Impact and Torque Screwdrivers Are Must-Have Tools For Wrenching on Cars

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I hate Phillips-head screws. I can’t help but wince whenever I’m faced with extracting one from any of my rusty and dilapidated project cars. Depending on where they’re located, I already know there’s a good chance I’ll strip one and spend hours trying to extract it before giving up and having to drill it out. That’s why I’ll always keep an impact screwdriver close by from now on.

While most impact screwdrivers look like normal screwdrivers on the outside, they feature a mechanism with a spring and rotational cam inside the handle. You use them by placing the tip on the screw you want to extract, just like it’s any other screwdriver. But instead of turning it using the torque from your hand, you smack the base of the impact screwdriver’s handle with a hammer. This is satisfying and fulfilling. But more importantly, the strike forces the shaft of the screwdriver to rotate counterclockwise, usually around 12 degrees, while also delivering downward force to the screw/screwdriver interface to ensure the head doesn’t slip and strip the screw’s teeth.

Here’s a neat video explainer if you want to learn more: