Impact Driver Too Slow?

[overflow]

I just bought the 18V li-ion driver (R842301) after I used my dad's 14.4v mastercraft to sink some deck screws. His MC was faster then my Ridgid 18V li-ion drill (R86006), so I bought a Ridgid impact driver. Driving 3" deck screws into double 2x4 (not predrilled), the drill is way faster - one inch ahead of the impact. (Although there is much less slip) I really don't think it is coming anywhere close to the spec'ed 2400 rpm. Has anyone else experienced this or can they verify this. I just can't see this driver getting smoked by a cheap retail knock off. Bought it because it was on sale and getting ready to build a house in May.

[Ru&Lins_05]

Which impact model did you buy?

[overflow]

R842301 - as stated above.
Bought a second combo kit and did the same stuff again - same results. Did some timing today. Drill is 4 sec to sink a #10 x 3 1/2, 4.5 sec for a #12 x 4, the impact is 7 and 14 sec respectively. I did notice that you don't have to push as much, which is nice and you don't strip screws, but if you have to drop 1500 screws into a sub floor in a day, I think that the speed of the drill will out weigh the other features. Can somebody tell me I'm wrong so I can validate buying this tool? Thanks

[thinker]

I just bought the R965 Ridgid kit last week from HD

including
R86006 18V Li-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver
R842301 18V Li-Ion Impact Driver

I didn't open it yet, if the performance really not up to par, I might have to return it... Anybody have these tools that can share their experience ???

[Ru&Lins_05]

Sorry, I guess I should read closer. Anyway, that doesn't make sense at all. I have this impact as well as the new impact that comes with the X3 set and it is much faster at driving screws etc than the drill. Maybe Wartex or some other battery wiz can shed some battery light upon this, is it due to the 1.5 battery rather than the 2.5 from the x2 or the 3.0 with the x3?

[overflow]

All three (the two impacts and drill) where run with fully charged 3.0Ah Li-ion, and I swapped the batteries around to eliminate that factor. This doesn't make sense to me either. More input would be appreciated.

[reConx]

Bought a second combo kit and did the same stuff again - same results. Did some timing today. Drill is 4 sec to sink a #10 x 3 1/2, 4.5 sec for a #12 x 4, the impact is 7 and 14 sec respectively. I did notice that you don't have to push as much, which is nice and you don't strip screws, but if you have to drop 1500 screws into a sub floor in a day, I think that the speed of the drill will out weigh the other features. Can somebody tell me I'm wrong so I can validate buying this tool? Thanks
IMO the impact driver makes the job easier on the arm, little-to-no screw head damage, little-to-no slipping=no accidental damage thus it makes the impact tool worth it.
Your data with speed-timing is believable but it could have different results with different materials, screws/bolts or projects

I use the PS40 or 18V impact drivers exclusively for screw/bolts and even use them at low speed for pilot holes

[PLUMBER RICK]

the drill and impact driver are 2 totally different designs and applications.

the drill is great for drilling:D and driving small diameter screws. the drill typically has a gear box / high low and variable speed.

sure if you can keep the bit in the head of the screw, the overall speed will out run an impact driver. but the effort and control it takes is not worth it. when the fastner gets tight, the bit will slip and the drill will torque.

an impact can be controlled with 1 hand. no slipping, slow and steady. the torque will out drive any drill. remember that max speed is based on rpm's under no load free wheeling. once a little torque is encountered, the impact goes into impact mode, slow and steady;)

i've pretty much phased out drills and switched over to impacts. now with 1/4'' drive drill bits and a 1/4'' chuck adapter, it's got the best of both worlds.

rick.

[Handidad]

Rick,
Couldn't a properly set clutch on a drill take care or your slipping concerns? "when the fastner gets tight, the bit will slip and the drill will torque."
I guess the square Robertson drive screws are better for not slipping.

