Back in July, we had the chance to preview the ACDelco Tools ARI2002 High Torque Impact Wrench. Our first impressions of the tool were great. It had a great build quality, felt durable, and promised a whole bunch of torque. The ergonomics were nice, and the gun felt light. Best of all, the ACDelco ARI2002 impact wrench has some great features. In the original article, we promised that we’d eventually get the chance to put it up against some of the other big names in power tools to see how it measured up.

Well, we finally got our chance. We recently got a whole pile of impact wrenches into the shop from a variety of manufacturers, and we tested them against each other in our Best Cordless Impact Wrench Shootout. Along with this ACDelco model, we also got impact wrenches from Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, Ingersoll Rand, Bosch, Matco, and MAC. We used performance. ergonomics, and value to determine which impact wrenches led the pack.

ACDelco Cordless Impact Wrench Performance

Performance weighed the heaviest for us in determining our shootout winner. Winning the “most comfortable wrench” award doesn’t mean all that much if that super comfortable wrench can’t get the job done. That’s why we ran these impact wrenches through two kinds of performance tests. One emphasized torque, and the other tackled repetitive power and speed.

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For the torque test, we applied each wrench to our Torq-O-Matic testing rig, which combines the front wheel of a car/truck with a weighted sled like those typically seen at tractor-pulls. As the impact wrench turns the rotor, the weight moves further up the ramp, providing more clamping force on the rotor via the caliper. We then used Proto 6232 torque multiplier and a digital torque wrench to validate our results.

Basically, the Milwaukee 2767 set the gold standard for this test by maxing out the original weight and then pushing even more. At that point, we basically used this result as the 100% mark that any other wrench in our competition could achieve. The ACDelco ARI2002 received a power rating of 83, since it did 83% of the work that the 2nd generation Milwaukee could do.

For our speed testing, we used a 10″ x 10″ I-beam made with 1/2” steel. The I-beam contains ten Grade-8 7/8″ hardened bolts along with nuts and washers. Torque specifications for this size bolt are 454 pounds. This means that at 454 ft-lbs of torque, the bolt is in its elastic or stretch state. We pushed the limits a bit, using the AC Delco to torque all ten bolts to 500 ft-lbs. We used a stopwatch to gauge how long it took the ACDelco cordless impact wrench to loosen all ten nuts.

The ACDelco ARI2002 finished this exercise in 14.4 seconds, which was our third slowest result. While that doesn’t sound great, it helps to know that the top 8 all finished within 4 seconds of each other. It was a close race.

ACDelco ARI2002 Impact Wrench Value

This result is kind of a mixed bag for this ACDelco cordless impact wrench. On the one hand, this wrench sits at a great price point. $399 for the kit puts it behind the DeWalt at $349, and barely behind the 7-year old Bosch at $395. However, the downside may revolve around its warranty. You’ll only get a year. Most of the tools in this shootout do a good deal better than that at anywhere from 3 to 5 years.

Feature Set

Where the ACDelco cordless impact wrench really shines is in the number of features it offers. Relative to all the other impact wrenches, the ARI2002’s feature set is downright comprehensive. Only the 2nd gen Milwaukee has more capabilities. It also features an optional auxiliary handle, which helps for bracing. None of the other brands included this feature. It also features a brushless motor, variable speed trigger, and three speed selections. To top it all off, ACDelco even integrated an LED work light.

We also really liked the way the ACDelco ARI2002 impact wrench felt in our hands. At 7.36 lbs with the battery, it wasn’t necessarily the lightest option. Still, it felt pretty comfortable to hold. Lines between the plastic housing and the overmolding are clean, and they don’t irritate our fingers.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, this ACDelco cordless impact wrench feel into the middle of the pack in many of our results. It finished out our testing in 7th place. This is not to say that this impact wrench is underpowered. In fact, it absolutely has enough power to handle just about anything you could throw at it.

The best thing the ACDelco model has going for it revolves around its feature set. Really, the only wrench that “outperformed” the ARI2002 in this respect was the Milwaukee 2767, and that probably just comes down to an extra speed setting/mode. No one else included an auxiliary handle, which could definitely have its uses. Plus, the ARI2002 is a very comfortable tool to use—and that does matter.

Oddly enough, one of the biggest downsides to the ACDelco ARI2002 impact wrench is that it seems extremely difficult to find. It’s not on their website. Neither Amazon.com nor The Home Depot seems to carry it. Sometimes, exclusivity and scarcity breed desire. Apple has been working this angle for years. But, in this case, the idea to keep this impact wrench from being widely available seems ill-advised. Who knows, maybe it’s still not out yet?

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ACDelco Cordless Impact Wrench Specs

• Anvil: 1/2 in.
• IPM (Impacts Per Minute): 2,000
• Max Tightening Torque: 738 ft-lbs.
• Max Loosening Torque: 1,100 ft-lbs.
• Battery Volts: 20
• Battery Amp Hours: 4.0 Ah
• Weight: 8.02 lbs.
• RPM: 0-950 / 1,300 / 1,700
• Warranty: 1-year
• MSRP: $399

Find more information on the ACDelco ARI2002 impact wrench here.