TNToy
Well-known member
Okay. I bought an Aircat Nitro Cat off of eBay for $163 shipped. Disclaimer: I've used it for exactly one day at work. Should my opinion change after a week, month, etc... I'll be sure to chime back in.
The past three months, I've used a 1/2" drive Ingersoll-Rand 2135Ti and a 3/8" IR 2112 exclusively at work. Pulling heads, rotating a jillion sets of tires, front suspension work, brakes, struts... Well, I've got a fairly good idea what the IR Titanium is made of.
The aircat is about a 1/4" taller from the base of the grip to the top of the handle, and the metal motor housing on the front of the gun is about 1/2" longer. They're very close to the same size, but the Ti is smaller.
The Ti is also lighter. Obviously, since the Aircat has a steel (I assume) front housing, it'll weight more than the Ti. It's also a bit nose-heavy, since that's where the weight differnce lies. Hefting the steel-front IR composite gun (the IR 2131) has me believeing the Aircat is a bit lighter than the 2131, but heavier than the 2135.
The IR also has the edge as far as it's track record: I know how long an IR gun will last in everyday service, and that's not the case with the Aircat. However, since Mac Tools is rebadging Nitro Cat guns, I assume that (1)They are going to have to warranty them, and (2)they've tested them extensively and have faith in their durability.
The IR's forward/reverse buttons are also something the Aircat is missing, so it's not a one-handed affair to change directions with the gun like with the Ti. However, I believe that may be a benefit, as I know of more than one Ti owner whose had the housing/button wear against each other enough that they continually fall out - the only cure is a new housing.
Now, sit down, becase I'm about to tell you that those are the only areas where the IR is superior.
The Aircat is MUCH quieter than the already quiet Ti gun, and it has about exactly the same amount of oomph. The standard Aircat uses the same Twin-Hammer mechanism as the Ti, and I believe would behave the same. The Nitro Cat uses a "twin clutch" system that vibrates in your hand about half as much as a Ti does.
Twin Clutch vs. Twin Hammer
I pulled the valvebody out of a 4L60E-equipped Blazer today to repair the TCC: The converter was locking & unlocking continuously on the highway. First time I've used an impact to remove that many fasteners THAT close to my ear without earplugs. Do not get me wrong: The Ti is a great gun that's VERY quiet when compared to pretty much any steel-housing gun with a decent amount of torque. But it can't touch the aircat in this category. That thing is SOOOOO quiet it's rediculous. The tech in the bay across from me actually asked me what I was using, he noticed the LACK of noise. And he's also used to the Ti. The best way I can describe it is that it's about as loud as a Ti gun with the regulator knob on the back set to the lowest setting. It's quiet.
Next job was to pull the rusty lugnuts and caliper brackets off of an F-150 in order to turn the rotors. I was worried at this point, because the gun was so quiet and so smooth when tightening something as much as it could, that I thought the gun was pretty weak. My faith was restored when the Ti had to hammer for 5-10 seconds to break that same fastener free. Normally you torque a bolt with a weak impact, and the Ti will run it off without even hammering on it. So I gunned it down with the Ti, and used the Aircat to take it off. Same thing. The guns were about the same strength with this guesstimation: The aircat was a little bit heavier, but much quieter.
Last job of the day (actually not mine, but the previously mentioned tech across from me who runs a Ti) was a Volvo S70 getting regular service. Tire rotation, except some lube monkey ran the lugs down tight with an impact and they were RUSTY. When the first lug took 15 seconds of hammering in the reverse direction, tightening it, and then running it out to remove with a Ti, it looked like a good test for the Aircat. Once again, the two guns proved to be about exactly the same strength. Twice the Aircat removed a lug bolt that the Ti wouldn't, but that was after the Ti was rapping on it for 15 seconds and might have helped. But once again, the Aircat didn't shake the heck out of your wrist like the Ti: Glass smooth when beating on a frozen fastener, and once again it was quiet as anything.