Actually does the slipping clutch not have the same kind of impact performance as an impact driver? I haven't really tried to use the clutch as an impact driver, because I simply use it as an indication of sufficient tightness and then stop the drill.

[Hacksaw123]

I just bought the 18V li-ion driver (R842301) after I used my dad's 14.4v mastercraft to sink some deck screws. His MC was faster then my Ridgid 18V li-ion drill (R86006), so I bought a Ridgid impact driver. Driving 3" deck screws into double 2x4 (not predrilled), the drill is way faster - one inch ahead of the impact. (Although there is much less slip) I really don't think it is coming anywhere close to the spec'ed 2400 rpm. Has anyone else experienced this or can they verify this. I just can't see this driver getting smoked by a cheap retail knock off. Bought it because it was on sale and getting ready to build a house in May.
The impact driver is not a drill. All of my cordless drills from my 12v Dewalt to my 19.2v Craftsman will drive screws faster than my Rigid cordless driver. They also are prone to stripping the screw heads and overheating. This is where the driver excels. I have yet to feel the driver heat up in my hands like an overworked drill. I built a deck using my cordless drills and half of the screws can't be backed out with my cordless drills due to the heads being partly stripped and debris packed into the heads. My Rigid driver backs them out - no problem. The hammer action drives the screwdriver bit down into the screw heads.

The point is using the right tool for the right job. If you want to drive screws without overheating your tool or stripping the heads - use a driver. If you want to drive them fast without regard to screw damage - use a drill. I love the way my driver can drive 3 1/2" screws and back them out again and I can put the screws back into the box for use again at another time. When I use a drill, the screws are garbage at this point.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Rick,
Couldn't a properly set clutch on a drill take care or your slipping concerns? "when the fastner gets tight, the bit will slip and the drill will torque."

the nclutch will slip and then it won't tighten until you adjust to a higher clutch setting.
I guess the square Robertson drive screws are better for not slipping.

Actually does the slipping clutch not have the same kind of impact performance as an impact driver? I haven't really tried to use the clutch as an impact driver, because I simply use it as an indication of sufficient tightness and then stop the drill.

all the clutch is there to do is stop/ slip after a certain torque. there is no impact with a clutch.

rick.

[Spinalzo]

all the clutch is there to do is stop/ slip after a certain torque. there is no impact with a clutch.

rick.


Rick,

I think that Handidad does what a lot of us do once we set the clutch on the drill - we continue to rattle the screw to get a little extra movement to set it. When doing cabinet work, I set the clutch "light" and rattle to the depth that I want to ensure an even and tight fit without using the screw as a drill bit. I think that this is the effect that he is talking about, but is totally different from the process you get from the impact driver. As you mentioned, the clutch "stop/slip" action is only associated with the drill action as the impact has no clutch.

[overflow]

The impact driver is not a drill. All of my cordless drills from my 12v Dewalt to my 19.2v Craftsman will drive screws faster than my Rigid cordless driver....

The point is using the right tool for the right job. If you want to drive screws without overheating your tool or stripping the heads - use a driver. If you want to drive them fast without regard to screw damage - use a drill. I love the way my driver can drive 3 1/2" screws and back them out again and I can put the screws back into the box for use again at another time. When I use a drill, the screws are garbage at this point.

So then my question becomes, do I stay with the Ridgid, or return it for something lighter that will have even less stress on your hand.

[pesciwasp]

So then my question becomes, do I stay with the Ridgid, or return it for something lighter that will have even less stress on your hand.
Can u buy the 18 volt separately?

[overflow]

You can find anything on ebay! - except warrenties. No, I don't think you can puchase just the 18V impact driver, but I think you can get the 18/24 select model. I already have two ridgid 18v li drills, so this kit was bought more for the impact driver.

[reConx]

So then my question becomes, do I stay with the Ridgid, or return it for something lighter that will have even less stress on your hand.

Based on the specs for the R842301, it is competitive with most 18V impact drivers so perhaps you can try a different brand impact driver to see if you get similar or better performance to assist in your decision and expectations of an impact driver.

