I’ve just got a compact cordless drill/driver & impact driver set which I’d like to use among other things on bicycles.

Ideally I would like to have a short and long set of 1/4″ hex drive hex keys 3-13mm to use with power tools on the bikes, However after searching in lots of places I can only find 3-6mm bits with hex drive, bigger than that they are e.g. 3/8″ square drive.

So has anybody had more luck finding power tool hex keys or have any general tips for getting a neat setup with power tools bike fettling.

I’ve not found anything bigger than a 8mm on a 1/4″. I just use a 1/4 hex to socket adaptor. Means I can use sockets as well.

Imapct ones from screwfix: http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-socket-driver-set-3-pieces/6297d?_requestid=282336 although I’ve used my cheap non impact ones loads without issue. Its not like anything is mega tight and if it is I tend to do the first/last bit by hand

Job Done…

Includes all the bits you could ever need and a nice grip quick change adaptor. Brilliant kit, use mine all the time.

Granted it doesn’t go down beyond 3mm but an impact driver will likely just strip anything smaller. It lacks an 8mm too but the only time you’re likely to use that is on your cranks and then you should really be using a torque wrench anyway.

What would you use a power driver for on a bike? I’d be very nervous about overtightening/stripping stuff.

Loosening cranks or bottom brackets are the only things I can think an impact driver might help with.

What would you use a power driver for on a bike? I’d be very nervous about overtightening/stripping stuff.

Maybe they would be useful if you had a fully serviceable bike, the wife knew of no good reason for getting a new one, but you wanted one.

Seriously, I wouldn’t be using an impact driver on bike bits.

Maybe they would be useful if you had a fully serviceable bike, the wife knew of no good reason for getting a new one, but you wanted one.

It’s taken a few goes to parse that sentence but yes, I think an impact driver would be a very effective way to rapidly deprecate a frame.

I wouldnt use an impact driver to tighten up anything other than maybe a BB but i thought it’d be a good way of unscrewing stubbon stuff like freehub retention bolts and a fun/quick way of unscrewing other stuff like pedals.

The drill/driver is there for tightening (on a low torque setting and finished off by hand or torque wrench.

sealey premier make a nice set i use with my 1/4″ torque wrench

i thought it’d be a good way of unscrewing stubbon stuff like freehub retention bolts

By the way impact drivers aint that high a torque. your confusing it with an impact wrench .

an impact driver designed for fitting screws will be laughed at by a free hub bolt and it wont tighten a BB enough for use.

Waste of time imo.

I do often use a impact driver (14v snap on with 1/2 drive ) for bb removal but don’t think anything smaller would do much.

If you want some new tools a need an excuse the. Crank on anyway.

And as above never use them to tighten up bike bits

That’s an impact wrench orangeboy.

Different thing

Easy way to tell us if it’s hex drive it’s a driver designed for putting in screws and relitiviely low torque it just how it delivers the torque that means it don’t **** screws up.

If it’s a square drive the it’ll be an impact wrench and be a decent torque rating as it’s designed for fitting bolts etc.

I got this Makita set recently and its got a decent range of bits, hex and screwdriver. And the little ratchet handle is lovely…. 😕

I’ve got that makita set too. Ratchet is great for small spaces.

Add a nice spinner handle and it’s replaces a lot of tools.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beta-Drive-Spinner-Handle-1-4-900BG-30-/221821855438?hash=item33a59ce6ce:g:lboAAOSwo4pYghC-

What would you use a power driver for on a bike? I’d be very nervous about overtightening/stripping stuff. [/I]

I use one all the time for rotor’s. Just set the torque setting to the one I want and six in an instant.

The other good use is for flat pedal screws, there’s loads and they’re a ‘tight’ thread.

“they’re a ‘tight’ thread.”

But there not a high torque….which is why impact DRIVERs work for them….

Also which impact drivers have a “select a torque”

most ive seen have a select a power rating if your lucky.

mine has 4 settings – they dont equate to any given torque.

I see sealey make some kits like this and I actually might be able to use them with a 10mm magnetic nut driver too.
The makita kit looks nice too.

I appreciate it isn’t as powerful as an impact wrench but this little 12V impact driver is rated for 115Nm which I thought it would be enough for stuff like pedals and freehub bolts. I used to have in impact driver that had no problem undoing car wheel nuts but that was 18V so probably a bit more powerful and it did eventually break the non-impact style 1/4″hex to 3/8″ square adaptor that I was using.