Can an impact driver remove wheel nuts?

How tight are wheel nuts?

Car wheel nuts and bolts are tightened to a figure set by the vehicle maker, commonly around 100 to 140 Nm for many cars and higher for vans and larger vehicles. Your handbook gives the exact figure. Nuts that have been on for a long time, or were over tightened with an air gun, can need much more force to break free because of corrosion.

Breaking a nut loose usually needs more torque than the figure it was tightened to.

What an impact driver can deliver

18 V impact drivers commonly list maximum torque of around 150 to 230 Nm. The Milwaukee M18 FID2 lists 226 Nm and the Bosch GDR 18V-215 lists 215 Nm. Those figures are measured in specific ways and are often lower in real use, particularly through an adaptor and socket that absorb some of each blow.

An impact wrench is built for this job. Mid torque 1/2 inch wrenches deliver several times the output of a driver. See impact driver vs impact wrench.

Using a hex to socket adaptor

A 1/4 inch hex to 1/2 inch square adaptor lets an impact driver turn an impact socket. Use an impact rated adaptor and impact socket of the correct size. Chrome sockets can crack under impact blows. Adaptors are a weak point and can snap on stubborn nuts, so keep your hands and face clear.

1. 1

   Apply the handbrake and chock the wheels.

2. 2

   With the wheel on the ground, crack each nut loose by hand with a wheel brace if possible.

3. 3

   Raise the car on a jack and support it on axle stands.

4. 4

   Use the driver and adaptor to spin off the loosened nuts.

5. 5

   Refit by hand or at low speed until snug, never to full torque.

6. 6

   Lower the car and tighten to the handbook figure with a torque wrench.

Why you must finish with a torque wrench

Impact tools cannot reliably tighten to a precise figure. Over tightening can stretch studs, warp brake discs and make nuts hard to remove at the roadside; under tightening can let a wheel come loose. Always tighten wheel nuts with a calibrated torque wrench in the pattern your handbook shows, and recheck after a short drive as many tyre fitters advise.

Locking wheel nuts

Do not use any impact tool on locking wheel nut keys. The blows can damage the key or the nut pattern, leaving you unable to remove the wheel. Use a hand wrench.

When to call a professional

If a nut will not move with a wheel brace, if a stud is damaged, or if you are unsure about jacking points, use a tyre fitter or garage. Seized nuts sometimes need heat or specialist tools. Your safety matters more than the job.

For general fixing work an impact driver is excellent; compare models in our impact driver guide and Milwaukee comparison.

Note:Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack; use axle stands on firm ground. Wear eye protection when using impact tools and adaptors. Tighten wheel nuts only to the vehicle maker's figure with a torque wrench, and seek a professional if anything is seized or damaged.

Frequently asked questions

Will my 18 V impact driver take off wheel nuts? It may on lightly tightened nuts after you crack them with a brace. For tight or corroded nuts, it often will not.

Can I tighten wheel nuts with an impact driver? Only to snug them up. Final tightening must be done with a torque wrench to the vehicle maker's figure.

What adaptor do I need? An impact rated 1/4 inch hex to 1/2 inch square drive adaptor and an impact socket that fits your wheel nuts.

Is an impact wrench worth buying for wheels? If you swap wheels often, a mid torque 1/2 inch impact wrench is the right tool. Still finish with a torque wrench.