Choosing Your First Battery Impact Wrench for DIY Automotive Work

Best Impact Wrench For YOU - We are asked what the best impact wrench is for working on automotive projects on a weekly basis.  This conversation quickly turns from impact wrenches to sockets and what the user currently owns.  We feel that 1/2" drive seems to fit most people best as inexpensive sets that go from 13mm to 32mm are readily available.  Our generalization that 1/2" works for most is because most DIY people will use hand tools to remove the smaller bolts and nuts.  The large items are most important as they are the most labor-intensive and time-consuming.

We believe that a properly sized impact wrench can remove 80-85% of all the bolts and nuts on your vehicle.  Many will be too small and a few will be too large.  smaller fasteners can easily be removed with hand tools while some of the larger fasteners will need some heat or penetration oil to get them to break free.  Improperly sizing this torque wrench will lead to one not using it as often due to weight and fatigue.

Time is Money
The time is money saying fits most full-time mechanics well as the faster they can complete a job the more money it makes them.  This is also true in DIY automotive projects, but in a different way.  Generally, the better the tool the more money it will cost and the faster it will complete a project.  In the DIY world, does one care that an impact wrench will not loosen one bolt on a vehicle and that it needed to be heated or treated with lubrication before it was removed?  Are you willing to take a little extra time messing with a bolt or nut to save money on having a top of the line high powered tool?

All of these questions are important when looking to buy the perfect impact wrench for you.  How much are you willing to pay to save a little time?

Torque or Power
Go big or go home is how many people feel about power!  That is a great saying but with impact wrenches, it will cost you a lot of money and also have you using a very impact wrench for small jobs.  The perfect impact wrench would be small and have all the power available to the user through multiple settings.  But we all know that technology still demands that size and weight are a factor in power.  So there has to be a middle ground where light weight, adjustability, and power meet.  Currently, many people call this line mid-torque impact wrenches.  They are small and easy to use all day without fatiguing the user.  These smaller tools can also loosen and tighten nuts and bolts faster than hand tools and save the user energy.

In general, the high torque impact wrenches will weigh enough that most would not want to use them all day on a project.  The comfort factor is not optimal.  While a small impact wrench will be the most comfortable, it might not be able to complete the tasks needed.  Here again, a middle ground must be found.

Overall
When you look at all the factors, the Ridgid 18-Volt GEN5X Cordless Brushless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench really fits the bill for many users.  With 450 ft lbs of torque and a price of $150, it is hard to beat.  The size is perfect for using all day and the 4 modes allow for use on small to large fasteners.  The tool is small enough for us to grab and use as our main impact wrench for light duty work rotating tires, but still strong enough to use on suspension bolts that stretch the limits of a 1/2" drive.  This size of impact wrench is a game changer for people who use this tool all day  With the size of this new impact wrench, there is no need for a compact impact wrench in 1/2".  The Ridgid impact wrench work for 90% of the fasteners in the automobile world, leaving the large high torque impact to only pick up the really heavy duty work.

[ksong]

I am using Ryobi 3 speed impact wrench and it works fine for most DIY auto works.

But actually, for most general maintenance, even 3/8 impact wrench w/ 100 ft-lbs power was good enough.
I usually start with this, and when this thing cannot do something, I bring out a bigger one.

Still, if anybody is buying just one for the auto work, probably that Ridgid one in the video is the best, considering the price.

[nhockenly]

*I like the features of the LED light on both the drill and the **MyBest.Tools** . I also like the contractor bag where I carry drill bits and driver attachments. So far the batteries hold charges to my satisfaction.*

[kytrooper]

I had the Milwaukee in my cart, about to spend $400 and this came across my notifications. So thanks for saving me money.

[notfound.....]

We just bought the rigid Gen. 5 1/2 inch impact. Rated at 485 ft-lbs Fastening torque & 620 breakaway torque. Awesome wrench! 👍

[FreddyJ]

You sold me! I ordered one today. Home Depot is running a deal for these impact wrenches online only right now for $149 including a battery and charger. Since this will be my first Ridgid power tool, that’s a match for my needs. Thanks, guys! 👍🏻👍🏻

[BrainHurricanes]

Thanks for the advice folks !
A tip, if you are trying to remove a rusty/dirty bolt (with or without impact wrench), don't be temted to remove it all the way in one go! You are gonna fill the treads with more rust this way, resulting in breaking the bolt. Try to treat the bolt as if U were putting new threads on. Little left, little right, little left, little right and so on, and spray some penetrating fluid. Have fun repairing cars folks!

