My old foreman told me to never use a 3/8" impact on axle nuts, but I did it anyway on a 2018 F-150

Honestly, he drilled it into my head for years that you need a 1/2" gun for anything over 150 ft-lbs, or you'll just burn up the smaller tool. Last Tuesday, my big gun was in the truck and I was in a rush, so I grabbed my trusty 3/8" Milwaukee M12 stubby to break a stuck rear axle nut. Ngl, I figured it was a newer truck, maybe it wouldn't be that bad. The gun screamed for a solid 10 seconds, the nut didn't budge, and then it just died with a burnt smell. Had to walk of shame over to the parts store for a new impact. So, was he right and I'm just an idiot for not listening, or are some of these newer compact impacts actually tough enough now? What's your hard line on tool size for big fasteners?

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan41011d ago

Tools are tougher now but that rule exists for a reason. You just found the limit the hard way.

wendyp251mo ago

He drilled that rule into you for a reason, but tools change. Your M12 stubby probably has more guts than the old 3/8 impacts he was talking about. The real issue was that specific nut being seized, not the tool size. A good compact can handle the torque rating, it just can't fight years of rust and corrosion.

the_viola1mo ago

Actually the stubby's torque rating is still way lower than a full size. It's not about rust, it's about the tool's max power. You need the big gun for a reason.