For 5 years I have used an 18v. Dewalt heavy duty DW989 drill in 1st gear to raise and lower the happijacs on my 8.5 Northstar. It always worked great. However...last week, while building a ramp with it I had a worker on the site come over and offer me the use of his 18V dewalt impact driver (model dw056) and I could not believe how easy it was to sink 3.5 inch screws, very compact and very powerful, very little slippage. I had to have one--and yesterday I bit the bullet and bought it.
Now I'm wondering if anyone has had experience in using one of these little babies to operate the camper jacks. They are in constant impact mode but it is a light hit, not like the old hammer drills--just 1000's of them per minute.
Theory is great but I'm looking for personal experience. I'd rather keep using the drill that I know does no damage than do some harm to the jacks. But... if it really does the job without harm I could take up much less precious room with tools. Has any one tried this??
canusa wrote: For 5 years I have used an 18v. Dewalt heavy duty DW989 drill in 1st gear to raise and lower the happijacs on my 8.5 Northstar. It always worked great. However...last week, while building a ramp with it I had a worker on the site come over and offer me the use of his 18V dewalt impact driver (model dw056) and I could not believe how easy it was to sink 3.5 inch screws, very compact and very powerful, very little slippage. I had to have one--and yesterday I bit the bullet and bought it.
Now I'm wondering if anyone has had experience in using one of these little babies to operate the camper jacks. They are in constant impact mode but it is a light hit, not like the old hammer drills--just 1000's of them per minute.
Theory is great but I'm looking for personal experience. I'd rather keep using the drill that I know does no damage than do some harm to the jacks. But... if it really does the job without harm I could take up much less precious room with tools. Has any one tried this??
Many Thanks,
Herb
I dont have any experience with this as my jacks are electric. I think impact drills have many uses but I cant imagine that raising and lowering jack is one of them. I would use your old reliable...JMHO.
2007 F-350 SRW 6.0L Auto CC SB 4X4
2006 Outfitter Apex 8, 220W Solar and 3 AGM's
I would not use an impact driver. No reason to use it, many not to. It would be fine bring it up, but the problem comes at the end, with a clutch drill, the clutch would just slip, and as you sense the slip you release the trigger. With the impact it will still get to that same place, but it will impact a few times, jamming the jack in the raised position. This can eventually cause damage.
Of course, no one would be as careful as the user and users never make mistakes, so.
I wouldn't use that one though. I do screw up. BTW, my drill has 2 settings, one as impact the other as drill.
Best solution, Atwood wireless.
Bill & Jolene / FL 1997 Southwind 35P 2006 Yamaha 1100 Classic &
1970 Norton Commando 750 in state of recuperation (Almost road ready!!!)
6x12 Enclosd trailer
I don't think I'd use an impact on them. I have no experience with happijacs, but I can tell you it'll wipe out the spare tire winch under your truck in no time.
Jon Loman
Jon & Anita Loman
2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
Ext. cab, 8 ft. bed, 6.0 liter, 4sp auto
Timbrens, Torklift tie-downs w/Fast Guns
1991 Fleetwood Caribou
2-2002 Sea Doo GTX RFI's
The first time I used mine on the stabilizer jacks I sheared the pin in the jack. It didn't take any effort to do it. It was a simple fix but it told me I didn't want to use the impact driver for that purpose.
Keith & Patty / TN.
2004 27rl Crossroads Cruiser
2006 Ford F-250 Lariat The older I get. The better I used to be!
If it is this DeWalt impact wrench you may have real problems with the jacks standing up to 300 foot pounds of force being applied to the jacks when the hammers in the gun start to work.
2006 F-350 PSD DRW - 2004 Eagle Cap 950 - Rancho 9000s - Ride Rites and "Homemade Super Bump Stops"
Question: it sounds like you've decided to bring both the drill and driver (using up "precious room") if you decide you can use the driver for jacks. Why not one or the other? I don't have any experience but I would never use an impact tool on a jack.
I have an inexpensive electric impact wrench and it's excellent at driving 3.5-4" wood screws that my 18v drill won't get all the way in. What it won't do is remove lug nuts or do other things you'd usually want an impact wrench to do. Your wrench is rated higher than mine but you should test it to make sure it will do what you expect on jobs it was meant for.
Thanks to all for the suggestions. Joec, the driver you show is not the one I have. Mine is a little stubby thing with a slip chuck that takes only 1/4" hex tools. It would never work for removing wheel nuts. No clutch on it like there is on the big drill either. I have a kit of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch socket drives that all have 1/4 hex stems that would do the job. In fact they are what I use now with the 1/2 hammer drill (but I have never used the hammer feature on the jacks!!).
While I am not a radical Happijac fan I like them well enough not to want to do any damage to them. I won't use the impact driver until I know someone else--some one less risk averse than I am, has had a good experience with it over a reasonable period of time.
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"Homemade Super Bump Stops" 
