Being a mechanic by trade, I have many different types of tools. I work on many different types of vehicles, so I need to have the right tools to perform efficiently.

When I started almost twenty years ago, cordless tools were not very popular in the mechanical field. We were used to pneumatic impact wrenches and power drills. It never occurred to us that there would ever be a cordless grinder or cordless impact for that matter.

In the past ten years, cordless tools have definitely become more and more popular in the field of building construction and mechanical field.

I’ve had cheap cordless drills in the past but they didn’t last long, the motors burned out. So for several years I didn’t bother to buy any cordless tools. Every other mechanic who worked in the same shop as me had a cordless impact wrench.

I thought it was a bit silly to have them; I was quite happy with my air actuated impact wrenches. I left that particular shop and found a job closer to home working on trucks.

Cordless impact wrenches had always been on my mind since I left my previous job. About a year ago I finally cracked down and bought a cordless 1/2″ impact wrench. I thought I would only use it on service calls.

I didn’t want to use it in the shop because I thought it wouldn’t have the torque that my pneumatic shock had. I kept telling myself that I’m old school; I don’t want my boss to catch me using some dumb cordless shock. So for the first few months, my cordless impact wrench spent most of its time in the carrying case.

Over time I started taking it out of the case and using it on small jobs. I like how it feels and is comfortable to wear. Eventually I started using it more and more.

One day my boss was putting together a set of doubles on his John Deere 4620 tractor. He needed to tighten the bolts on the rim. He was busy using my 1/2″ air impact drive, so I walked over to the shop bench, grabbed the 1/2″ cordless drive, and handed it to him.

He gave me a little amused look and asked if this would tighten the bolts enough. I said “sure, that shock has enough torque to keep the bolts tight in the rim”. These were very good sized bolts (3/4″ diameter) and I had no idea if the cordless impact was up to the task.

It was time to try it out and see if it was a worthy purchase; the boss’s tractor was to be the first test. My boss farmed all that week and I never heard anything about the duals coming loose on the tractor.

About two weeks passed and my boss and I had to take a road trip to the farm to remove the doubles from the tractor. At that point, I was becoming more and more convinced that my 1/2″ cordless impact wrench was a worthy purchase. Of course, I took it with me.

We get to the farm and lift the doppelgangers into the air so we can get them out. The impact hit several times before loosening the bolts; we eliminate both duals without problems. After that experience, I was convinced by the fact that cordless impact wrenches are definitely worth the money.

I started using my cordless impact more and more; It got to the point where I just grabbed the cordless impact every time I needed an impact wrench for a job.

Times have changed for me and I feel like I’ve caught up with the rest of the mechanic family. Not only do I have my 1/2″ cordless impact wrench, but I have also added a cordless drill and about a month ago I purchased a 3/8″ cordless impact wrench.

Today, my air-powered impact wrenches sit in my toolbox waiting to be used. My cordless shocks are the tool of choice for me; they get used every day.

Cordless impact wrenches are definitely worth a look because they have come a long way in terms of having plenty of torque to get the job done. Battery life is about double compared to models made 15 or 20 years ago.

A couple of months ago I replaced a clutch on a Peterbilt 379 truck. I used my 1/2″ cordless impact driver to do all the work including loosening the flywheel bolts on the crankshaft

Here are several reasons why I think cordless shocks are definitely worth it:

o Torque: Cordless shocks today have the torque to loosen or tighten the largest and tightest bolts or nuts.
o Efficiency: Battery life is at least twice as long as previous models and it takes 2/3 less time to fully charge a depleted battery.
o Convenience: all I have to do is grab the cordless impact and go. I don’t have to worry about dragging airlines around the store to connect my wireless impact. Also, I’m not running over airlines with my creeper.
o Price: The price hasn’t really gone down much, if at all, but you’re getting a better quality tool for your hard-earned money; it’s worth the price.

If you’re that automotive hobbyist, you’ll definitely want to consider adding cordless shocks to your tool collection. You don’t have to worry about buying an air compressor just to be able to operate air powered impacts.

Although I have to admit that it is nice to have an air compressor in the garage, but I will leave that topic for a later date.

Just remember, quality is key in any product. You may need to spend a little extra money on a name-brand wireless shock, but I bet you won’t be disappointed by its performance.