What is able to drive 3” deck screws into pressure treated lumber without twisting your arm off or stripping the heads off your fasteners? An impact driver of course! Trust us, you need one of these. The Ridgid R842301 18-Volt Lithium-Ion impact Driver is one of the tools available in the Ridgid R969 18V 4 Piece Combo Kit, and it packs quite a punch for its size. With 1450 in-lbs of torque (quite good among the competition) and 3,100 impacts per minute, this driver can get the toughest jobs done. If you need a tool to handle traditional drill bits, check out the Ridgid R86014 18V AutoShift Drill/Driver. In all honesty, picking up both tools would let you tackle just about anything.
Editor’s Note: Check out our 18V Cordless Lithium-ion Impact Driver Round Up to see who ranked the best in our impact driver testing.
Ridgid R842301 18V Impact Driver Build Quality
The Ridgid R842301 impact driver features a die-cast metal gear box for durability. The remainder of the body is made up of tough orange plastic. The grips are made of over-molded grey rubber that provides a sure grip. Bit changes are a snap with the 1/4 in. Hex Quick Coupler and the rear of the handle has space to snap a single bit into a metal storage gripper.
Ergonomics and Use
The Ridgid R842301 Impact Driver has good balance and feel. Light-weight 18-volt lithium-ion batteries are what come with the driver. The over-molded rubber on the back of the handle and on the trigger face helps ensure this tool stays in your hand and under your control. The variable speed trigger pull is comfortable easy to control. The maximum torque developed with the driver is a stated 1450 in-lb with 3,100 impacts per minute. Currently the Ridgid R842301 Impact Driver is only available with combo kits. We would like to see this available as a separate item to allow customers the greatest flexibility in the tools they purchase.
Conclusion
The R842301 Impact Driver is a great addition in the combo kits that includes it. We are sorry to see that it is not currently sold separately. Given the size and power, this impact driver should be able to drive almost anything.
