Is this a good enough all-round impact wrench for working on Tacomas?

1. Compact size at 5.4 -inch length and lightweight

1. Brushless Motor provides longer runtime, longer motor life, and more power

1. Provides up to 160 ft./lbs. of torque

1. 4-mode wrench features 3 speeds plus Auto mode for user control in a variety of applications

1. Variable speed trigger to allow greater precision

1. On-board LED worklight to illuminate workspace

1. Up to 2,900 RPM for faster removal

1. Optimized impacting mechanism delivers up to 3,900 IPM

1. 3/8 -inch anvil with friction ring for quick and secure socket changes

1. Perfect for any DIY or professional job

1. Includes: (1) PSBIW01 ONE+ HP 18V Compact Brushless Cordless 4-Mode 3/8 -inch Impact Wrench and operator's manual

1. Battery and charger sold separately

 

A lot of people are really critical of this brand, mainly being because they're super cheap. That being said, Ryobi makes an okay at best entry level product, and odds are if you're buying to occasionally use, it'll get the job done for a while. My personal preference, if you don't need daily reliability and dependability as a tool that's going to bring you income, spend as much as you're comfortable spending, and be content knowing you may have to replace it one day. I personally don't use power tools enough to opt for Milwaukee every time, so I stick to Ridgid. Very comparable to Ryobi in price, easily obtainable from Home Depot anywhere, and lifetime warranty on tools/batteries/chargers. That's kinda the best of both worlds to me.

Edited to add, I opt for Ridgid most of the time; Milwaukee does have super stupid deals from time to time at Home Depot and I have a few Milwaukee tools that were similarly priced to Ridgid when they were on sale.

 

Do you have any other cordless power tools right now? Do you currently work on your truck, or other cars?

 

Yes. Ryobi circ saw for wood working. Nothing automotive related from Ryobi. I do work on my truck.

 

If you want to keep with Ryobi, I would suggest buying this kit. Otherwise it would be a good time to switch to another brand. BUT, I would suggest IF you are going to spend money, spend a little more and get this kit with both and Impact Wrench and Ratchet (I am not a fan of air or powered ratchets but a lot of people love them.)

The 3/8" impact wrench you show is a little low on LbFt of torque and I think you would be frustrated on spending that much money and not getting a lot of performance out of it. The Ratchet still has 55lbft of torque so that is all you would need for assembling before you use a torque wrench on most stuff. The 600LBFt is great for breaking stubborn rusted bolts and nuts loose.

That's my opinion. You hold the money so you decide how to spend it.

 

I tried holding these types of battery powered ratchets at stores and would never get used to them. They just seem big, bulky, and more money spent for what can be accomplished with a manual ratchet just not much diff in time savings (compared to and impact wrench). That money could be better spent on other more versatile tools or mods. I'll definitely look at higher torque wrench tho. I'd rather spend the money once. Might even consider Ridgid or Milwaukee.

 

If you're going to do it, just dive into RED.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/milwaukee-tools.667467/

 

I've got a Ryobi battery gun and impact that I Beat the piss out of and they keep on ticking. I know a lot of people bag on the brand. But it's served me well

 

I dont think it would be bad for occasional use. If you already have Ryobi tools that share the same battery then it would reduce the hassle of having two types of batteries and chargers. Ryobi is actually owned by the same company that makes Milwaukee though they aren't the same quality. I've heard of a few carpenters (not many) that use Ryobi but not because they are the best but because you dont need to worry about them growing legs and walking away when your on a jobsite.
I'm more of a Dewalt guy just because they are just a little bit more than the DIY tool so in theory they should last longer since I dont use them daily or I'm not as hard on them. Honestly Dewalt has those $100 tool, battery, and charger kits which are pretty good. I got both the impact and regular drill kits and they work great. Also what is nice is that Dewalt sells an adapter so you can use the new style batteries on the older tools. That is something Milwaukee doesnt have that I wish they did.

