3/4 impact wrench... Whos got one?

[bcradio]

I just ordered one of these online... Not sure how much use it will see, but it may save my tail as i am a home wrench and dont have access to a shop one.

Who has one and what do you use it for?

 

[osborn.ozzy]

honda crank bolts unless you work on medium duty stuff and bigger

 

[bobcatdan]

Mac rebadge IR composite. Don't use it offen, but if the MG725 can't touch it, I bring the big boy out. I only use 3/8" hose and it still is powerful. I wish I had gotten one a lot sooner, I would have found use working on cars with it

 

[bcradio]

honda crank bolts unless you work on medium duty stuff and bigger

Are Honda crank bolts a good bit tighter than others? I have never removed one.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

Are Honda crank bolts a good bit tighter than others? I have never removed one.

Plan on using a 4-5ft piece of pipe if you dont have one.

 

[cookefab]

FWIW, Honda crank bolts are often the "test" for air impacts...only the best 1/2" models can pull it off, and only with a proper supply setup - 100+ psi, inline oiler and big capacity to maximize CFM. Also, "cheap" 3/4" models will often perform weaker than the more modern, potent 1/2" models.
I've got an older CP 3/4" that used to see alot of use on International 4300 trucks - removing the lugs w/out at least a 3/4" impact are impossible. I remember watching a 320 lb lunk of tow trainee bounce on a 3/4" bar w/ a 6'+ "torque multiplier", aka leverage bar, attached and the lugs wouldn't budge - this after coming back from the tire shop w/ a bubble in one of the brand new tires. Anyway, now that it's gotten some age, it has to be warmed and patience is required for those same lugs, and now it sees use on tractor blades and suspension components. It's extremely heavy for constant use at anything other than a comfortable 90 degree angle, especially after shattering my hand/wrist a few years back, so I'm mulling an MG725 or equivalent for similar performance.
Anyway, to sum it up, for a "weekend warrior" with money to burn, I guess you can find uses for a 3/4", but for a pro with kids/wife/mortgage/etc, I'll have to justify an upgrade to my pile of CP. Or at least come up with bigger stuff to fix for a living.

 

[KinzeMech]

I wrench on bigger stuff than cars, so I will own up to having no first hand knowledge of how tight a honda crank bolt is. It gets talked about a lot here, but personally, I think there's a little hyperbole going on.
If it really takes that much torque, just for a crank bolt, it's a wonder there aren't more stories of them twisting off.

I've got the $99 one from HF. I use it at least once a week. I've got a half inch airline and half inch couplers on it. For a HF tool, I've been impressed with it. One day it will be replaced with an IR or SO, but until then, it's doing well.




Just because good hyperbole is worth adding to:

Q: How does Chuck Norris remove Honda crank bolts?





A: Verbally! Come off!

 

[Snapped-off]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but why are Honda crank bolts so notorious for being really hard to remove? When it comes to stubborn crank bolts being removed, Honda is the only name I see being tossed around.

I'm not a pro wrench, and I've never worked on one of them before.

 

[Toolhorder]

I wrench on bigger stuff than cars, so I will own up to having no first hand knowledge of how tight a honda crank bolt is. It gets talked about a lot here, but personally, I think there's a little hyperbole going on.
If it really takes that much torque, just for a crank bolt, it's a wonder there aren't more stories of them twisting off.

I've got the $99 one from HF. I use it at least once a week. I've got a half inch airline and half inch couplers on it. For a HF tool, I've been impressed with it. One day it will be replaced with an IR or SO, but until then, it's doing well.




Just because good hyperbole is worth adding to:

Q: How does Chuck Norris remove Honda crank bolts?





A: Verbally! Come off!

I'm a Honda dealer tech and they are extremely tight. It's true what's already been said. My IR timax could usually get them off if I hammered reverse/forward a couple times and sometimes if I smacked the bolt head a couple times (gotta be careful you don't damage the crank thrust bearings though) and usually I could get it off. Recently though my 1/2 gun died and I got the newer style IR quiet model as a demo and had a t-belt job yesterday and it wouldn't come off at all. I was in a hurry so I grabbed a co-workers 3/4 IR gun and blasted the bolt off.
I'm hoping my new Snappy 1/2" gun has enough balls to take them off

 

[Toolhorder]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but why are Honda crank bolts so notorious for being really hard to remove? When it comes to stubborn crank bolts being removed, Honda is the only name I see being tossed around.

