Talk to me about impact guns

[TopPlonker]

I'm thinking of getting an impact gun, my car needs a few jobs doing (front struts) and I'm off next week anyway so rather than pay a garage to do it I figured I can do it and buy a new toy with the money "saved".

I'm looking at impact guns.

I already own several Ryobi tools, I'm looking at their range.

They have 3 options:
1. Baby option - 400nm of torque, nice small unit
2. Medium option - 900nm breakaway torque, a bit bigger than the smaller unit but twice the torque
3. Monster option - 1600nm breakaway torque but the unit looks substantial

What would you pick and why?

Please don't tell me to buy dewalt or makita or milwakkee, I'm already in bed with Ryobi and I like their stuff.

This is for home mechanicing, soon I have to do the front struts as one is leaking. In the medium term I need to do a cam belt, would 900nm be enough torque to get a crank pulley off?

Cheers

[Belle427]

Id go medium,.i have the baby option and it is good but will struggle to crack a tight wheel nut.
Great bits of kit though, they can be a little bit uncomfortable in the hand the bigger they get though but most these days are very compact.

[steveo3002]

ideally end up wanting 2 ...1 for for its compact size and low weight and 2nd monster for the big stuff

id start off with the big one as theres no point having a tool that wont undo half the nuts on the car , and its just great when you buzz the big gun on some ugly crank bolt and it comes undone like its finger tight

[Wheatsheaf]

Depending on what car you have (unless the engine is removed from the vehicle) you may not have the room to get an impact gun on the crank bolt

[Lefty]

What’s the model number of the monster option? We’re in bed with Ryobi too and I could do with a beefier impact driver!

[gazza285]

I have had the big and medium Milwaukee ones, and the big one was a pain to use, too big and heavy, so I sent it back. I use the medium one daily.

[donkmeister]

TopPlonker said:

They have 3 options:
1. Baby option - 400nm of torque, nice small unit
2. Medium option - 900nm breakaway torque, a bit bigger than the smaller unit but twice the torque
3. Monster option - 1600nm breakaway torque but the unit looks substantial

Yes, these are the three you should get.

I have the 400Nm Ryobi, and I'm happy with it at the price I paid. I had to remove some galled up caliper bolts and did find it was a little large for its power (so I did some additional disassembly to make room) and the battery seems to be a weak point when it comes to hard use (I ended up having to put the battery in the fridge to cool off each time it cut out). As you are already in the Ryobi ecosystem you probably already have a beefy battery but if not, factor one in too.

[normalbloke]

The answer is all 3. This is PH. Man up and have a selection…

[TopPlonker]

Lefty said:

What’s the model number of the monster option? We’re in bed with Ryobi too and I could do with a beefier impact driver!

It's this one:
https://uk.ryobitools.eu/power-tools/drilling-and-...

[GreenV8S]

Get the biggest one you can afford which can physically get at the current job.

Assume the next job will need a different one you don't have.

[TopPlonker]

I've ordered the medium, I shall order the monster for the cam belt job later on.

Thank you chaps.

[Lefty]

TopPlonker said:

Lefty said:

What’s the model number of the monster option? We’re in bed with Ryobi too and I could do with a beefier impact driver!

It's this one:
https://uk.ryobitools.eu/power-tools/drilling-and-...

Arriving mid-week, cheers

[Krikkit]

I have the smallest Milwaukee 1/2" and it's brilliant, highly recommended and fits in so many places that bigger ones won't.

Also treat yourself to a ratchet.

p.s. With battery powered ones always make sure you get the high capacity batteries for the heavy stuff, the small batteries won't give you anywhere near the max rating torque.