Got some new Matco goodness today!

[kevinz]

I finally got approved for an actual Matco credit account (not truck credit) and to celebrate added the new 12v electric ratchet and 18v 1/2-in drive cordless impact to my set at work!

The 12v ratchet is a big step up over the 10,.8 version; it seems better built and heavier, and has the same head as one of their 1/4 in air ratchets. It has a variable speed trigger, LED light, and is quieter than the 10.8.

The 1/2 in impact is a beast, feels like it has tons of power. I also got the battery boot, which has a slight angle designed to the base so it makes the impact more sturdy when standing on end.

I do have a question though...anyone use their cordless 1/2 in impact with torque sticks? Any reason why it would break the gun or not work properly? I used mine today and then followed up with an air gun and it appeared to be right on and torqued the wheel properly.

Anyway just wanted to share!

 

[bobcatdan]

I do not trust cordless impacts to tighten wheels at all. You never know where the power is at on one. Any wheel I tighten with one, I always check with a torque wrench. More often then not, they are not tight with the cordless. Granted I'm working on skidsteers with lugnut torque of 160.

 

[jamesc]

I have used an electric impact with a torque stick and it worked up to about 120 ftlb after that it was slightly off. I tightened them then checked with a torque wrench, I think it would be fine I just don't think its worth the risk so I use an air impact and a torque stick. I have the millwaukee m18 1/2" impact.

 

[FiendFX]

no pics?

 

[kevinz]

no pics?

I'll try and get some pics up by the weekend...show off my little cart at work (which is one of the big Matco 4 drawer carts that sells for $800 new and I got it for $250 used hehe)

 

[Seanbev24]

I do have a question though...anyone use their cordless 1/2 in impact with torque sticks? Any reason why it would break the gun or not work properly? I used mine today and then followed up with an air gun and it appeared to be right on and torqued the wheel properly.

Anyway just wanted to share!

They won't hurt anything, but I only use a torque stick to gun the lugs quickly without overtightening. I always follow with a torque wrench just to be safe.

 

[steelespeed]

I don't understand why mechanics are still using torque sticks other than to speed up repairs. Plus, you don't need to use a damn impact gun to install lug nuts. Spin the lugs on with a battery-powered driver and torque to correct specs with a torque wrench. The job will be done correctly and quickly.

Every wheel I have ever removed that was "torqued" with a torque stick and impact gun took so much brute force to remove it blows my mind that garages allow their techs to use this technique.

 

[kevinz]

I don't understand why mechanics are still using torque sticks other than to speed up repairs. Plus, you don't need to use a damn impact gun to install lug nuts. Spin the lugs on with a battery-powered driver and torque to correct specs with a torque wrench. The job will be done correctly and quickly.

Every wheel I have ever removed that was "torqued" with a torque stick and impact gun took so much brute force to remove it blows my mind that garages allow their techs to use this technique.

I'm not trying to start a war here, just wanted to let you know why...sadly, in the auto repair industry, the "correct and proper way" has sorta gone out the window in favor of time. It's all about time. Service managers constantly beat their guys up to work faster so more money is made. And it's faster to put a torque stick and impact on a lugnut and press a button for a couple seconds than it is to hand torque all of them. The auto repair industry is all about work faster, take less TIME, because TIME = MONEY. That's just the way it is.

 

[bobcatdan]

I don't understand why mechanics are still using torque sticks other than to speed up repairs. Plus, you don't need to use a damn impact gun to install lug nuts. Spin the lugs on with a battery-powered driver and torque to correct specs with a torque wrench. The job will be done correctly and quickly.

Every wheel I have ever removed that was "torqued" with a torque stick and impact gun took so much brute force to remove it blows my mind that garages allow their techs to use this technique.

Most guys don't relize with torque sticks, you need to adjust your gun to about 250 ft lbs output torque and then sticks can very close. Most guys never theirs off the higest setting. Hey I just answered the question, no the cordless wouldn't work because you can't set the torque range.

 

[steelespeed]

Most guys don't relize with torque sticks, you need to adjust your gun to about 250 ft lbs output torque and then sticks can very close. Most guys never theirs off the higest setting. Hey I just answered the question, no the cordless wouldn't work because you can't set the torque range.

I know, I have read some of the impact gun specs that are supposed to be followed while using the sticks. However, when you consider the number of different guns, air compressors, lines, etc. used in a shop as well as the variable quality of those items I doubt that they are ever close to the correct torque specs.

