrench for instance, the only real difference between that and the 12v driver is that they put an anvil on the front instead of a chuck. I just went with the driver because I think the versatility is nice, it does pretty much the same work as a small impact wrench with an adapter, while also being good on screws and even occasionally as a drill.

[@francisfaustino]

I agree with you. Most people who ask these types of questions are likely the light duty, around the house users. People who need the tools for heavy duty applications are usually not asking these kinds of questions. I see videos like this all the time, regarding all kinds of tools, always recommending the heavier duty option without really addressing the type of user that is asking the question.

[@gmjunky87]

Thanks for the info. I bought a refurbished rigid tool set about 8 years ago and was kinda puzzled what to do with the impact driver. Now I use it more and more. I used to just break the lugs loose first and then run them out with it and them drive them on and then just use a torque wrench haha

[@alphafez]

Best verbal and visually explained video that I've viewed. Well done sir.

[@BeerStens]

Thanks for actually explaining it simply without a load of confusion.

[@riconaka]

This is exactly what I needed to know! Makes perfect sense!! Thank you for saving me a trip back for the store.

[@drzoom11]

Great video, answered my question clearly and concisely, now I know what to buy, thanks 👍

[@artincorona]

I have owned an impact driver for the last couple years and didn't even know the information that you explained in this video. It totally makes sense and I wish I had known this earlier to help with those stubborn screws that I have screwed in for the last few years.

[@RCKSTUDIOS]

Awesome video thanks i do use my driver to work on my car any other sockets that are not completely stock and it speeds up all my work i am definitely buying this wrench

[@mattieboy01]

Good info and good explanation on hammer vs impact cause I honestly still thought they were applyin the same force. I didnt get the whole use for concrete part but I got the main point

[@Blakehx]

Thanks for the info! Is there a good crossover platform (something like the B&D Matrix or Bosch Flexiclick) that can do most or all of these things with different attachments? Thanks

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Amazing video. Literally covered everything in one concise video. Thanks!!

[@pete_lind]

Here with some animation kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3nbhaZqmpqNq5I different drill types , 4 min clip

[@belabertalan]

Best explanation on KZbin.

[@the4rsofrc83]

Thanks for the explanation! Great video!

[@robertmeyers9313]

Thx, good review of the differences. Hammer drill vs impact driver. I have a hammer drill and want to use it on my car. Seems the hammer action goes into the work like hammering a nail, and impact driver is like torque on a wrench. This now makes sense. I would add that an impact driver contues to work after the fastener has stopped turning, whereas the hammer drill only works when the fastener can turn. I’ve been able to use the hammer drill on screw setting, not hammer, with torque dialed up for on or off fasteners or nuts. Sad I need to buy another tool for the car but finally answers my question. Thanks and keep producing content please for us newbies :-)

[@thurm101]

Thanks buddy. I am from the Ol school. Now I can get a impact wrench.

[@jerrodnewsome1495]

Usually impact driver are rated by inch lbs & impact wrenches are rated in ft lbs but you can use a impact wrench to remove smaller plugs they are very powerful

[@longfade]

Super clear and informative man, thanks.

[@BrentLagerman]

concussive blows! love that term - great video BB

[@s.j.1298]

Cleared that up. Excellent. I’m better informed. Thanks!

[@cws10692]

I'm a mechanic full-time we work on huge excavators to weedeaters an every thing in between anything under a lawn mower impact driver I was so impressed by dewalt I got 2 more an then got the 1/2" im very impressed but still not as good as air impact but 96% of everything the 1/2" dewalt will take care of

[@burbbilly]

Thanks for the post, my brother uses the Milwaukee 1/2 impact on his trailer and vehicle repairs and loves it as well. Both the dewalt and milwaukee have higher foot pounds of torque than the ryobi. I am happy with my ryobie impact though. Still using it, still hasn't broke :-)

[@Nanaehhco45]

Ryobi?lol

[@thesoundpainterbkny3465]

Thank you Bro! I was confused but not anymore!!!

[@bikersoncall]

Thank you for getting to the point, I just went through 5 mins of bsht, in a 20 min video with midroll ads, and learned NOTHING, I cut my loses and move on to your video. Thanks!

