An impact wrench is widely used for driving lug nuts and bolts due to its higher torque capacity. Impact drivers are used for driving the screws inside soft materials such as wood. Both tools have a torque increase mechanism. Therefore impact wrench can be used as an impact driver as below.
An Impact wrench can be use as an impact driver using the hex shank female adaptor that will cost about $10-$15. Impact driver bits can’t mount the impact wrench directly due to the square collet. Hence female socket adaptor is required for mounting the driver bits to the impact wrenches.
Considering all facts, you should know, how to use an impact wrench as an impact driver?. So let’s see all in detail about impact wrench use as an impact driver. As well as finally check it revise. So keep reading on until you find the helpful answer.
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Differences of Impact Wrench, and Impact Driver
When we consider these tools, there are mechanical and physical differences. Mechanical differences have been mentioned above, and let’s talk about the physical differences.
Size
When we consider the size, impact wrenches are short, and impact drivers are long. Because impact drivers need more space for the hammer anvil impact mechanism, There are rotational movements, and it requires more space at the front end. But Impact wrenches are with epicyclic gear mechanism, and it is a rotational gearing system and will not require more length. All gears have compacted well as it provides the best performance. Hence there are no additional front end space requirements.
Collets/ Chuck
The impact driver bit is mount to the chuck; the impact wrench is mount to the collet. Both are the same. We can name those as chuck. Normally impact drills are used hex drive bits, and it requires hex shank chuck. Impact wrenches use sockets. So there is a collet that can easily fit with a socket.
Due to these differences impact wrench is not able to use as an impact driver directly. We will need an additional adaptor for connecting both. Impact wrench uses sockets. Some screws are with matching heads and can easily be used for the impact wrench.
Due to these differences, we are not able to use bits and sockets with interchanging.
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How to Connect Collet and Drive Bit?
The main difference is the collet. When you mount a hexagonal drive bit into the collet, you will need an additional adaptor. The additional adaptor one end it mounts to the collet, and other ends can mount the drive bit.
When you select an adaptor, you should pay attention to the below factors.
- Make sure the collet head can mount the adaptor. Most collets sizes are with 1/2″, 3/8″, 1/4″. So the adaptor should be with the collets square size.
- Choose a compatible adaptor with a suitable hex shank. The end you connect the driver bit should be a compatibility hex shank bit.
- Make sure the adaptor have proper strength. Impact wrench produces more torque. So adaptor should be resistant to high torque. Else adaptor, drive bit, the collet will over tighten. You will need to break the adaptor to save the drive bit and impact wrench.
- You can buy this kind of adaptor for $10-$15, and if you need more quality products, it will cost about $40-$50.
- Most popular brands provide these kinds of adaptors. Those are highly designed for specific tasks. So I recommend you to buy a branded adaptor for your task. Some low-quality products are available in the market; do not waste your money.
- Most of the tools are failing due to inaccurate usage. Before you use this, make sure all are tight well.
Impact Wrench and Impact Driver Mechanism
Impact wrenches and impact drivers are both included the impact mechanism. Let’s consider the task we expect from these tools. It is all about the driving screws and driving the lug nuts or bolts. When this kind of task is operated, it needs more torque due to high resistance.
You can imagine it. When a screw is driving into the wood, it needs to penetrate inside with rotating. Sometimes we are not able to use our hands. This is the same as the lug nuts operations. So when a screw is driven inside, it needs to resist the material compression to the shank. When the shank diameter is higher, the resistance is higher.
When we consider the lug nuts, this is also the same. When the lug nuts are tightened, we have to apply more power from our hands. We have to use an extra-long handle for the socket if we use that for better tighten.
Considering the above task, we can realize. We need more torque for the driving screws and lug nuts operations. As a result of this impact mechanism has been introduced.
The impact mechanism is a torque increasing mechanism. These tools increase the driver bit torque by applying its rotational force. Let’s see how each tool increases the torque.
Impact Driver
The impact driver consists of a powerful motor, and it connects to the rotational hammer. That is a cylindrical hammer with a special design. When the cylindrical hammer is rotating, it stores the force; after 180-degree rotation, it hits the anvil. Anvil is moved due to rotational hammer force. As soon as possible, the hammerhead pushes the anvil. It moves out from the anvil and compresses the spring, and is ready for the next push.
When this continues, more than a thousand per minute is called impact rate. More impact rate is more powerful.
Impact Wrench
An impact wrench has a different mechanism than an impact driver. Impact wrenches have a gear mechanism. Impact wrenches have an Epicyclic gear system. This gear system is more powerful than impact drivers. There is a sun gear and planet gear mechanism that can increase extremely high torque.
For the mechanism, torque, speed;
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Can Impact Driver use as an Impact Wrench?
Impact drivers use as an impact wrench using the hex shank to socket adaptor. Impact wrench uses for lug nuts operation, and it needs sockets to mount the nuts. So you will need a socket adaptor for the impact driver using as an impact wrench. Available sizes are 1/4″, 3/8”, 1/2″ and it will cost about $10-$15
- Impact drivers have low torque. Sometimes it is sufficient for losing the small size lug nuts. So you can use an impact driver as an impact wrench if you use an adaptor.
- These adaptors are made with heat-treated Hardened Chrome Vanadium (Cr-V) steel to ensure a long lifetime through tough torque jobs without breaking or rusting.
- Hex shaft has been designed to switch easy & fast between the different size adapters without stripping at high-speed operations.
- Some adaptors are available with specific colours for each collet size. You can identify it easily when you are working.
- The adaptor is pin detned collet, and it is really secure for usage. Due to this socket will be tight permanently.
Drawbacks and Problems of the Adaptors
When you use adaptors for interchanging the tool task, there are some problems. So you had better know all about it for your safety and tool durability.
- None adaptor is made for 100% safely.
So it can be a break, crack, overtight when you work on it. So make sure the adaptor is really safe and suitable for the design.
- Adaptors can be break easily.
Impact wrenches produce high torque. So when you use an adaptor for the impact wrenches, it should have high torsion resistance. Else tool can be crack, brak or overtight the collet or drill bit.
- Use enough strength bits
Due to the high torque of the impact wrenches, drive bits can be damaged easily due to overload. Even it can be a break. Be careful when you work with impact wrenches and adaptors.
- Tool overheating
When you use an impact driver for an impact wrench task, it can be overheated due to high power requirements. When you try to remove too tighten lugnut with the impact driver with adaptor will require more torque. So it can damage the tool easily.
- A high amount of Wandering
When the bits are connected with the adaptors, there is a high amount of loss and space. When the tool is operated, it can be wandering easily with the heating.
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Conclusion
You can use an impact wrench as an impact driver, and an impact driver can be used as an impact wrench with using the adaptors. These adaptors will cost about $10-$15. These adaptors are mostly temporary solutions. It is better to have the right tool for the right work. It will save your time and money.
