Better than impact driver

[Clone]

There is no substitute for an Impact Driver, one wack with a hammer and it is free, push and twist and still try to keep the screwdriver from slipping or the bike moving away is just not worth the effort.
You must make sure the driver is going to turn the right way when you hit it with the hammer, just like a ratchet they go both ways:-D make sure you have it snugged up tight and then wack, your ok.

[Llamaguy]

Blow torches work well, too. Especially in combination with an impact driver.

[jaberwok]

Yeah, I am most likely doing it wrong.... So first I set it so that when the two parts get pushed together the screwdriver head goes left. Then I put the bit into the screw head. I push the base of the driver towards the screw until it stops, then I hold it and whack it with a regular hammer. Am I missing something?

An impact driver has saved me many headaches in the past. I don't push mine in then hit it. I let the blow of the hammer push the driver into the screw. The bit twists as you push it in, so with you pushing it in then hitting it the bit wont turn and your bolt wont budge.

As for whether or not vicegrips and a screwdriver are better than an impact driver.... it depends on the job at hand.... there are no absolutes in life... (there is that old adage about death and taxes though )

Enjoy

[NATEO]

I just got one tonight, and at first I had the same problem as J_C. I used the right size bit, lined it up, and hit a few times, and nothing happened. then I realized that you have to line it up and turn it just a little bit. one hit and the screw broke free. I love this thing!!!

[J_C]

Interesting.... I'll try that next time!

[chef1366]

And if you call in the next fifteen minutes you'll get a free inpact driver with your purchase of Grabbit\\/
I need to try a grab it. Impact drivers work great for me though. I use a Craftsman.

[newrider]

This is a new tool for me, and I have been totally unsuccessful at getting mine to work. Do I need to be using a heavier mallet, or should a standard household hammer do the trick? I for one would love an impact driver tutorial as suggested earlier in this post should someone be willing to provide it.....

[chef1366]

I would think that rubber would cushion the blow. I use a regular hammer and I hold it from the end of the handle for greater impact. Don't be shy, hit it! Except on Carbs

[darkwolf]

There may be those among you out there that poo poo this methodolgy, but as proof let me offer that I recently remove all of the phillips screws on the engine and replaced them with allen heads using this procedure.

I swear by allen screws. I just replaced a few my carbs, after removing them to add in the air box.

As for what I did to remove my stubborn screws, I used an EZ out, a bit of elbow grease, and a straight blade screwdriver. The screws were seized to bad to do anything, so I started the EZ out, and successfully removed all traces of the phillips part of the head. LOL Then I tapped in a regular screwdriver into the soft metal, and backed them right out.

At this point, I'm a firm believer in allen screws, as they just save you time and energy.

[smithbm]

An impact driver has saved me many headaches in the past. I don't push mine in then hit it. I let the blow of the hammer push the driver into the screw. The bit twists as you push it in, so with you pushing it in then hitting it the bit wont turn and your bolt wont budge.

As for whether or not vicegrips and a screwdriver are better than an impact driver.... it depends on the job at hand.... there are no absolutes in life... (there is that old adage about death and taxes though )

Enjoy

I agree. On another note, has anyone used an impact driver for hex head bolts? I'm about to jump into an exhaust manifold replacement (on a Dodge Dakota) and I'm not sure if I should get a set of impact sockets or just use my standard sockets. These particular bolts are notorious for snapping under minimal torque.

[rek]

i too have had excellent luck w/ the impact. there is one tool that i haven't heard mentioned here that is easy to make and beats them all hands down is a bit holder welded to an air hammer chuck with a grab handle attached. once i was working on some C-130s that had more seniority on the earth than i, when a set of corroded sense antenna screws refused to budge. i used a 3/8" 90' air impact until it blew a gasket, then i got a monster1/2 90' motor that turned me around in a circle.
i was stumped until one of the old timer metalsmiths handed me one of those contraptions and in no time they all came out no fuss, no muss. i have recently aquired air power for the shop and will make one of these soon.
the air hammer beats the fastener and keeps the bit in while you just start applying torque to the grab handle and loosen the screw.

[jaberwok]

I agree. On another note, has anyone used an impact driver for hex head bolts? I'm about to jump into an exhaust manifold replacement (on a Dodge Dakota) and I'm not sure if I should get a set of impact sockets or just use my standard sockets. These particular bolts are notorious for snapping under minimal torque.

Not sure I understand your question but I'll share one of my experiences anyway... hope it helps.

I have an adapter for my impact driver that takes it from a 1/2" to 3/8" and can attach my sockets to it. Worked fine for me on stubborn bolts, but now I have a breaker bar and haven't used sockets attached to the impact driver since.

Cheers

[courier11sec]

My trick to avoid stripping screws is to dip the tip of my screwdriver in valve lapping compound. Works very well.

[smithbm]

Not sure I understand your question but I'll share one of my experiences anyway... hope it helps.

I have an adapter for my impact driver that takes it from a 1/2" to 3/8" and can attach my sockets to it. Worked fine for me on stubborn bolts, but now I have a breaker bar and haven't used sockets attached to the impact driver since.

Cheers

I was just wondering if regular old sockets will take the abuse of a hammer whack.

[Clone]

Use a ball-peen hammer, not a mallet, and not a claw hammer (they often are too long in the head and I hate having a claw swinging by my bike).