Impact bits for Panasonic impact driver.

**soloist** · 4th October 2009, 12:29 AM

Have just purchased a Panasonic 14.4V impact driver & very happy. I also purchased a 42 piece Hitachi impact bit set to go with it & when I got it home to have a play, realised that the dedicated bits that run 3/8" from the back of the shank to the middle of the indent fit perfectly. BUT, the double ended bits such as a phillips, have 5/8" from the tip of the tool to the middle of the indent. When I tried to put these in the collar of the tool, it would not return to its original position. Reference to the operating instructions show that you must only use hexagonal bits with 9.5 mm (3/8") detent. My quandry is that I assumed (& I know you should never make assumptions), that all power bit sets for 1/8" hex drives would have had the same measurement for the indent. Furthermore, that this power bit set that I bought would have both 3/8" & 5/8" detents makes no sense at all, or am I missing something glaringly obvious? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

**Pusser** · 4th October 2009, 03:52 AM

It is odd. I used to have a makita impact driver and to use the 3/8th indents you had to have a little cap to take up the slack. I used to live in fear of losing it.

**fubar** · 4th October 2009, 09:25 AM

hmmm ive had my panasonic over twleve months but havent run out of bits that were part of the purchase didnt realise there was a problem .
ahh just read your post again double end bits
i dont use them much as they dont fit my quickchangers as they dont lock in them

**artme** · 4th October 2009, 11:06 AM

This is a pretty handy "heads up. I would not have given this a thought.

**justinmcf** · 4th October 2009, 12:03 PM

i agree with fubar, i never use double ended bits in an impact driver.
i prefer to use a 1/4 inch adapter, which allows you to insert 25mm bits.
its a lot cheaper to replace these bits than a dedicated shank.

regards, justin.

**Enfield Guy** · 4th October 2009, 05:27 PM

Ah yes, the deeper recess in the Makita so that it accepts double ended bits. Bad idea really. They provide a little spacer to resolve the problem with the 3/8 ended bits. Trouble is, it can fall out at the most inoportune time. Without it, the bits with a 3/8 end will end up jamming in the chuck.

Solution, buy another brand. To my knowledge Makita is the only one who does that. Another solution is to not lose the funny little bit of thing that you stick in the chuck. Me, I lost 6 of them before I got sick of it and cut my losses and bought a different machine. My 2c worth.

**soloist** · 4th October 2009, 10:59 PM

It appears from the thread that Makita's run a 5/8" throat for the power driver bits? The set I bought is Hitachi branded, so I am assuming that Hitachi impact drivers may also have, or still do run a 5/8" throat for the power driver bits? Anyway the set I bought contains 11 out of the 41 pieces with double ended shanks, and 10 of these are phillips, so I will be taking it back & trying to get a set with pieces that only have 3/8" indent. I am surprised that the salesperson in the shop where I bought it didn't pick up on this, as I bought the Panasonic impact driver & then asked for a combo set to suit.

**Enfield Guy** · 4th October 2009, 11:51 PM

Just buy the single ended bits. I tend to use GFB brand but ABW or IRWIN or others will work as long as they are for a 3/8 detent. Remember that the guy who sold the tool probably doesn't use the tool, he just sells them.

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