In Time past, impact wrenches were predominantly pneumatic, or air-powered, this made impact wrenches to be available and in use by only professional mechanics. However pneumatic tools need air and air can only be produced by air compressors at high pressures. The expense of an air compressor putting out a large volume of air at close to 100 PSI is usually needed to run a typical ½-inch pneumatic impact wrench, which can be a significant investment. Air compressors in Nigeria cost as much as two hundred and fifty thousand nairas for a 100 liters compressor. This article is all about the Top 10 best impact wrenches in Nigeria.
Cordless, battery-powered impact wrenches have gotten better as battery technology improves, have brought prices down, and made them a viable alternative to their pneumatic cousins. In fact, cordless impact wrenches have a tremendous advantage over pneumatic versions: mobility. Not being tied to a compressor with an air hose, these tools can easily go to wherever they’re needed.
What You Need to Know About Impact Wrenches
How They Work
Unlike cordless drill/drivers and impact drivers, which excel at drilling holes and driving screws, the impact wrench is specially designed for tightening and loosening various hex-head bolts, nuts, and lag screws. It employs both rotational force (torque) and short-burst concussive blows (impacts) to deliver an unparalleled amount of power. For example, most cordless drill/drivers produce about 50 foot-pounds of torque, and the average impact driver delivers about 125 foot-pounds. By comparison, cordless impact wrenches can easily produce torque outputs of over 250 foot-pounds, which is more than enough muscle to power-drive the fattest legs and bust loose rusty, corroded nuts.
However, all that brute strength isn’t very useful if you can’t control the tool. Fortunately, impact wrenches are extremely comfortable to use because the concussive blows smoothly transfer most of that high-energy torque directly to the fastener, not to your hand, wrist, or arm. As a result, the twisting motion—known as reactionary torque—that you feel when using an electric drill is virtually eliminated.
Batteries: Volts
All things being equal, higher voltage will give you more power—but there are cases for lower voltage. With smaller batteries, 12-volt impact wrenches are more compact. This makes them good for smaller jobs, working overhead, or getting into tight spaces. Tools with 18 and 20 volts have less difference between them. Generally, 18-volt tools with advanced features and capabilities make them more versatile and easier to use.
Batteries: Amp Hours (Ah)
Ah (amp hours) equals the number of amps that can be discharged, continuously, for an hour. Think of amp hours, like the volume of a gas tank—a bigger number equals more gas.
Impact Per Minute and Revolutions Per Minute
IPM (impacts per minute) increase as RPM (revolutions per minute) increase, and high RPMs help drive nuts or bolts faster, while IPMs kick in harder as the resistance increases.
Impact wrenches aren’t just made for professionals and if you plan on doing routine work on your car, investing in an impact wrench is wise.
They aren’t necessarily tools made for professionals and if you plan on doing routine work on your car, investing in an impact wrench is wise. Like other power tools, an impact wrench is designed to make your life and job a lot easier. More importantly, there is now a wide range of offerings from various manufacturers, including cordless impact wrenches that use batteries so you don’t have to invest in an air compressor.
Types of Impact Wrenches.
There are mainly three types of impact wrenches currently available: air, electric, and cordless. Air impact wrenches, also known as pneumatic wrenches, are generally considered the most powerful and most popular with professional mechanics, but they require an air compressor, which means they aren’t very convenient for home use. In addition, they’re attached to an air hose limiting ease of use inside a garage.
If you’re shopping for an impact wrench for home use, we recommend looking at electric and cordless options. Electric impact wrenches offer plenty of power, but they require an accessible power outlet which may not be convenient for all car owners. It also has the same inconvenience as an air impact wrench, being tethered to a cord so it could be difficult to move around depending on what you are using the impact wrench for.
Nowadays, cordless impact wrenches are most common with individual car owners. Although they are more expensive, they deliver great performance without having to be attached to a cord. Of course their downfall is that they’re battery powered, which means having to charge a battery or keeping a fully charged spare lying around. And since they need a battery to operate, they tend to be heavier than other impact wrenches. They may not be as powerful as a corded electric impact or a pneumatic one, but for everyday use it’s more than adequate.
