Should I buy an impact driver?

I sit on the bike, hit the rear brake and break it loose with a long 3/8 ratchet.

Battery powered impact gun….works great on flywheel nuts, clutch basket nuts, front sprocket bolts…. Must have IMO

Impact driver is just a smaller impact wrench with a 1/4" collet instead of a square drive. I use the impact drivers all the time, easily my most used power tool. Works well for most bike/automotive stuff. The hydraulic impact is really nice, so much easier on the ears.

And impacts don't need you to hold the brake and like. They impact. Wack, pause, wack, pause. This minimizes spinning entire assemblies and just spins the nut/bolt. Also helps they're a rotational tool, there's no lever or outside force beyond spinning coaxial to the hardware.

Also helps to put the bike in high gear when removing the counter shaft nut. It also puts less stress on the transmission.

This!

Yes to all of the above, however I don't suggest trying to use it on sprocket bolts. My rule for sprocket bolts is the outside hex/torx is just for holding. Any actual force for loosening or tightening is applied to the nut on the backside. The outside is just too easy to round/strip. I've had people bring me wheels with the outsides all boogered out from using power tools and it is not a fun day.

Yes to an impact driver/gun. Don't know how I got along all those years without one. So convenient!

Also, this is a GREAT tool. Holds the C/S sprocket and adjusts to fit different sizes.
https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/sprocket-stuff-counter-sprocke…

An impact driver is a remarkably superior tool for putting screws in wood. It's a game changer.

Milwaukee makes the best stuff right now. Personally ive got dewalt impacts and drills. Harbor freight earthquake 1200ft lb impact for automobiles and axle nuts. I almost never use a ratchet anymore.

Around the house i feel the drill is better for small screws. I use it for pocket hole screws and pretty much anything wood working related. Impact for structural screws. The drill can torque your wrist pretty bad.

Agreed with above post. Get a Milwaukee impact. They are expensive but they take one hell of a beating and are very powerful. The tools I linked below are the stubby series. I believe they have the M12 and I know they have the M18 in the normal size series as well. The stubby is great for tight environments and you will find yourself using it everywhere.

The shop that I work in uses almost exclusively Milwaukee and we use them 8 hours a day 5 days a week and they almost never fail or let us down. Buy it once and buy it right (and this is coming from someone who owns plenty of craftsman or other cheaper brand tools)

12V:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M12-FUEL-12V-Lithium-Ion-Brushles…?

18V:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-FUEL-GEN-2-18V-Lithium-Ion-Mi…

Cordless impact drivers are absolutely game changing tools. I’ve got a 1/4” drive and a 1/2” drive dewalt, the small one gets used constantly, the big one is used a lot too.

Be careful, if you just yank the trigger you can break stuff fairly easily. Run them snug and hand torque at first to learn the feel.

You’ll spend a few bucks getting bits and attachments. Stay away from the cheap Harbor Freight bits unless you don’t mind garfing up things like your bike or hands when the bits break. I broke a bit while building up electrical boxes, it drilled into the palm of my hand pretty deep before I could get it pulled out. Good bits are worth the price!

I bought a craftsman impact driver and hammer drill about a year ago and they’ve been great for bike work. I’ve used it a ton working on my truck and built a fish tank stand with it too. It was a great investment.

My dads a contractor and does tons of different jobs and has a ton of the newer craftsman tools and they’re doing him just fine for what it’s worth, I haven’t been nice to mine either.

Bought a Milwaukee gen 3 M18 3/8” impact and it has become my go to for everything and absolutely a godsend with clutch work. Camper jacks, anything loctite’d, and a xc5.0 battery lasts like a month between needing charge

Try to keep oils and chemicals away from the Milwaukee tools, the rubber over molding will eventually degrade and fall off if you don't. This happened to my Milwaukee impact wrench.