[@Tonio_onair]

Well thank you. Just the video I needed to know the difference and what I need for my car

[@Sochmo18]

thanks for this! So, if I can only afford one tool right now for automotive work but also general DIY and basic home repair would you recommend I use an impact wrench with a square head to 1/4 hex adapter instead of the driver with a socket adapter?

[@etx007blue2]

For working on personnel vehicle，I use impact driver with 1/2 or 3/8 adapter, it works perfectly for even axel nut.

[@sanjayofficial7004]

Sir can you tell me impact driver is best or hammer drill ??

[@MrJruta]

Lol what?

[@coreylee9794]

Axel nut is exactly what I just bought my impact driver for

[@leftylion816]

I learned something and saved/avoided a lot of spent time, money and aggrivation doing something stupid. Thanks!

[@digitaldharma]

Thanks brother. Very informative and clear

[@ronanrogers4127]

The demonstration made it super clear

[@hardwin82]

fantastic, I was just looking for that answer, I know now everything, thx

[@customgold0895]

Very good video thanks for explaining

[@luislacasa4041]

Great video hakim from Morocco 🇲🇦 thanks bro

[@trevino842]

This video was dope!!

[@lucifchristo]

Thoughts on using and impact rated driver bit in 1/4 inch impact socket on a 1/2 inch impact wrench?

[@dandelice4370]

Great video thanks for That clarification!

[@sanjayofficial7004]

Thank u so much sir but can u tell me which is the best drill between this two drill?

[@lookeywho1287]

Excellent informatiion.

[@burbbilly]

Thank you Lee

[@sagethemage7]

Thank you for clarifying

[@revsharp777]

Thank you for this.

[@MeAndCarKeys]

I know this is an old video, but thanks for it! It cleared up a lot of my confusion!! 👍

[@nopi98]

Helped me alot. Thanks!

[@G5trance]

Thanks for this. Subscribed.

[@clone1137]

I have the tiny little Milwaukee m12 fuel impact driver. Before I purchased my impact wrench, it pulled my lugs off no problem. Now, youre correct it’s definitely not the right tool for the job. But if I could pull that off with a 12v most people can do their semi annual tire rotation or tire change in pinch with an impact driver.

[@alexalexandrakis8205]

Very very very useful video, thank you very much!

[@jasonmckeaigg9143]

The impact driver are perfect for self tapping screws...awesome 👍

[@blahdiblah2169]

For me it's going to be a case of having an impact drill / driver for pilot holes and then an impact driver for screwing. I guess the impact driver can also be used for tightening bolts and stuff you would have to do by hand.

[@blahdiblah2169]

@WHO WHO WALKWA lol

[@EvilPiggy101]

Such nice Vid! Thanks Man! It helped a lot :)

[@jamesbarnes8854]

Is an impact drill only good for screws or can it also bu used for boring holes in dense materials?

[@bikersoncall]

I really want an impact gun, but right now I have philips head bolts holding my stator plate, that are frozen solid, so I actually don't think either of these would work on that, I probably need the manual style impact tool. If I got an impact driver, and tried to break those bolts lose, does the driver have a 'lighter' setting , or is it just one basic hammering level.

[@Certain]

Great video.

[@pamelaevers2763]

Thank you!

[@jamesrodrigue9286]

Great explanation.

[@naifine]

Thank you that was very helpful for me next purchase

[@bluemantom77]

I. Got. That Bosch idh182 is that exempt from the rule I'm just being able to drive schools and that's it at the hybrid 2/2 inch call it at the end plus the one fourth of the center I've used it to loosen lug nuts on cars as well as drive screws

[@qanononabong8491]

"." 's are free. Please use more of them.

[@jessietckr39]

Great advice... Thank you

[@jeffnorman5457]

Good info. Thank you!

[@ColorsRokuTv]

Great video

[@obaid.371]

Great, You have a point .

[@tenzackyogi1742]

Impact wrench is steriod power. Impact driver is mid-range power.

[@bobbyhuskey1728]

Great video Man

[@burbbilly]

Thanks Bobby, appreciate that!

