Tool Time: Manual Impact Driver

It's another TOOL TIME! In this episode we show the old school impact driver and also bring you "Free Tip Friday" where we show you a tip from my grandmother to help keep you from stripping out fasteners. - Enjoy!
Stanley Proto J7099A 13 Piece 3/8" Drive Hand Impact Driver Set: amzn.to/2y2T7X2
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not South Main Auto Repair.

[@HomieHektor]

Your mother knows a lot, but your grandma knows everything 👵🏼

[@charlesmiller5078]

Have a impact driver, have lapping compound, they have never met each other. great tip. Thank you Grammy.

[@jeffbarrett6714]

If your outside and don't have any fancy lapping compound handy spit on the ground and stick your screwdriver in the dirt or sand and voila. Works for rusty outdoor screws that wanna strip.

[@ozzstars_cars]

Nice to see family traditions passed on down through the years.

[@wyattoneable]

Your Grandmas was in the Army because those impacts we're standard issue for Helicopter mechanics. The compound idea works really good too! Both great tips for sure. Thank you and good morning.

[@thydadeleon2259]

nixxiom

[@sca909]

You are the best! Thanks

[@jackpatteeuw9244]

EVERY DIYer needs an "old school impact driver". Great bang for the buck ! I still need to buy my "lifetime supply" of valve lapping compound !

[@theoldwizard998]

HELP ! I can't find the Permatex grease mixed valve grinding compound anywhere ! Anyone know a source or a substitute for the grease mixed compound.

[@frugalprepper]

Your Grandma must have been a great mechanic. It's a shame they didn't have KZbin back then. Now I've got to go buy some valve lapping compound. I already have a impact driver and some VIM bits for it.

[@whatdoyouthinktodd]

She has her own channel!

[@Micko350]

Your*

[@gm19651]

Im in the same boat as you. Have the driver but no compound. Going to have to go out and pick me some up

[@edwardhugus2772]

Thank you Grandma. You taught Eric well. Nuff said

[@kellyhay79]

Grandma's are sooo awesome!!! Thanks Grandma O!!

[@rock1richful]

Thats one smart Grandma. Great tip Dr O thanks for keeping famly secrets secret.

[@rau1367nt]

The tool I have! The valve grinding compound I have! What I did not have was the knowledge to put the two together. My usual trick is to leave the rotor screw barely hand tight with never seize on the threads. I too am from (Western) NY dealing with what I call NY chrome on all the cars. I figure the screw can not back out with a wheel bolted against it. Thank your grand mother for what she has passed on. Ross

[@robertsamagalsky1617]

Great tip on the valve lapping compound! Thanks!

[@Supersexymodz]

You're great grandmother was one hell of a tech. Loved working with her

[@joshuaklingensmith7843]

Gotta love Grandma. Thanks Grandma.

[@tradeinguildwarsacct]

This lapping compound tipped save my life!!! Scrolled threw all the forums trying everything screw was absolutely stripped to hell and the compound took them out with one whack!!!! THANKS GRANDMA!!!

[@SierraOne]

As a DIYer I've had one of those for 25 years (at least) the compound is a wonderful trick. Those are the tricks and secrets to share! Totally AWESOME. Much Obliged for the information

[@harveysmith100]

Top tip. Not just for mechanics. Any screwdriver will benefit from a dab of this when you have a worn screw head. There is actually a product sold, mainly for carpenters, that I swear looks just like valve lapping compound! Of course they only give you enough for half a dozen screws and charge you huge amounts. Of to get me a huge tub of valve lap paste!

[@tom7601]

I used one back in the early 1970s to split the case on my Honda SL-350. The first thing I did was to replace all the Phillips-head screws with hex-head bolts. :-)

[@brusk3978]

The knowledge one acquired with experience is priceless....

[@elmoreglidingclub3030]

Excellent! Thanks for posting this. I’m not a mechanic but I’m trying to restore an old, large, all iron mower and it has several rusted and stuck bolts and set screws. This is a huge help.

[@rchydrozz751]

Also a must have if you work on older motorcycles. I bought one back in the 70's that I still use. It came with the JIS bits.

[@baxrok2.]

I had to chisel two of those mothers out last weekend! Great tip and a good excuse for me to finally break down and get one of those impacts. Thanks!

[@ItAintJustPaint]

I’ve used valve lapping compound on narf’d threads of fasteners before, but never on driver bits. Great tip!!!

[@2-old-Forthischet]

We had those in the prehistoric days of my work (phone company) before power tools. We didn't need it often, but when we did, it saved a lot of time especially when we were using only pan head slotted screws!

[@bobmunck976]

Thank you for your great videos. Great instructions and tips. Enjoy your humour.

