Switched to impact wrenches after fighting with a rusty bolt in Detroit

I used to think a good breaker bar was all you needed for stubborn bolts. Last month I spent 45 minutes on a single tie rod end in a 2012 Ford F-150 down at Miller's Garage in Detroit. Snapped my Craftsman bar and almost took out my knuckles. My buddy Tony handed me his Milwaukee impact and that thing zipped it off in 2 seconds flat. Has anyone else had a similar moment where they realized they were just making work harder on themselves?

2 comments

2 Comments

aaron_wilson1722h ago

Spent a full afternoon in Flint once with a breaker bar and a prayer. The bolt laughed at me. Then I borrowed a buddy's impact and that bolt was gone before I could even say "please." Made me wonder if I enjoy suffering or something. Now I keep a mid torque in my truck.

jasons637m ago

Haha, Aaron, you're speaking my language with that "enjoy suffering" line. I had the exact same revelation a few years back on a rusty control arm bolt. I was out there with a breaker bar and a cheater pipe, sweating in the sun for a good hour, cursing and sliding around. Then my neighbor yelled over the fence and asked if I had an impact. I told him no, and he just walked over with his Ingersoll Rand and had that bolt off in maybe ten seconds. I stared at the bolt like it had betrayed me. I couldn't believe I had been fighting like that for nothing. Now I won't touch suspension work without my impact, no way.