If you are a DIY lover or a workshop specialist, it is pretty assured that you must be aware of both impact driver & impact wrench. Both of these are powerful tools with lots of similar functions, but they are still pretty different from one another. Due to this, many buyers find it hard to find out the differences between an impact driver and an impact wrench that we will talk about in detail during this post.
It is very important to have a quality set of power tools for working on different projects like repairing broken things, building furniture, and many more. Understanding the differences between these two can be very beneficial to boost your creativity and productivity. Let’s talk about these tools in detail so you can understand what they are!
What is an impact driver?
An impact driver is a solid tool whose main job is to provide a high level of torque and rotational force. Most buyers usually thought it is a cordless drill due to its similar look, but there are many amazing differences in terms of functionality. The biggest highlight of this tool is it offers strong rotational hammering force repeatedly. They are mainly developed to perform fastening and driving with a high level of power and speed.
You will find ¼ inch hex socket having bits in this tool whose main motive is providing extra stress. A disadvantage of having an impact driver is the limited capability of things users can drill. In that case, buying a cordless will be a better option for sure.
Major Uses of Impact Drivers
An impact driver can perform a great array of jobs that range from tightening screws to building furniture. We have explained the major impact drivers uses below:
An impact driver is very helpful in driving self-threading screws quite easily.
You can loosen over-tightened bolts, screws, and nuts among others.
Car brake drums can be easily eliminated using an impact driver.
This tool makes it easier to drive extra-long fasteners into super hard material.
Advantages of Impact Driver
The number of benefits that buyers can enjoy after buying an impact driver is pretty high. We will tell you about the top advantages of impact driver below:
Higher Torque
An impact driver is a very powerful tool that offers a pretty impressive level of torque. It makes sure you can even drive screws to hard material quite easily.
Fits in Small Spaces
They are designed very compactly that allow the impact driver to fit perfectly in small spaces. It has a shorter head length than a cordless drill that makes them fit easily in such spaces.
Fewer Chances of Stripping
You won’t have to worry about stripping while using impact drivers in any manner.
Disadvantages of Impact Driver
If you think impact drivers only come with advantages, we suggest you think again. Let’s have a look at the disadvantages of impact drivers in detail below:
Expensive Choice
An impact driver is a costly tool that will ask for lots of investment from the buyers.
Noisy Operation
It isn’t quiet when compared with other tools we can usually find in the workshop.
Ask Precision in Delicate Tasks
There is a need for extra precision and caution while handling delicate tasks with an impact driver.
What is an Impact Wrench?
An impact wrench, also known as the impactor, is a power tool designed to deliver a high level of torque output without causing much exertion. It is basically a socket wrench that keeps power in a rotating mass but delivers it instantly to the output shaft. This tool is commonly used in various industries that range from heavy equipment maintenance to automotive repair. Additionally, you can find its utilization in other fields like construction, product assembly, etc.
It is available in many different sizes and styles according to the application. However, the most common ones are 1/4“drive wrenches having both pistol and inline grip.
Major Uses of Impact Wrenches
As we have already written, an impact wrench helps perform a variety of tasks. We are writing you about significant impact uses wrenches in detail below:
It is a power tool with a permanent place in the repair and body shops for performing many different jobs.
Manufacturing Industry
An impact wrench is a top-class tool that performs a wide array of jobs in manufacturing plants. It ranges from the development of new products to the maintenance of machinery.
Household Work
Although there is no need to tell, an impact wrench can be very beneficial for performing plenty of fastening jobs in the household.
Advantages of Impact Wrenches
Let’s have a look at the advantages of impact wrenches in detail below:
Boost Productivity
An impact wrench is a convincing tool using which you can boost work efficiency thanks to the availability of high-level torque. There is a wonderful boost you can acknowledge by having such a quality tool.
Super Easy to Use
An impact wrench has a pretty compact and smaller size that makes it easier for users to work on various things. It allows the buyers to work with ease for various works.
Durable Construction
An impact wrench is a very durable tool having very low maintenance. There are very few moving components in this unit that minimizes the chances of wear and tear.
Hard Blows
An impact wrench can develop an incredible set of hammer blows without worrying about shock loading at all.
Long-Lasting Life
Unlike most tools, an impact wrench has a very long life that makes sure users don’t have to buy another one in the foreseeable future.
Disadvantages of Impact Wrenches
We suggest you check the disadvantages of impact wrenches in detail below:
Over-Tightening
Most people deal with a very issue while using this wrench is the over-tightening of nuts and bolts. It is suggested to stay a little bit cautious while performing the tightening job.
Damaging Threads
There are many cases where cross-threading results in tightening using the impact wrench. It is strongly suggested to thread them correctly by hand prior to using an impact wrench.
What makes impact drivers different from impact wrenches?
Both these tools have very different prospects that need to be carefully evaluated before making a selection. Let’s dig deep to find out the differences between impact drivers and impact wrenches in detail.
Power Sources
An impact driver usually comes in cordless style and uses 18V/20V batteries for operation. On the other hand, an impact wrench comes in both corded as well as cordless versions. However, the majority of wrenches we find in the mechanic’s shop are powered using air.
Torque
The torque level of an impact driver always stays on the lower side compared to impact wrenches in most cases. There are only a few impact drivers that come in the 18V/20V category and can provide more torque than impact wrenches. An impact driver comes up to 2,000 in-lbs of torque, while you can buy wrenches that go even more than 1,000 ft-lbs of torque depending on models.
Speed
The next distinction that we want to talk about between these two is speed. In this case, impact drivers won the race with a maximum speed of 3,600 RPM and even more in few cases. If we talk about impact wrenches, they usually fall under the speed of 2,000 RPM. However, things change with air impact wrenches that surpass 8,000 RPM in terms of speed.
Size
There are very few differences when we talk about the construction of impact drivers and impact wrenches. They both may look to have the same foundation, but you will see different drives in them. An impact driver usually has a compact & lighter construction, while an impact wrench is heavier in weight.
Working Principle
There is a huge difference between the working principle of an impact driver and an impact wrench. There is impact force used in the rotational and axial direction by the impact driver, whereas the impact wrenches utilize the power of impact blows that only run in the rotational direction.
Uses
An impact driver is mainly used to drive screws and drilling holes in most cases, while an impact wrench work for loosening up heavy bolts and lug nuts.
Conclusion
The selection of the right tool between these two depends on what kind of work you have. These differences between impact drivers and impact wrenches are made to help you do this work easily. An impact driver is a better choice for carpentry and construction projects, whereas an impact wrench is ideal if you are looking for better transmission. No matter which one you choose, we suggest you select a quality brand for getting an adequate experience.
If you still have any queries regarding these two tools, we suggest writing in the comment section; you will get the answers from our expert team soon.
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