So far, I love this gun. Especially at about half the cost of the 2135Ti. Don't get me wrong: Last week I would have sworn the IR Titanium guns were the best thing since sliced bread. However, this gun may just be better.
The past three months, I've used a 1/2" drive Ingersoll-Rand 2135Ti and a 3/8" IR 2112 exclusively at work. Pulling heads, rotating a jillion sets of tires, front suspension work, brakes, struts... Well, I've got a fairly good idea what the IR Titanium is made of.
The aircat is about a 1/4" taller from the base of the grip to the top of the handle, and the metal motor housing on the front of the gun is about 1/2" longer. They're very close to the same size, but the Ti is smaller.
The Ti is also lighter. Obviously, since the Aircat has a steel (I assume) front housing, it'll weight more than the Ti. It's also a bit nose-heavy, since that's where the weight differnce lies. Hefting the steel-front IR composite gun (the IR 2131) has me believeing the Aircat is a bit lighter than the 2131, but heavier than the 2135.
The IR also has the edge as far as it's track record: I know how long an IR gun will last in everyday service, and that's not the case with the Aircat. However, since Mac Tools is rebadging Nitro Cat guns, I assume that (1)They are going to have to warranty them, and (2)they've tested them extensively and have faith in their durability.
The IR's forward/reverse buttons are also something the Aircat is missing, so it's not a one-handed affair to change directions with the gun like with the Ti. However, I believe that may be a benefit, as I know of more than one Ti owner whose had the housing/button wear against each other enough that they continually fall out - the only cure is a new housing.
Now, sit down, becase I'm about to tell you that those are the only areas where the IR is superior.
The Aircat is MUCH quieter than the already quiet Ti gun, and it has about exactly the same amount of oomph. The standard Aircat uses the same Twin-Hammer mechanism as the Ti, and I believe would behave the same. The Nitro Cat uses a "twin clutch" system that vibrates in your hand about half as much as a Ti does.
Twin Clutch vs. Twin Hammer
I pulled the valvebody out of a 4L60E-equipped Blazer today to repair the TCC: The converter was locking & unlocking continuously on the highway. First time I've used an impact to remove that many fasteners THAT close to my ear without earplugs. Do not get me wrong: The Ti is a great gun that's VERY quiet when compared to pretty much any steel-housing gun with a decent amount of torque. But it can't touch the aircat in this category. That thing is SOOOOO quiet it's rediculous. The tech in the bay across from me actually asked me what I was using, he noticed the LACK of noise. And he's also used to the Ti. The best way I can describe it is that it's about as loud as a Ti gun with the regulator knob on the back set to the lowest setting. It's quiet.
Next job was to pull the rusty lugnuts and caliper brackets off of an F-150 in order to turn the rotors. I was worried at this point, because the gun was so quiet and so smooth when tightening something as much as it could, that I thought the gun was pretty weak. My faith was restored when the Ti had to hammer for 5-10 seconds to break that same fastener free. Normally you torque a bolt with a weak impact, and the Ti will run it off without even hammering on it. So I gunned it down with the Ti, and used the Aircat to take it off. Same thing. The guns were about the same strength with this guesstimation: The aircat was a little bit heavier, but much quieter.
Last job of the day (actually not mine, but the previously mentioned tech across from me who runs a Ti) was a Volvo S70 getting regular service. Tire rotation, except some lube monkey ran the lugs down tight with an impact and they were RUSTY. When the first lug took 15 seconds of hammering in the reverse direction, tightening it, and then running it out to remove with a Ti, it looked like a good test for the Aircat. Once again, the two guns proved to be about exactly the same strength. Twice the Aircat removed a lug bolt that the Ti wouldn't, but that was after the Ti was rapping on it for 15 seconds and might have helped. But once again, the Aircat didn't shake the heck out of your wrist like the Ti: Glass smooth when beating on a frozen fastener, and once again it was quiet as anything.
So far, I love this gun. Especially at about half the cost of the 2135Ti. Don't get me wrong: Last week I would have sworn the IR Titanium guns were the best thing since sliced bread. However, this gun may just be better.
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