Impact Wrenches - We Test Eight

An impact wrench makes light work of roadside punctures. We put eight top powerhouses through their paces

Auto Express Car Reviews

November 2009

If you’ve ever fought with the wheel-changing kit that comes with many cars, you’ll know just how tough nuts and bolts can be to shift.

Slip an impact wrench into the boot, and that roadside puncture can be dealt with in no time, with little risk of bloodied knuckles or rounded off bolts.

Some DIY impact wrenches are powered from the cigar lighter, but for the ultimate boot buddy, cordless versions are best. They’re generally more powerful and can be used for releasing other hard-to-shift nuts during servicing and maintenance.

When choosing a wrench, you should consider the following: torque or twisting power (measured in lbs/ft or Nm); battery voltage and stamina (rated in amp hours – Ah) and hammer blows or impacts it can deliver in a minute (bpm/ipm).

A spare battery is a sensible idea if you plan to use it for general car repairs, while a fast charger and tough case are essentials.

The Test

This is all about grunt, so we tried our wrenches on a series of fasteners – including a wheel bolt and a rear hub nut, torqued to 90Nm and 175Nm respectively.

We balanced performance against specification, what accessories – such as sockets, are included – plus price, with scores weighted to allow for two batteries (where supplied).

All were standard half-inch drives and came with a fast charger (usually one hour) and heavy-duty plastic case.

Verdict

For general use, the low-priced Maplin is hard to resist. It works well and will not break the bank. If you want to use your wrench for more than simply removing wheel nuts, the second and third-placed choices would be more up to it. Our biggest gripe is that the Sealey only has a single battery.

* 1. Maplin Cordless Wrench N96FR
* 2. Draper Expert CIW144VK
* 3. Sealey CP2400

Contacts

* Maplin 0844 557 6000 (www.maplin.co.uk)
* Draper 02380 494333 (www.drapertools.com)
* Bosch 01895 838383 (www.bosch.co.uk)
* Sealey 01284 757500 (www.sealey.co.uk)
* Draper 02380 494333 (www.drapertools.com)
* Panasonic 0844 844 3852 (www.panasonic.co.uk)
* Makita 01908 211678 (www.makitauk.com)
* Sealey 01284 757500 (www.sealey.co.uk)