I'm not a pro wrench, and I've never worked on one of them before.

Just are. Not sure why. Why do their trannys ****?

 

[chris142]

I have an ir 261 and an extra tank with 1/2 hose to do honda crank bolts and big rig lugnuts. I. have a 625 ft lb mac 1/2 gun thar wont touch the crank bolts

 

[KinzeMech]

OP: which one did you order?

 

[Packard V8]

While I'd never buy them on purpose, I got both 1/2" and 3/4" Harbor Freight Earthquake impacts and sockets as part of a bigger deal. They've been put to work in an engine rebuilder shop ******* hard; both been bulletproof and done anything and everything asked of them. The sockets are huge and look pretty much unbreakable. If money is a factor and if you're a weekender, can't go wrong.

jack vines

 

[KinzeMech]

Yes! The HF 3/4" impact socket sets are tough. (not the regular pittsburg ones, the pittsburg pro line). I have misused both of my sets (SAE+metric) in horrible ways, and they just keep taking a pounding.

 

[472scout]

Do they work on D60 kingpins?

 

[RangerDaleXp]

I have an IR and the older HF Earthquake on standby when needed....

 

[bcradio]

OP: which one did you order?

I just got the 3/4" Earthquake. I saw that it had mixed reviews online so hopefully its ok.

Has anyone tried the 3/4" Earthquake? How does it do? Claims it has 1400ft-lb.

 

[KinzeMech]

post back when you get a chance to try it out. I got the cheaper one (about $100) last year, and I've been pleased with it. It has a lower torque rating than the earthquake, but the reviews of it are more positive.

 

[KinzeMech]

Use it hard in the first month or two to test it well. HF will take stuff back up to 90 days if you're dissatisfied with it.

 

[bcradio]

Use it hard in the first month or two to test it well. HF will take stuff back up to 90 days if you're dissatisfied with it.

I definitely plan on giving it a good tryout period. I want to make sure I didn't get a dud.

 

[AutoTek]

I work at a Honda dealer and all of us have the $100 heavy duty air gun from Harbor Freight. It takes the crank bolts off ALL OF THE TIME. Its really the only reason anyone in our shop has a 3/4 air gun.......

 

[purplezr2]

Use 3/4 drive for removing tracks and weight on large farm tractors.

 

[AutoTek]

post back when you get a chance to try it out. I got the cheaper one (about $100) last year, and I've been pleased with it. It has a lower torque rating than the earthquake, but the reviews of it are more positive.

Thats the same gun I have, it was $100 from HF, I've used it at work for almost 2 years, not one problem at all. Although I use it pretty much for one task: Taking off crank bolts......

 

[MR_T]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but why are Honda crank bolts so notorious for being really hard to remove? When it comes to stubborn crank bolts being removed, Honda is the only name I see being tossed around.

I'm not a pro wrench, and I've never worked on one of them before.

I have asked the same question and was told that they are supposed to be torqued to only 160 ft\lbs on the 90s accord. Honda supposedly uses their version of the red thread-lock on them. Add that to 10+ years and it becomes a PITA. I was able to remove my brothers with my 1/2" Earthquake only after turning up the air to 125 psi

 

[RangerDaleXp]

I just got the 3/4" Earthquake. I saw that it had mixed reviews online so hopefully its ok.

Has anyone tried the 3/4" Earthquake? How does it do? Claims it has 1400ft-lb.

New version has had some bad reviews. I have the older version which was out for several years and has had very good reviews till it was replaced by the new one. I cant vouch for the new versions performance....

 

[bcradio]

^ Yeah it seems they start going bad after a little bit of use according to some reviews... others say they are fine for years with no issues

 

[fflintstone]

I have an old black and decker that I bought for cheap at a yard sale. I have not had a chance to test it out yet. ( I do have a honda too....)

 

[Toolhorder]

Thats the same gun I have, it was $100 from HF, I've used it at work for almost 2 years, not one problem at all. Although I use it pretty much for one task: Taking off crank bolts......

The only reason any of us use the 3/4 gun too, lol

 

[KinzeMech]

Thats the same gun I have, it was $100 from HF, I've used it at work for almost 2 years, not one problem at all. Although I use it pretty much for one task: Taking off crank bolts......

Is yours backwards on the forward/reverse switch? I push mine to reverse to go forward, and to forward to go reverse. It is bizarre, but it's been like that from day one, and doesn't affect it's operation (other than making it backward).

 

[GSteg]

Not all Honda crank bolts are a pain in the ****. It's those pesky 90s Honda accords (F-series engines) that will give your gun a good workout. If it has never been removed, then I offer you my condolences.

 

[Murphy4570]

I don't remove enough Honda crank bolts to justify a 3/4" gun, but I have thought about getting the composite Matco one a few times. $750 for an impact gun is not chump change, however.

I use a 5-6' cheater pipe on my breaker bar for those crank pully bolts instead. Works well enough.

 

[bigcaddy]

I'm a Honda dealer tech and they are extremely tight. It's true what's already been said. My IR timax could usually get them off if I hammered reverse/forward a couple times and sometimes if I smacked the bolt head a couple times (gotta be careful you don't damage the crank thrust bearings though) and usually I could get it off. Recently though my 1/2 gun died and I got the newer style IR quiet model as a demo and had a t-belt job yesterday and it wouldn't come off at all. I was in a hurry so I grabbed a co-workers 3/4 IR gun and blasted the bolt off.
I'm hoping my new Snappy 1/2" gun has enough balls to take them off

I'm no Honda tech but i can vouch for the insane amount of torque that Honda uses on their engines. I did a service on my aunts Honda Odyssey and was almost in tears getting those things off. I didn't use an impact either!! My uncle and i used a huge cheater with a custom made tool to get the front of the engine apart.

It was a lesson i'll never forget and now i own a 3/4" impact just in case i encounter another Honda.

 

[Jason280]

I have a Farmhand 3/4" impact from Tractor Supply, but I've honestly never had to use it. I bought it from one of the local pawn shops, and its been pretty much collecting dust since. I kind of wish I would run into a really stubborn 1 1/4" bolt, just to see what it can handle!

Speaking of the HF Earthquake 3/4" guns, most of my research indicates poor reviews, especially when compared with the 1/2" guns (which seem to be well regarded).

 

[WWIIjeep]

I've never worked on a Honda, but I work on medium and heavy trucks and industrial machinery, where 3/4" and even 1" impact wrenches are necessities.

My 3/4" impact wrench is an Ingersoll Rand 261, which can probably spin a whole Honda around.

 

[smogtech]

Just are. Not sure why. Why do their trannys ****?

Cause doing them is gravy. 02-05 cvt trannys so gravy.

I have a 3/4 in gun with a 19mm socket. all it does is take crank pullies off.

 

[bcradio]

I have a Farmhand 3/4" impact from Tractor Supply, but I've honestly never had to use it. I bought it from one of the local pawn shops, and its been pretty much collecting dust since. I kind of wish I would run into a really stubborn 1 1/4" bolt, just to see what it can handle!

Speaking of the HF Earthquake 3/4" guns, most of my research indicates poor reviews, especially when compared with the 1/2" guns (which seem to be well regarded).

I'm hoping the harbor freight 3/4 earthquake is not bad. I have a 1/2 and 3/8 guns and they are great so will see how this 3/4 is

 

[Packard V8]

No idea when the model changeover occurred, but as previously mentioned, the older HF 3/4" is as good as anyone other than a heavy equipment tech could ever need. Shame they'd cheap out. On most HF items over the years, they have gone from ***** to acceptable when they changed.

jack

 

[KinzeMech]

As long as you have the receipt, HF is usually pretty good about returns.
I had a cheaper 1/2" impact that kept lasting about 2 months, and breaking, and I'd take it back for exchange. On the third exchange, the cashier asked me if I just wanted to return it (this, based on the exchange receipt, not the original purchase, which at that point was some 8 months prior). At that point, I had tried three of the same, so I just cashed out and put the money toward a better gun.

It's also worth pointing out, anytime you buy an expensive item like an impact wrench, use one of the 20% off coupons found in the back of a great number of magazines. They will take that 20% off of a sale price if it's on sale, too (don't know if they are supposed to, I just know it has always worked for me).

 

[mvptrukin]

I do the same type of work WWIIjeep does and last summer my old snappy AT775 was showing its age so I bought a IR 261 from the IR clearance store, who is a sponsor of the forum on the homepage .Unbelievable, it was like 1/4 of the original price, I should have mentioned it b4 because it is now out of stock. I rebuilt my snappy which is now my standby.

 

[crewchief888]

i have an older (20 years or so) bluepoint 3/4 gun.

orginally bought it to remove head bolts, way too much beating with my 1/2" gun.

yea, i work on const equipment.