R842301 Impact Driver:
http://www.ridgid.com/assets/images/blank1x1.gif Volts: 18 V http://www.ridgid.com/assets/images/blank1x1.gif Coupler: ¼ in. Hex Quick Coupler http://www.ridgid.com/assets/images/blank1x1.gif No Load Speeds: 0-2,400 r/min. (RPM)
0-3,100 IPM http://www.ridgid.com/assets/images/blank1x1.gif Torque: 1,450 in.lb.

[roadrashray]

So then my question becomes, do I stay with the Ridgid, or return it for something lighter that will have even less stress on your hand.

We are a contractor and have over two years experiance with Ridgid impact drivers. We have a couple of MaxSelect 18/24s, a couple of 14.4Vs, and an 18volt that came with a Nicad set.
Surprisingly the 14.4V impacts are the real animals. They will drive a screw while the others are just rattling around.
The MaxSelects are worthless with 18V batts and with 24V batts are much better, however nowhere near the performance of the 14.4V impact.
The secret would seem to be in the specs as the 14.4 impact has a much higher rpm than the MaxSelect. While I have not used the X-3 impact I would expect the performance to be similar to other Ridgid 18V impacts based on the specs.
Tools on Line.com conducted and evaluation of impact tools a few months ago and unfortunately Ridgid came in dead last. This is unacceptable performance for a professional grade tool. We have invested considerable money into a large number or Ridgid cordless and the impact tool is probably one of our most used tools.
We have used other brands on jobsites from other contractors. On pure speed and light weight I would agree with Tools on LIne that the Makita is very, very good.
I know it's a bummer due to trying to keep the number of different battery and brand combinations to a minimum.
Thats my story. I suggest you try a Makita a post the results......Ray

[pesciwasp]

We are a contractor and have over two years experiance with Ridgid impact drivers. We have a couple of MaxSelect 18/24s, a couple of 14.4Vs, and an 18volt that came with a Nicad set.
Surprisingly the 14.4V impacts are the real animals. They will drive a screw while the others are just rattling around.
The MaxSelects are worthless with 18V batts and with 24V batts are much better, however nowhere near the performance of the 14.4V impact.
The secret would seem to be in the specs as the 14.4 impact has a much higher rpm than the MaxSelect. While I have not used the X-3 impact I would expect the performance to be similar to other Ridgid 18V impacts based on the specs.
Tools on Line.com conducted and evaluation of impact tools a few months ago and unfortunately Ridgid came in dead last. This is unacceptable performance for a professional grade tool. We have invested considerable money into a large number or Ridgid cordless and the impact tool is probably one of our most used tools.
We have used other brands on jobsites from other contractors. On pure speed and light weight I would agree with Tools on LIne that the Makita is very, very good.
I know it's a bummer due to trying to keep the number of different battery and brand combinations to a minimum.
Thats my story. I suggest you try a Makita a post the results......Ray
Only one point about the impact test, they used the ridgid 18 volt battery, not the 24 volt battery with better performance.

[Spinalzo]

Had 4 garage doors to install after correcting the structre for some prior fire damage and my helper and I had two impact drivers, the 18v Ridgid w/1.5 ah battery and an 18v Ryobi with their then new lithium battery. We noticed that the Ryobi was noticeably a little faster at driving the lags, but the Ridgid snugged them better once the lag had to pull pieces together and continued to drive the longer lags. After driving and snugging all those lags, the Ridgid still works fine and has gone on to do other jobs, but the Ryobi is retired as it smells funny (electrical) and was beginning to perform less and less work and began to tire too quickly. Now, as Roadrash Ray has stated, I have also used other guy's tools on the job - Makita, DeWalt, etc. - and they are faster at driving also. The Ridgid is steady and carries a good warranty and hasn't weakened, but if speed is the main factor, look at them all.