[@foolecoole]

That compound trick is legit. I dont have any but im always looking for a good reason to buy new useful tools

[@LostMountainRestoration]

My Grandmother used to get those out with her fingernails, while making dinner and nursing the baby. LOL. Nice tip and thanks.

[@haroldlm64]

Have one, they come in handy and work great!

[@GoTechTraining]

Good stuff Eric! Time to head to the parts store and buy some valve lapping compound. I've never used it for that, but if it holds 90% better, and it worked for your Grandma, i'll give it a shot! ~Mike

[@mikeburton1733]

I just bought some compound yesterday. It was Permatex brand. Couldn't find any SMA brand compound. Hmmmm!

[@farmboy30117]

Good tip! I've had a cheapo impact driver for a long time and it's worked well for the few times I've needed it.

[@ObsidianShadowHawk]

Seconded! Thanks for showing this, Eric. We use valve grind all the time on airplanes, screws hold EVERYTHING on, and the valve grind makes all the difference in the world. Night and day.

[@spiketaterman5181]

Love the valve grinding compound tip. Thanks!

[@OldNorsebrewery]

Great tip from your great, great grandmother

[@DavidS11]

Impact drivers are really useful, and not only for brake jobs. They saved my ass in a couple times with allen head and torx bolts that were starting to round up. For brake jobs what I usually do is hit the metal around the screw with a hammer and a sacrificial socket, and then go with the impact driver. It helps releasing some of the rust, or at least that's what I like to think. Didn't know about the valve grinding compound, nice tip

[@TheHansoost]

Those screws are there mainly, I think, to seat the rotor tightly against the hub enabling the caliper pads to fit over the rotor properly. The other option on installation would be to eliminate them and hold the rotor to the hub with a lug nut or 2. Be sure to clean the hub to wheel mating surfaces well. You want the wheel to sit squarely against the hub. Any dirt or rust can affect how true the wheel turns. I put a little anti seize on the wheel centre where it meets the rotor. It can be pretty hard to remove a wheel sometimes and you don't always have a good weighty hammer on hand when a flat occurs. I'm not a mechanic, but I've done a few brake jobs. I have a few mechanic friends and I watch u-tube videos like this one. I have an impact driver and hadn't used it for a long time. This video was a good refresher. Thanks.

[@jdtractorman7445]

I have one of these and have used it many times for the same thing you are using it for in this video, it works great.

[@gatekeeperofchaos]

You know I have one in my box and I never think to use it...been there 30+ years...it was actually one of the first tools I purchased...ever!

[@Sandbag1300]

Sweet impact tool. I have had mine for 40 years. Came in handy when I was splitting engine side cases on my racing motorcycles. Nice tip with the lapping compound.

[@haywardsautomotive6156]

Even down South I use it to prevent stripping the screw head especially when someone installs the screw with red Loctite. Irwin Bellinger gave me the same tip in the 70's and it works great and so simple. If it's stripped I'll use a center punch also to move the metal back & then smack it with a hammer to reform and loosen the screw. Old timers tricks passed down thru the generations by word of mouth and now to the world by You Tube...great tip!!

[@alantorrance6153]

I have had an Impact Driver for something like 30 years. It is a marvellous tool and has allowed me to undo various screws fasteners that otherwise were stuck solid.

[@tomterrica4032]

Great tip re valve lap paste. Thanks! I have one of those impact drivers, and it works beautifully to loosen my outboard engine gear oil bolt; just a tap with hammer and good to go.

[@kellyt5056]

Sweet tip outstanding video thanks

[@labradormcgraw2409]

Best tip this year! Thanks.

[@mrfrankcastle083]

My grandma bought me a SNES for Christmas, God bless her.

[@ncrdisabled]

That funny my dad who was a master mechanic taught me that trick way back in 1969 . But thanks for shareing it!!!

[@SouthMainAuto]

I bet he must have known my G-ma

[@bchrisl1491]

Great tip. Got my first impact drive in 1970 to work on motorcycles,,about the same time I bought the lapping tool. I gonna go out to find some lapping grease tomorrow.

[@randygentry2724]

I do have a very old one in age and it is a wonderful tool that has helped me countless times. Outstanding to use on "stuck" phillips head screws. Aloha from Maui

[@dgpuig45]

I've got one of those however, didn't know about the valve lapping compound. Thanks for the tip.

[@johnwakamatsu3391]

I have used manual impact drivers for decades and never used the valve lapping compound but, will use tomorrow. Thank you

[@jimbola77]

sweet thank's for sharing!!! thank great grandma Excellent tip!!!!

