Impact wrenches / guns

[Howard-]

It's about time I bought one.

I keep coming back to the DeWalt DCF894 - it seems to offer a decent combination of torque vs size (maneuverability), and it's around £160 body only. I already have some DeWalt tools so I have a charger, all I'd need is a battery. The 4Ah battery is a fair bit cheaper than the 5Ah - would I notice any difference in torque ability between the two?

Are there any better ones from other manufacturers that would be a better way to spend between £200 and £250? Bearing in mind I'd need a charger as well as a battery.

Any advice in general also gratefully received.

Thanks

[Another project car]

I'd always stick to whatever battery platform I have the most batteries for. I've got Makita 18v kit and I've just built up my collection over the years

[Crook]

I have one of these: Ryobi
I copied another Pher who has one.
I use it for wheel nuts and the majority of people I see in the pit garages have the same one.

[Howard-]

Crook said:

I have one of these: Ryobi
I copied another Pher who has one.
I use it for wheel nuts and the majority of people I see in the pit garages have the same one.

I looked at this, it's certainly good value. Does it ever struggle though? I've read quite a few reviews saying it struggles with tighter wheel nuts and things like old suspension bolts that haven't been off for years etc. Especially with the 2Ah battery.

[Crook]

Not really but the wheels are off and on quite regularly and only torqued to 94ft/lbs so it’s fine for that. The guy I copied uses his for more robust use but didn’t relay any negative experiences.

[InitialDave]

If you already have Dewalt batteries, I'd get a body-only 899, I've been happy with mine, and there's little price difference from the 894.

Edit: just seen you say you need a battery, don't you have them for your other tools?

[SlimJim16v]

The 899 is tempting me

https://tools4trade.co.uk/products/dewalt-dcf899n-...

[Howard-]

InitialDave said:

If you already have Dewalt batteries, I'd get a body-only 899, I've been happy with mine, and there's little price difference from the 894.

Edit: just seen you say you need a battery, don't you have them for your other tools?

Is the 899 not a bit big for some car jobs though?

I do have batteries but they’re only 1.5-2Ah

[B'stard Child]

I don't have a lot of battery operated kit so I just bought a Milwaukee - a mate who earns his living maintaining heavy plant said he uses one - it's mental what it will undo - My air operated one has been in the tool chest ever since

[InitialDave]

Howard- said:

Is the 899 not a bit big for some car jobs though?

Only you know what it is you need it for, so can't really advise there.

Yes, I do find I can't get it into some locations, but I'm comfortable trading access issues for more power, as that's what I bought it for, to conveniently smack stuff off rather than using a breaker bar, and I never find that's what stops me getting a job done.

In terms of grunt, I find it's about right.

[SlimJim16v]

Howard- said:

Is the 899 not a bit big for some car jobs though?

It has several settings.

[Belle427]

I use a ryobi version and it will struggle with gunned up wheel nuts even with a 4ah battery.
Not the most powerful available but I had other tools that used the batteries so that’s why I chose it.

[Howard-]

SlimJim16v said:

Howard- said:

Is the 899 not a bit big for some car jobs though?

It has several settings.

I mean in terms of length - getting it to smaller areas for suspension or brake callipers bolts and whatnot.

[SlimJim16v]

Howard- said:

I mean in terms of length - getting it to smaller areas for suspension or brake callipers bolts and whatnot.

Ah, OK. I've never had a problem with any difficult to reach bolts. The only thing I can remember is the M14 wheel bolts that some gorilla had over tightened.

[sjj84]

I have the dewalt 894, found it perfect so far for doing wheel bolts and brake caliper bolts. We have the 899 at work and it is physically quite a bit bigger and heavier than the 894.

[bennno]

This place is good value, Milwaukee best for mechanical use

https://www.toolden.co.uk/power-tools/cordless-pow...

Unless you really only want it for changing wheels, it’s better to get a smaller brushless one an m12 compact will remove most bolts. Just use a breaker bar to initially release wheel nuts.

[Skyrocket21]

I bought the DCF894 quite recently, I actually bought two because I thought one was broken, it needs the 5 amp battery, it struggled to undo wheel bolts that were a bit rusty and seized I tested it out with a torque wrench, I can't remember the exact number, but it was about 140-150 nm when it started to just impact and not do a lot. It will undo them if torqued correctly, when impacting it can give the bolts a bit of a bashing.

If I could do it again, I'd be looking at Makita or Milwaulkee, but I'd get a Milwaulkee electric ratchet for the smaller stuff Milwaukee M12FHIR38-0 M12 FUEL and a Makita bigger impact wrench with more NM for the wheel bolts and suspension it would be a lot of money

Or to save some ££ get the big Dewalt one, body only, (Be aware you want the Hog Ring anvil version because you can just pull off the sockets "HN" DCF899HN-XJ bigger one or DCF894HN-XJ for the smaller one)

As long as you can control the power and have a switch for settings it's probably better to get the more poweful one, long impact sockets and extension bars and a must.

[Ayeready]

The Makita DTW300Z is a great little wrench.

Has over 500nm of nut busting power in something smaller than an impact driver body.

It can get in to a lot of spaces that bigger uga dugas can't, but it's not as good as something like the milwaukee m12fraiwf12

https://www.bigredpowertools.co.uk/milwaukee-m12fr...

Planning on getting this as my next workshop purchase.