Why Do I Need an Impact Wrench?
An impact wrench is a useful power tool to have if you regularly work on your car. At some point, using traditional hand wrenches and socket wrenches can get tiresome, and impact wrenches are able to get off even the most stubborn and rusted nuts and bolts. Another benefit to owning an impact wrench is that it’s useful for more than just cars; it can come in handy around the house for other projects.
There are a variety of situations where an impact wrench could come in handy. Maybe you want to remove the lug nuts off your vehicle, so you can rotate the tires on your own, or you need to change your brake rotors or brake pads. Perhaps you’re rebuilding your engine and don’t feel like going through every single nut and bolt by hand. No matter what the task is, an impact wrench can cut down the time and effort needed and they work well even in tight spaces.
Can I Use an Impact Wrench for Everything?
While impact wrenches are very useful in most scenarios, there are times when you do not want to use an impact wrench. Naturally there’s a chance you can overtighten a nut or bolt when using an impact, leading to stripped threads or a weakened bolt. If what you’re working on calls for a specific torque value, use a torque wrench instead. In addition, you normally want to avoid using an impact wrench to drive a bolt in. To avoid cross threading your bolt, it’s best to start it by hand first before using an impact wrench to tighten it.
Also, it’s important to make sure you’re using sockets designed for impact wrenches. Standard sockets aren’t designed to handle the load from an impact wrench and can slip, crack, or worse, break. If you’re investing into an impact wrench, make sure to also purchase a set of impact sockets.
How to Choose the Right Impact Wrenches
It’s more than likely you’re shopping for a cordless impact wrench if you plan to use it for your car. Unless you’re planning to invest into an air compressor for your garage, a cordless unit is the way to go. But regardless of the type of impact wrench you’re planning to buy, there are several features to consider.
The first and arguably most important specification is the maximum torque the impact wrench has to offer. The higher the torque an impact wrench offers the more versatile and capable it is.
Regardless of whether you’re purchasing a corded or cordless impact wrench, you’ll want to check its weight. Naturally cordless units will be heavier due to their battery, but you should set yourself a guideline on what’s tolerable. The longer you use a heavy impact wrench, the more tiring it gets.
Depending on what you plan on using the impact wrench for, you may be able to sacrifice torque for size. A smaller torque wrench will allow you to get into tighter spaces, which is something to keep in mind if your job calls for that.
The drive/socket size is important and you’ll want to make sure you get what you need. The most common is 1/2 inch, followed by 3/8 inch. Again, purchase a socket set designed to be used with impact wrenches to complete your kit.
Some impact wrenches will have torque adjustment, which allows you to control the torque it outputs. This feature can come in handy on certain jobs, especially when you don’t want to overtighten a specific nut or bolt.
Comfort should also be something you take into consideration, especially for longer projects. The last thing you want to do is get an impact wrench that isn’t comfortable to hold or grip. Look for ergonomic handle grips or even anti-vibration features to reduce strain on your hand.
Lastly, like most power tools, you’ll want to make sure the manufacturer offers some form of warranty with the impact wrench. One- to two-year warranties are pretty standard, although more expensive impacts will offer a three-year or even a lifetime warranty.
- Makita DTW1001Z cordless impact wrench 3/4″ 18V Brushless
The first choice of our experts is this cordless power wrench from Makita that is brushless. Makita DTW1001Z cordless impact wrench 3/4″ 18V Brushless is the new compact and lightweight 3/4″ Impact Wrench from Makita. It boasts an extra high maximum tightening torque of 1,050Nm at 6 seconds after seating. With the high-powered brushless motor and new impact mechanism, its excellent performance makes this model as powerful as an AC model. Twin LED lights on the front of the drill with pre glow and afterglow functions allow you to work in the darkest conditions, and the 3 stage impact power selection gives this tool versatility for different jobs around the workplace.
