I've been thinking of doing this for years, and this past weekend was the straw that broke the camel's back, sweating my butt off in 90F heat. Simply stated, I want to use a battery powered portable tool to raise and lower my Stabilizer Jacks. Do I need to purchase an Impact WRENCH or an Impact DRIVER? The tool also needs to do double-duty by being able to Remove and Install the LUG NUTS on my F-350 Super Duty, which have a torque spec of (what I've been able to glean from the internet) 145-150 ft-lbs of Torque. Also, should I get an 18VDC tool or a 20VDC tool? Any brand suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help!

I use my Makita drill motor vs the Makita impact. I like the smoothness of the drill vs the slapping or hammering of the impact. Mine is 18 v and 12 years old with half of that time being used while wrenching daily. Makita is excellent. The batteries are just starting to fail now. I have thought about going from air powered 1/2 drive impact to an electric but my wheels are really the only thing I'd use it for or hopefully the only thing as I'm trying to ease the beating on my old body by limiting my wrenching.

I just searched Makita and found this 325 ft lb. Now you got me wanting one. :)OH WAIT! I found this monster. When the stabilizer reaches the end of it's travel it would just rip it right off the rig! lol

I have yet to figure out why someone would want to use an impact on their stabilizers. A decent cordless drill will do the job just fine. If the stabilizers are so tight that one would need an impact, that person needs to do some maintenance on their stabilizers.

This impact wrench is the one I use, but I have a lot of the tools that use that same battery and charger. It claims 300 ft-lbs of torque.

Since you have a specific torque setting for your truck you need to only verify the ability to reach that. I've got a Dewalt cordless 20 volt driver, but I've never tried to use it to torque or break the lug nuts, it's only a 1/4 inch drive. For Lugs I'd get a cordless torque wrench something with 1/2 " drive. Milwaukee and Dewalt both make them with about 220 ft lb capabilities.

Battery powered Impact WRENCH or Impact DRIVER?

theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Jul 11, 2017
beemerphile1 wrote:
Impact Driver is used for running screws.

Impact Wrench is used for lug nuts.

A drill is all that is needed for the stab jacks.

CONCUR !

If you are carrying a torque wrench for the finally tightening of wheel lug nuts and are willing to use it to crack them loose, then you can save yourself a lot of money be buying a 3/8" drive 12V impact wrench like a Milwaukee M12 3/8" impact and 3/8" drill/driver. Save even more buy choosing the non-FUEL versions (FUEL version have a bit more power and a bit better battery life). Stick with the 3/8" impact NOT the 1/4" hex, then buy a Milwaukee 48-03-4405 square to hex adapter.

If you want to do lug nuts, you really need an 18V (or higher) 1/2" impact.
Pirate1
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
fj12ryder wrote:
"Any mechanic worth anything will run the lugs on and then use a torque wrench to finish."

This is very true, but good mechanics are not the ones removing and refitting the wheels, that would usually fall to the grunts.
The idiots at my tire joint insisted they would use a torque wrench. I watched them on wheel number one as they torqued down the lug nuts to who-knows-what using the impact wrench and THEN put the torque wrench on. Clicks. Yep, all torqued. Fools. Of course I jumped in after running for the shop supervisor. If you want it done right, do it yourself.
OH48Lt
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
I use a Milwaukee 18v impact wrench (600 lb ft torque) for the heavy stuff like lug nut removal. Not sure I would want to use anything like that on stabilizers. A small drill motor would work great for that.

Best thing is to get two different tools. If you are limited to one tool, a drill motor is not going to remove lug nuts.
j-d
Explorer II
Jul 10, 2017
OP - If you still want to do what you posted, specifically, get a cordless tool that'll change Ford Pickup tires (and presumably Trailer Tires...), AND crank Leveling Jacks, then...

Ryobi 1+ setup (18V) should do it. Be sure you get the new P261 tool $179

Kobalt 24V Brushless mentioned above $249

RIDGID 18V kit I pictured above $149

If I had nothing, I'd probably start out with RIDGID. Ryobi will do the job. Kobalt has the numbers, but at the highest price, without the lifetime Tool AND BATTERY plan from Home Depot, falls short on Bang for the Buck.

For me, Price, Value, Performance says RIDGID.
STBRetired
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
HF is now pushing a 20V 1/2" impact they claim has 1200 ft/lbs of torque. When the lug nut it tight, your wrist snaps to prevent over-tightening.
Mel_B_
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
ParkCountry wrote:
I've been thinking of doing this for years, and this past weekend was the straw that broke the camel's back, sweating my butt off in 90F heat. Simply stated, I want to use a battery powered portable tool to raise and lower my Stabilizer Jacks. Do I need to purchase an Impact WRENCH or an Impact DRIVER? The tool also needs to do double-duty by being able to Remove and Install the LUG NUTS on my F-350 Super Duty, which have a torque spec of (what I've been able to glean from the internet) 145-150 ft-lbs of Torque. Also, should I get an 18VDC tool or a 20VDC tool? Any brand suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help!

How often do you change your truck tire?? I have a 2000 F350 I bought in 2001 and I've never changed a tire on it. I buy new tires when needed and if I did have a flat, if AAA can't come I'm sure I could change it with a lug wrench.
Mel
SaltiDawg
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
downtheroad wrote:
An impact wrench with 700+ ft. lbs. of torque...
Good grief, as you lower your stab. jacks it will also lower and raise 5 others trailers without even leaving your site...and will drown out the noise of a 767 flying 100 feet over the campground....

Would it also drown out the noise from that other portable generator?

You know the one. The one with the wrong color. :W
beemerphile1
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
Impact Driver is used for running screws.

Impact Wrench is used for lug nuts.

A drill is all that is needed for the stab jacks. Don't be that person that annoys the entire campground making a racket using an impact for the stab jacks.
Chum_lee
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
kzspree320 wrote:
Well if you have ever had your tires rotated at a dealer/ shop you can forget about the torque ratings for the lug nuts. My experience is that they use impact wrenches and the torque is way more than spec. Often it is almost double spec. Lug nuts on my fiver are supposed to be torqued to 120 lbs. When I had a blowout one of the lug nuts was almost impossible to remove with the t lug wrench. I had to use almost all of my 230 lb weight to push down and all my strength to pull up on the other side. I will guaranty it was torqued to over 250. Point is, get way more than you think you need unless you do all your own tire changing with a torque wrench. Good luck.

Yes, this has been my experience also. So, . . . whenever anyone other than me touches the wheels on my motorhome, cars, or, whatever, immediately afterward, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS break the lug nuts/bolts loose and retighten them to the proper specification using a torque wrench. 9 times out of 10, well, you know the story from here. Having a flat tire on the road is bad enough. Breaking every tool in my box or giving myself a hernia trying to fix it is just more annoyance I don't need.

Chum lee
azrving
Explorer
Jul 10, 2017
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
rjxj wrote:
I just searched Makita and found this 325 ft lb. Now you got me wanting one. :)

OH WAIT! I found this monster. When the stabilizer reaches the end of it's travel it would just rip it right off the rig! lol

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

At end of travel, it stays stationary

YOU revolve

lol, you're right, it would at least beat the heck out of me.