[@muhammadhumayun2703]

greatly explained hammer vs impact

[@taaronjones]

thanks Burb Billy brother

[@garygullikson6349]

Is a cordless impact wrench or impact driver best for removing seized JIS pattern bolts and screws from old Japanese motorcycle aluminum cases? What voltage is needed 12 or 20 volts?

[@Walter370z]

Great vid! 🔥🔥

[@asoto157dude]

If I had to buy just one which should I buy

[@miwaukeetoolsmeaengineer6169]

After Milwaukee tools launched one year， Milwaukee Tool will definitely do so-called VE, value engineering , actually cost-down, change Germany switch to HK switch even Chinese switch, change Japan chuck to Chinese chuck, etc. Milwaukee Tools have a team, 50 persons to do this VE. The quality would obviously become worse after the VE.

[@starz3893]

great info

[@jongkeunlee]

Good. Thanks

[@101ThunderRock]

Although I'm almost 4 years behind your explanation, now I know....thanks!

[@kirkrpm]

I am a bit confused when trying to buy drill online, are there impact drill with hammer function? Because for example the Bosch GSB 10 RE it says it is an impact drill but I see there is a hammer function switch on top of the drill. Hope anyone can enlighten me.

[@robertcasey3528]

The tool which you speak of is a hammer drill. That's all.

[@joshbenton810]

It's a hammer drill, not a driver

[@zxcvbnm24242424]

Well explained

[@burbbilly]

Thank you!

[@yaknow5252]

Very informative. 👍👍

[@ex8280]

I've seen youtube vids on this, milwaukee fuel impact drill can remove wheel lugs up to maybe 90ft lb torque. But on spec, it should be able to to remove 160 ft lb, since it's rating currently is 2000 inch lb. But with the ryobi, probably not. it's a consumer based tool.

[@bikersoncall]

1:49 ... I used to use the ratchet action on my drill to help with that hammer action, it helped sometimes, to break things loose, mostly un screwing or un bolting. So, do impact drivers have a similar action just one much, much better, at that hammer action? I'm not talking about hammer drill action of a hammer drill for concrete etc.. but that ratchet-hammer action.

[@PopExpo]

Thanks for the info. Nothing's more annoying than buying the wrong tool for the job.

[@gig777]

Are there adapters available so that you can use the impact wrench to drive screws?

[@burbbilly]

If you're talking about a phillips head I'd just use an impact driver, although I'm sure you can put something together if you really want to use the wrench. They do make impact rated socket heads and other styles(I think I saw impact torx) for these, try the auto parts store if home center doesnt pan out.

[@audigex]

Yes, there are adapters in both directions - you can get a 1/2 square to 1/4 hex adapter that will let you drive screws with an impact wrench. It's not ideal (the bit will wobble more due to the extra connection, and the RPM/torque balance isn't optimal), but it will work. If you're mostly doing woodwork or DIY, get an impact driver: but if you mostly do automotive work and just occasionally want to use your impact wrench to do a little DIY, an impact wrench with adapter will certainly work

[@ayahsu3343]

There is a hand impact wrench. You can use its head and a Phillips bits specifically built for it. It has same 1/2 inch head.

[@tuanngnt]

Yes, I ordered 2 of these adapters from China for $4. Milwaukee and Dewalt also have those adpaters; but they are sold expensive: www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Square-To-1-4-Hex-Ratchet-Socket-Adapter-Drive-Converter-For-Impact-Tool/222826820994?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 audigex posted a great comment.

[@robertcasey3528]

Yes

[@michaelscott7890]

Great clarification, dude! Would an impact driver or wrench drill through concrete in 1 battery? I used two 17 volt batteries with my regular driver, & then recharged to finish. What a PIA that was!

[@joshbenton810]

Never do that. Ever. That is absolutely terrible for them. Use a hammer drill. If possible use a full sized hammer drill rather than the hammer function on a normal drill I have a good impact driver and hammer drill, they get used for their specific tasks, yes the impact can do drilling through steel or conduit etc, but if there is wood, I use the drill(or big holes in anything) If it involves concrete, I use my drill on hammer function if I don't have access to an SDS at the time. Drilling into concrete with a impact will firstly, take forever, and secondly, ruin bits, and the tool's motor

[@michaelscott7890]

@WHO WHO WALKWA I've asked this question long ago & have learned much since then. Now I have an impact drill/driver & a hammer drill. The impact is like using a hammer to hit your socket wrench to loosen a stuck bolt, nut, or screw. So it's knocking it sideways or counterclockwise. Hammer drill knocks forward as if you were hitting the back of your drill with a hammer multiple times while rotating the bit.