[@charleswilliams5520]

I used one before and it worked really good

[@CaladinGKS]

Thanks for the tip on valve grindning compound! It just saved the day for me. A close to stripped out T50. Some heat, some impact and the compound and it turned out like it had no damage to the head whatsoever. 👍

[@peternelly3879]

The beauty of this job. So much to learn, no matter how long you've done it. That better grip gunk was news to me.

[@zx8401ztv]

That's a handy tip :-D I've had a manual impact tool for 30 years and never known that :-)

[@CLDino]

Great tip! I having trouble loosing crank case screws on an old Honda Z50 and will try this.

[@BigDog50001]

A must have tool for those Hondoos.

[@jhuntosgarage]

Excellent tip for sure. Thanks for sharing!!

[@joef.3094]

my manual impact driver was one of the first tools i ever bought ... more than 40 years ago. it still gets pulled out on occasion (almost always for a phillips screw) and i wouldn't want to be without it. will keep the valve lapping compound in mind the next time i use it.

[@LilasTools]

Awesome tip!!! Thanks Eric! 💖

[@blakehawkins4617]

Huh I never even thought of that. I'll have to try that out. Thanks.

[@dateatorjr9671]

Great tip. Truly indispensable tool. Whoever thought one screw wasn't enough in a rotor should get the impact driver up side their head!

[@cayman9873]

Have three of the tools. Never knew about the valve lapping compound. Thanks

[@1970chevelle396]

Those impact drivers work great.

[@mrb1864]

Good tip, only learnt about it in last year and glad for the reminder . Was strugling with philips screw on subaru window motor and bit of paste would probably saved me going to the vise grip drawer lol . Impact driver set was one of first boxed tools I got when starting out, a must have and affordable for all .

[@FuriousFilipino]

As a former bike mechanic, I used a product called Fiber Grip by Finishline-essentially it is grease with small granules of plastic-when I had some PITA almost about to strip Phillips fasteners that needed to come out. As a tech at an event, I didn’t have that particular product, so I improvised and used an exfoliating facial gel from the local drug store, and it worked about as well. Now I have you to thank for valve grinding compound to add to the list of salves to increase grip on fasteners!

[@mikechiodetti6737]

Great tech tip and of course, Great Video! I will pass this one on!

[@FixItOnce-OrTwice]

Great screwdriver tip! Always a problem that now I have a solution to! Thanks!

[@rayrowe2664]

I've had one of those since the mid 60's to work on my Honda motorcycle,,my son still uses it

[@swfloridacarguy1987]

Fantastic Eric...

[@drfalcon4102]

Valve lapping compound has many uses, Ive even used it on crudded up electrical connectors , cleans them up nice

[@realmaindrianpace]

I've never had much luck with the impact driver, but I've never tried valve lapping compound either. Thanks for the tip.

[@kadenwatt2033]

Family bought a brand new civic last year - I do the maintenance on it. Oil, filters, tires, etc. Rotated the tires the other day and while I was in there, I took those little screws out of the rotors and put a metric BUTT ton of antiseize on the threads. Not about to deal with getting those out when it's time to do a brake job, living in Indiana where they salt the crap outta the roads and all. Probably could've left 'em out, but it felt better having them in there for some reason.

[@programuser1295]

Thanks for the tips!! I'm doing just that job. Had the 5/16 old school driver but needed a #3 Phillips (for old Accord anyway) and lapping compound. Got Permatex 80036 Valve Grinding Compound, 1.5 oz. And Lisle 29550# #3 Phillips Bit With 5/16" Drive From Bezos for $6 combined

[@chasauto2932]

I like using my air hammer because half the time they don't come out with the impact driver and it's a lot quicker to just air hammer them out next time I get one in with these screws I'll try that technique thanks for the tip Eric.

[@benjaminstockton3431]

I got that same tool Eric O.Thanks for video's look forward for more thanks

[@bradnimbus4836]

Your great great grandmother must have been some lady! Thanks Eric!

[@jeremydoblinger3609]

Just has to use mine today😎😎honda civic 1996, wisconsin rust belt action....great tool

[@mikeholt3545]

That is a good tip thanks eric

[@christheother9088]

Great tool. Used to use those to remove the slotted screws holding bedknives on reelmowers ( golf course type equipment). Those ganged reelmowers used to sit outside all season in the rain and the screws were in pretty good. The lapping compound is a great idea.

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

Nice video on how to use the impact driver and thanks for the extra tip!

[@QB89Dragon]

Great tip with the valve lapping compound

[@justinchurch2366]

Love these videos

[@azmrblack]

Great tool. The Shake and Break addin for the Air Hammer works the same way but several times quicker for those rotors. The valve lapping compound is essentially what they sell as anti-cam out fluid.