I'm not saying use torque sticks on a cordless driver. I am saying that if it's time that needs to be saved, then use the cordless to spin the nut on quickly and then torque to spec using a torque wrench. Slightly slower I'll admit, but the job will be done correctly.

 

[steelespeed]

I'm not trying to start a war here, just wanted to let you know why...sadly, in the auto repair industry, the "correct and proper way" has sorta gone out the window in favor of time. It's all about time. Service managers constantly beat their guys up to work faster so more money is made. And it's faster to put a torque stick and impact on a lugnut and press a button for a couple seconds than it is to hand torque all of them. The auto repair industry is all about work faster, take less TIME, because TIME = MONEY. That's just the way it is.

Not looking for a war either. Unfortunately, I am aware of how things run in a shop environment. I have a friend who is a tech at a local GM dealer. This isn't just an auto repair industry problem, however. These days the "faster and cheaper" method of service has dirtied almost every profession.

 

[braol]

I have been a mechanic for going on 13 years. I use a 3/8 impact to run the lugnuts up and then tighten with a torque wrench. Everybody in the shop I work at is supposed to torque lugnuts, but I think a couple of the guys dont. They tighten them with a impact and then go over with a torque wrench to make sure none are loose.lol I will be the first to admit that I dont torque everything, but there are somethings that should be. There is one shop here that just destroys lugnuts, they turn every lugnut they touch into lock nuts.

 

[tyheuser]

I wouldnt trust 95% of the people out there to impact lugnuts but honestly if you use YOUR OWN gun all day you get a feel for when a lugnut of its size is tight. I tighten them with my mg725 usually several times daily no torque stick or torque wrench, never had a wheel come off, ive had to break nuts loose i tighten myself on the side of the road with a breaker bar no problem, and ive never screwed a stud up that was my doing. I never see techs use torque sticks in a shop that isnt nothing but a tire shop nore do I see them use a torque wrench. Only time I torque one is if install a new stud. Would I recommond it, probley not, Not saying ive never bitched at big o or walmart or whoever who has the guy that lays on them all day but ive never had a customer complain about it to me. Now start the ranting lol

 

[kevinz]

Just wanted to post an update after using my 1/2 in cordless today on some wheels. I had to remove and reinstall a set of 4 chevy silverado wheels, each with 6 lugs and all 6 torqued to 140 ft-lbs. So that's 32 lugnuts @ 140 ft-lbs = 4480 ft-lbs. This was with a 3/4-charged battery (I previously used it on a chevy venture wheel torqued to 100 ft-lbs and it did superb; i verified the torque). Also used it on a cummins 5.9 removing the head bolts of which there are 20-something and it's a diesel so they are pretty tight. It pulled them all without breaking a sweat btw.

Now for the chevy lugnuts...used this gun and a 140 ft-lbs torque stick to torque all the lugnuts. Then went back over them with an nitrocat impact and the torque stick (the air cat has been used on probably thousands of wheels over the course of its life) and it could spin the lugnuts no furthur. And the cordless was only down to half charge from the 3/4 when i started. So yeah, I'm impressed. No surprise it won awards when it came out!

 

[MattPersman]

the cordless stuff is great. not trying to be your dad or anything but dont get buried in the credit game just because you got approved

the shop I work at now we torque the wheels with torque wrenches. it doesn't take a bunch of extra time the managers and or warranty admins will TQ them for us if we don't have a TQ wrench, they want to make sure nothing is left loose. great QC from the higher ups where I work now, so much nicer to work where the people care and actually are knowledgeable

 

[JASTECH]

So you guys no longer spin them on with a star wrench anymore I guess. I think they should have more eyes on many of these shops that cut corners behind closed bay doors. Stop pushing the time/money issue on mechs, quality work is tops in my book and always will in all I do, I teach my son the same.

 

[daveblank]

I do not trust cordless impacts to tighten wheels at all. You never know where the power is at on one.

Lithium ion batteries have solved the lack of power issue. They retain the same power output as a full charge till just before they die.

 

[bobcatdan]

Lithium ion batteries have solved the lack of power issue. They retain the same power output as a full charge till just before they die.

No they don't. They seem to have full power, but if you go back over them with a fresh battery you can get them tighter. Also when going back over wheels with a torque wrench you can always tell the first down to the last wheel you did. My Milwaukee does it and so does a co workers SO with li-ion batteries.