[@jlindell6532]

found this out trying to take off mower blades . the impact wrench loosened easily the hammer drill just span the belts and blades

[@JV-wq6xb]

Thank you sir

[@rixterizer]

thank you sir.

[@SlackersIndustry]

then some call hammer drill the same as rotary hammer drill. i dont know if its the same. i believe but what ive looked up that the hammer drill is a normal drill with that extra setting to be used as hammer drill, its like the orange one on the table. and the rotary is the larger one for concrete, i think some call the rotary hammer drill an sds drill. people got to research ekse end up with something they dont want. great video, makes sense, could have a close up of thise tools for the people that are new to this.

[@user-uz6gj9tx9r]

good video with clear message, though some demonstrations or attempts with wrong tools on wrong tasks can make this video better.

[@jackswagger6456]

The impact driver is great for small bolts

[@GasGrassOrAssetto]

Thanks!

[@mhsidibe1]

I saw a video where a guy used a dewalt dcf887 impact driver to remove lug nuts

[@lesterjeffries2467]

I am looking for something I can put in the trunk of my car and plug into my cigarette lighter when need to change a tire. Which one should I get?

[@jordandonald5734]

Ratchet with breaker bar

[@janetrandle6882]

You can use the impact driver to remove lug nuts. You just have to have the larger battery. I just watched a guy take off a lug nut torqued to 145.

[@yootoobactnameyoo5221]

Really appreciate this. You just cleared up a lot of questions i had on the matter.

[@burbbilly]

Great to hear! Thanks for the comment

[@myshinobi1987]

I've learnt that I have to buy both impact wrench and impact driver

[@burbbilly]

lol You can never have too many tools!

[@myshinobi1987]

@@burbbilly so I did lol. I bought a 6 amp hr Makita drill and impact driver combo pack and I love them...amazing. They set me back almost $800 but I've already built a huge chicken coop and a round-bale feeder for the horses with them. I feel they could help me build anything. It's funny how the right tools can really give you the confidence to accomplish projects competently.

[@AQRana-li8kx]

What if both have the same torque? Or if the impact driver has more torque than impact wrench, then the driver is more powerful than the wrench? Thanks

[@malourocha9211]

Abdul Qadir Rana drivers are based off torque x pounds per inches and wrenches do x pounds per foot so it’s different levels of power

[@joshbenton810]

@@malourocha9211 not correct. There are impact wrenches that have the same torque of high end driver's(both 205 nM)

[@malourocha9211]

Ive never seen it. Which one?

[@notafanboy250]

@@malourocha9211 it's not pounds PER inches. It's just pound-inches. A force multiplied by a distance, not a force divided by a distance.

[@malourocha9211]

@@notafanboy250 ok. Then its pounds-inches vs pounds-foot. One is more powerful than the other?

[@Velldog]

Drill, impact, rattle gun. That's what I call them 😂

[@hem89180]

Thank youuuuuuu

[@PIOJOZATANIKO]

Gracias

[@Bigrell0326]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾👍🏾, thank you. I am trainable 😊😊😊

[@jeffrey3205]

So it would be safe if I used an impact wrench as a driver?

[@burbbilly]

I wouldn’t recommend. Wrenches are all about torque. Some have a low torque setting but usually the saying use the correct tool for the job applies. If you’re driving large screws into wood, say mounting a ledger board for a deck. Probably be ok. But smaller stuff Id just use the driver. Thanks for the question!

[@findingthelight9744]

Thanks for this video. I purchased the wrong impact gun...

[@theTealStory]

so what's the point of a compact impact wrench when they have the same power as an impact driver?

[@MrJruta]

They don’t. A compact impact wrench has far more torque than any impact driver. Better question is why bother getting an impact driver when a compact impact wrench can be used for both (with an anvil adapter)

[@GilFavor101]

The impact drivers are so powerful now, you can take off lug nuts, at least most lug nuts, maybe not trucks and stuff.