[pesciwasp]

We are a contractor and have over two years experiance with Ridgid impact drivers. We have a couple of MaxSelect 18/24s, a couple of 14.4Vs, and an 18volt that came with a Nicad set.
Surprisingly the 14.4V impacts are the real animals. They will drive a screw while the others are just rattling around.
The MaxSelects are worthless with 18V batts and with 24V batts are much better, however nowhere near the performance of the 14.4V impact.
The secret would seem to be in the specs as the 14.4 impact has a much higher rpm than the MaxSelect. While I have not used the X-3 impact I would expect the performance to be similar to other Ridgid 18V impacts based on the specs.
Tools on Line.com conducted and evaluation of impact tools a few months ago and unfortunately Ridgid came in dead last. This is unacceptable performance for a professional grade tool. We have invested considerable money into a large number or Ridgid cordless and the impact tool is probably one of our most used tools.
We have used other brands on jobsites from other contractors. On pure speed and light weight I would agree with Tools on LIne that the Makita is very, very good.
I know it's a bummer due to trying to keep the number of different battery and brand combinations to a minimum.
Thats my story. I suggest you try a Makita a post the results......Ray
So the burning question is, why would they make the 14.4 volt impact with 2850 rpm, the 18 volt with 2400 rpm, and the 24 volt with 2100 rpm. They are going backwards! So all of this makes the 14.4 the superior tool! That sucks!

[stuart_canada]

i have the 18 volt impact that came with a drill, 2batteries, and the 14.4 impact gun that came with just one battery and a hard case.

The 18 volt seems lighter to me, but it is slower, it drives well, the 14.4 volt is faster than my 18, but heavier and beefier i think.
I would use the 14.4 is a monster. I can drive any screw or bolt that has come along with it.
I would not trade it for anything
the 14.4 drills and impact seems much stronger than the 18 volts. The 14.4 drill is heavier and bigger than my 18 volt drill

i think the 14,4 volt is the way to go i think
good luck and play safe

[pesciwasp]

i have the 18 volt impact that came with a drill, 2batteries, and the 14.4 impact gun that came with just one battery and a hard case.

The 18 volt seems lighter to me, but it is slower, it drives well, the 14.4 volt is faster than my 18, but heavier and beefier i think.
I would use the 14.4 is a monster. I can drive any screw or bolt that has come along with it.
I would not trade it for anything
the 14.4 drills and impact seems much stronger than the 18 volts. The 14.4 drill is heavier and bigger than my 18 volt drill

i think the 14,4 volt is the way to go i think
good luck and play safe
I say again, So the burning question is, why would they make the 14.4 volt impact with 2850 rpm, the 18 volt with 2400 rpm, and the 24 volt with 2100 rpm. They are going backwards! So all of this makes the 14.4 the superior tool! That sucks! http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/images/misc/progress.gif http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/images/buttons/edit.gif (http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=214837)

[Ray Dockrey]

Those are no load speeds aren't they? I would think that under load the higher voltage impact's could sustain a higher rpm. Also the gear boxes are probably different so the higher voltage impacts have more lower end grunt. Could also be marketing as if the 14.4 had a different gearbox it would turn a lower rpm and possibly match the torque of the higher voltage impacts and thus there would be no reason to buy the higher voltage impacts.

[overflow]

So... We sold our condo and now rent in eager anticipation of building this summer. I decided to rip out the mismatch of framing around our laundry area (used to be two closests under the stairs) and drywall it to be nice to our landlord. I started 2x4 framing with the drill, then switched to the impact driver when the battery started to fatigue. Once I got use to the fact you don't have to push, I can't go back! What an amazing difference they make. Thanks to everyone that posted! I appreciated some of the experience that made me take the leap of faith to keep the thing, and now that I have had a chance to play with it, I am very happy I did. (I actually took it back and bought it with a $25 off coupon - Kit R965 for $145, a good deal) Thanks again. I also figure that once you get blood on a tool, it's yours.