3 Types of Impact Wrenches and Their Uses

If you wonder what are impact wrenches used for, then you are not the only one. These tools are very versatile and convenient that you can see them everywhere.

An impact wrench is usually used to loosen or tighten bolts and screws with more torque than a standard ratchet. With all of the different types available on today’s market, it can be difficult to know which one will best suit your needs.

In this blog post, we’ll cover 3 types of impact wrenches and what are impact wrenches used for!

What is an Impact Wrench

An impact wrench is a type of torque-controlled drive tool. They are used in automotive, construction, and other industrial settings to tighten or loosen stubborn fasteners such as hex nuts, pipe fittings, bolt heads on shafts for machine tools (spindle bolts), camshafts for internal combustion engines.

3 Types of Impact Wrenches

Impact wrenches typically are classified according to the power source used to drive them. Electric wrenches are powered by electricity, pneumatic wrenches use compressed air and hydraulic impact wrenches utilize pressurized liquid (such as oil) to power a piston that drives the tool’s mechanism.

Electric Impact Wrenches

Electric impact wrenches can be divided into 2 types: corded and cordless impact wrenches.

Corded impact wrenches have a power cord to plug into the electricity socket. This connection powers up the tool’s electric motor, which then drives the hammer units that transfer motion to the output shaft.

Cordless impact wrenches, in contrast to corded ones, use a battery. They are more expensive and have shorter runtime than their counterparts (typically around one hour of continuous operation). A cordless impact wrench can be charged from any 120V outlet or may require a long-term connection to an automobile’s 12V accessory socket for maximum flexibility.

Pneumatic Wrenches

Pneumatic wrenches are another type of impact wrench that uses compressed air.

Air impact wrenches are commonly used in automotive repair shops, industrial production facilities, or anywhere someone is looking for a heavy-duty tool.

An air impact wrench has a simpler mechanism than an electronic one. The air is compressed in the cylinder and then released to produce torque. As this type works based on air pressure, there is no problem of overheating when working for long hours.

This type of wrench can be used for various purposes such as loosening tight bolts or removing stubborn lug nuts that have been over tightened. It also has a high level of impact power which means it can work faster than other types of wrenches.

The obvious disadvantage of the air impact wrench is that it depends on the availability of compressed air to run. That’s why many choose to buy portable compressors or store air compressor units just in case.

Hydraulic Impact Wrenches

The last type of wrenches is the hydraulic impact wrench which is very different from an air impact wrench. To understand how it works, you need to know a little bit about hydraulics and physics.

The hydraulic impact wrench is driven by the pressure of compressed fluid which pushes pistons in an enclosed cylinder that are attached to the socket drive at one end and the other end can be fitted with various heads for different purposes.

Hydraulic impact wrenches are very powerful because they have great force and torque. Therefore, you usually see them in a lot of industries where they are most needed.

A big advantage with these wrenches is that there’s no need to use an air compressor or any additional power sources because it uses the pressure in a hydraulic cylinder, which can be filled with oil or water according to your needs and work conditions.

What are Impact Wrenches Used for

Impact wrenches are primarily used in the automotive industry, but they can also be used at home for tasks like removing lug nuts or driving large screws. As different types are designed differently, their uses are various.

Electric Impact Wrench

As mentioned above, corded impact wrenches need access to the power source, so they are preferred at home, in small workshops or in the garage.

Cordless impact wrenches are very flexible and convenient. With advanced technology, cordless impact wrenches are lightweight and more powerful. So, you can find it everywhere, especially in tight places.

Pneumatic Wrenches

Air impact wrenches are the most popular because of their high quality and performance. It’s most suitable for heavy-duty work.

Hydraulic Impact Wrenches

Hydraulic impact wrenches are not common for most people. So, you rarely see them at home.

They are designed for heavy-duty work and can provide more torque, but they require a lot of power to run it.

Here is the summary of what are impact wrenches used for:

Impact Wrenches		Uses
Electric Impact Wrench	Cordled impact wrench	Wherever you can access electricity
	Cordless impact wrench	DIY jobs, home, automobile shops, construction sites
Pneumatic Wrenches	Air impact wrenches	Automobile shops, heavy equipment, assembly line
Hydraulic Impact	Hydraulic Impact wrench	Manufacturing industries & construction sites