Impact wrench vs hand tools on rusty exhaust bolts: which side are you on?
Last week I had a 2008 Silverado in my bay at the shop in Toledo with exhaust flange bolts so rusted they looked welded on. I hit them with my 1/2 inch impact and snapped two heads clean off, which cost me 40 minutes drilling out the stubs. My old boss always said hand tools first with a breaker bar and some heat, and honestly he was right because more control means less broken hardware. Some guys swear by the impact for speed on every job and say breakage just means it was junk metal anyway. So which side are you on, do you reach for the gun right away or work it by hand first?