[@claddagh1000]

This tool has helped me many times

[@barrygoldwasser5449]

Excellent video. Thanks! I wish I had that tool and grease earlier today. I couldn't get that tiny screw off.

[@BruceLyeg]

Your Grandmother gave you better tips than mine did.

[@bakedandsteaked]

Bruce L. nice Miata

[@klwthe3rd]

Both that tool and the tip using that specilized compound is awesome. Since I dont have an air compressor the manual impact tool is a must have. I have an older Honda that uses those screws to hold the rotors into the hub and I fight with them everytime. And yes my screwdriver bit ALWAYS slips out so the compound is a must have. Where do you buy it??? And do they sell it in smaller quantities? I dont need a big jar. Lol

[@SouthMainAuto]

Get a jar at napa and pass it down to the next 6 generations of Whites haha

[@klwthe3rd]

South Main Auto Repair That would be fine if I had some kids, which I dont!!! Didnt see that one coming did ya? Hehe

[@gamemeister27]

I just got one of these specifically as a DIY guy, mainly if I ever run into a situation where I wish I had an impact gun! Thanks for the info on how to use it and the tip as well. Seems a lot cheaper than an impact gun when it comes to someone who might need it once in a blue moon

[@pbcanal1]

I had to use the impact tool on the torx plus screws on the Subaru heads. You need a big hammer, but it works the nuts. Never thought of the lapping compound. Great tip.

[@JPilot2]

G'day, Mr. O! I gave it, a nice thumps up for the "Manual Impact Driver!!" A must have tool for your garage. Most people are not aware that these exist, but they are the absolute best way to loosen up a tight old bolt, or rusted screws on brake rotors! Thank you very much for the great tip! Cheers! :D (smiley face)

[@magnumllama400]

Why?

[@JPilot2]

​@@magnumllama400 Why? Because, it's a hand impact driver. These wonderful and inexpensive tools allow you to take hammer force and convert it to rotational force. Attach a socket or bit, and you can suddenly loosen that stubborn fastener. Not only that, but since you are applying the hammer to the back of the tool, you are insuring that the bit or socket doesn’t come off the fastener. By striking the back of the driver, the downward force is converted to a short, but very powerful, rotational force. This quick energy pulse is great for breaking free rusted or overtightened nuts or screws. Since not all of the force is converted to rotational, there is an additional strong downward force applied to the screw. This is what’s referred to as positive engagement, and it prevents cam-out (when the driver bit comes out of the screw) which greatly reduces any chance of stripping the screw head. The hand impact driver works because of its simple yet effective construction. A heavy sleeve sits around a light core, where they engage via a curved or twisted spline. When you hit the outer sleeve with a hammer, the downward motion of the sleeve on the splines causes the inner core to rotate with a very strong but short impulse. Often, this is all that is needed to break the fastener free from rust or over tightening. Cheers!

[@magnumllama400]

@@JPilot2 thank you very much for the explanation. I only normal socket wrenches and I was looking for something manual and for this job of removing overtightened nuts without stripping the head.

[@JPilot2]

@@magnumllama400 Your welcome!

[@bryanjordan8876]

Great tip. Ill have to try the compound out!

[@TheApothecaryAus]

In aviation land we used a loctite diamond grip product but for the price of it... valve lapping compound is the beez kneez! Killer tip as always and added bonus, applicable to everything you do - a tube of valve lapping compound is what $10 from the auto parts store, so handy around the house.

[@marcodm]

Ive had this in my impact set for years. Couldnt figure it out how to use it. Thanks as always Eric.

[@Omardottcom]

Woooooooow. I can’t believe how well that holds! 😮😮😮😮

[@delta999999]

Thanks for the tip Eric! Your Grandma was the best! Not sure if this has been mentioned but I get the driver bit and tap it into the fastener with a hammer then while it's still in the fastener use the impact driver. Also if the fastener head is a little messed up I tap it with a hammer to rehabilitate the fastener head and try again.

[@tinkerwest]

What a coincidence, my grandmother taught me the same thing!....Also, she taught me to use the cutting wheel on them to more easily chisel off heads after slitting across it center and removing the remaining stub with a vise grip or if still persistent or if not budging, then cutting/grinding it flush with hub...As Eric says, they are not needed because they served their one-time function of holding the disc in place while the next guy on the assembly line slaps the wheels on during vehicle manufacture...

[@waltschannel7465]

Your grandma sounds awesome! Great tip to use the valve lapping compound!! I have a manual impact driver like that but had mixed results in the past.

[@dougesolomon9068]

That exact valve grinding compound (grease mix) is not available anymore and was replaced with a water mix product.

[@Thommie63]

Eric - yer Granny was a smart lady !!

[@Parknest]

The impact driver with a 2lb lump hammer works a treat.