[donoboyer]

So many haters with no experience with this tool. Sorry to say it ladies, but Ridgid has been knocking the median range brushless tool market out of the park lately. They may not always score at the very top of the list. Yet you usually see them in the top 3 for power or features. I have this tool and the 5ah battery and can testify to what Workshop Addict has to say here. Even with the proof shown right here in this video of the brushless impact doing a complete break down right before your eyes, some red, green and grey fanboys aren't willing to accept the fact that Ridgid is stepping up their game in big ways. Let it go about the previous gen Ridgids and that 1st gen brushless hammerdrill already. Even that tool has been upgraded already. Make way for the orange brand fellas. Some tools dont have to be 2x's the price to get the job done. #teamridgid

[CuriousKL]

I like all of what they have said. What I do not like is putting a particular 'brand' into my head. Not to say that there are not brands to stay away from.

[VC-Toronto]

I already had a range of Ridgid tools, and lots of batteries, so it made sense to go with the Ridgid 1/2 inch impact. I haven't been disappointed with it's performance so far. Even around the garage where I have access to compressed air and my air impact, not having to work around the air hose is certainly convenient.

[bigrobbyd.]

My Ridgid impact wrench is the brushed Gen 4. It is a great multi-purpose, middle-of-the road, tool with plenty of torque and plenty of power for most job. I use it for changing and rotating tires, removing large bolts from things like engine mounts, and I use it a lot removing small engines. Like I said, it's great. The best thing about it is that it doesn't eat up a lot of battery power. I can rotate the tires on several cars with a 4.0 Ah battery and still have plenty of power for several more. One of these days, I'll move up to the Gen 5 brushless.

[Madmaxnolaw]

I have this tool and I gotta say they are spot on with this video this is the 1st impact I would recommend buying it was my 1st impact it done everything I've asked it to do on my suspension tire rotations brakes work on my 1ton dodge dually and my wife mazda and it never let me down its worth the money and my number one go to tool to use if you buy this i recommend buying the 6 amp hour Octane battery They make this impact in octane version now And it is awesome with the 6 amp hour battery this tool can run thur a battery so thats why I recommend the 6 amp hour battery for this tool I have the 6 amp hour battery and the performance with it vs 4 or 2 anp hour battery dont even compared

[bri]

I love my Ridgid Gen5x 1/2" impact. If you are on the fence about buying just do it. No regrets. broke loose my seized caliper pins when I couldnt fit a cheater bar in. Handles everything I throw at it with no issues whatsoever.

[mrcokez]

my girlfriend got me this last christmas and i absolutely love it, im going to get the high torque this holiday season.

[Funtimes]

I went today and bought one of these just because of this review. I already had a ridgid drill with 2 1.5 hr batteries so it was a no brainer at $149! Down the road I may upgrade the battery but I will see how it does for a while.

[timsworkshop]

Makes me want to go out in the garage and tear my car apart! Great video guys!

[bbstatus]

Just in case people don't know. Rigid, Milwaukee, and Ryobi are all owned by the same company

[pxmnh]

Thank you so much for this review and recommendation! It really helped out a newbie like me to the world of impact wrenches. My first impact wrench will be the Ridgid 18-Volt GEN5X Cordless Brushless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench. Thanks again!

[slickjames]

This is hands down the best video for an impact wrench.

[alanchiu]

U are right, small, compact tool; big job, big tool. Nothing is univeral

[ryanmenke]

I have been a tool dealer for 34 years. Makita bar none is the best. I know its pretty much the most expensive, except for snap on wanto be dewalt/black n decker. My makita is 15 years old, I use it everyday, especially right now. It loves the new batteries. Never, never has let me down. I even had to rip it apart agian, to clean it up. Clean out the electric trigger and whola back to killing it. I have the female 1/4 model, I use 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 adpaters. I recently rebuilt my 12 valve with it. It pulls injectors out no problem and wheels off a tahoe. Makita is the best period. I have owned and I sell all of them. Except snap on now. I left snappy 18 years ago to make double the money on my own. Have a nice day.