 

same, i dont know how well it would work for lugnut removal. But the drill, saw, and impact tool have been great on wood stuff

 

I responded already, but just wanted to reiterate, Ryobi tools work. They're going to be perfectly fine for the super occasional use. I have a pretty large collection of their tools, and were used for about 2 years doing some contracting stuff, until their reliability became an issue in making money. The tools themselves were fine, but they started eating the batteries up, and I can't make 3 cuts on a 2x4 without needing a new battery now. For the price of an entire line of tools and batteries/chargers, they can't be beat for a first time buyer. Just get what you want, and replace as needed. There's really no need to buy the best of the best when the technology will change next year or the year after, and you didn't use it enough to justify it. Still the reason I'm happy with Ridgid. I assume they'll crap out years down the road, and if the tech is different or the tools discontinued, I've got credit towards the new tools with the lifetime warranty.

 

Also, I've gotta ask because no one else did; what do you want or need the impact for? It has to be said that impacts aren't faster ratchets, and using an impact on some things is asking for a bad day. I don't want to assume you don't know how to use one or what the uses are, but you're also buying your first, so we're here to help.

 

Just to speed things up for bigger bolts. I might just opt for a longer breaker bar though while I take my time deciding on which impact to get over the coming months.

 

My 1/2" drive zips them right off.

 

My cousin has Ryobi for basic automotive use and tiny home projects; he's happy with his tools.

I have Milwaukee for basic automotive use, and misc. odds and ends. I chose Milwaukee not only because they're supposed to be quality power tools, but because their line-up is huge and can use the same batteries between them.

 

I have found cordless tools are ok for the odd job here and there for home use

I found having two welding cables an air hose and extension cord all braided together two floors up from the truck with the only stairs 200 yards away all to common.

It all comes down to what works for you .

 

Whatever you do, skip the Cryobi. Tools are investments. Do it right the first time...Milwaukee, DeWilt, Makita, Hilti. Maybe Ridgid.

FYI Milwaukee, Ridgid and Ryobi are all owned by Techtronic Industries and represent 3 levels of quality - with the red being the best of the 3. Red's hard to beat considering the tool lineup and their power/durability. Ridgid is pretty good, but not priced low enough - just go for Milwaukee. Skip the lime green entirely though - that's for the ladies

Try to buy these in kits. You'll get much better value that way. HD is running some decent sales on Milwaukee kits right now.

 

160 lb/ft will be a bit wimpy. I would go with the 1/2" impact. @Toyko Joe posted.

As far as quality; I used Ryobi tools for awhile and, while they weren't as good as Milwaukee/Dewalt/etc, some of the tools were pretty nice. I wouldn't hesitate to use Ryobi tools, as long as they can get the job done.

Now I use Milwaukee exclusively. They're very nice, but not necessary for use around the house.

 

If you go with the Ryobi, definitely buy a kit. You'll get better bang for your buck. I have 3/8" & 1/2" Ryobi impact wrenches and a Ryobi 1/2" drill. The smaller IW and drill were a kit. Apart from taking off lug nuts you might find you'll use a socket wrench a lot more for DIY than you think, so no need to go balls out on Milwaukee mondo-expensive impact wrenches unless you're wrenching to earn money. My 3/8" IW and the one you show have hog ring socket retention while my 1/2" IW has ball detent. Both work fine. I bought mine for construction etc, but use the Ryobis on my truck too (although so far I've only used a breaker bar on lug nuts on the side of the road). I also have a Milwaukee impact driver because I use the crap out of it around the house and for construction. It came with a 1/2" drill. I find that sometimes having two drill bits chucked up and ready sure is handy.

An alternative for light duty impact wrenching might be the Bosch Freak which combines an impact driver in a 1/2" impact wrench anvil. I sure looked at that but went with Ryobi because I didn't think it would stand up to lug nuts or lag screws in 4x4s. If you only planned to use your IW for less than lug nut duty and wanted to save space because you need an impact driver too, the Freak might work for you. Weigh that choice carefully though, because if you break it you've broken two tools.

 

I have a full line of Ridged stuff and it’s great. The 1/2 full size impact makes quick work of lugs and the compact 3/8 and 1/2 impacts work great for other stuff. The drills, sander, routers and saws all work as they should.