Cordless Impact Help

[Kevs02Accord]

Hoping you guys can give me a hand. I have a Craftsman C3 1/2 inch 19.2v Cordless impact. I have used this for years with no problems. Just recently I went to take some lug nuts off and the impact just kept clacking, like it reached max torque. Well no big I thought, battery is probably close to dead so I pulled one fresh off the charger, same thing. Then I simply held the socket in my hand and got the same result. What would cause this? I have the tool apart and everything seems to be in order. I don't see any broken parts, no worn gears, the camshaft spring seems to be in one piece, plenty of grease still left. I am lost and good ol google searching didnt turn anything up.

 

[NUTTSGT]

How where the lugs tightened up ? Where they done at the tire shop ? Your impact may not have the balls to loosen up the lug nuts if they werew put on with something else.

 

[a52-830]

How where the lugs tightened up ? Where they done at the tire shop ? Your impact may not have the balls to loosen up the lug nuts if they werew put on with something else.

but one would expect the socket to spin when he held it in his hand if there was no problem with the tool, right?

if you can feel the socket twitch in your hand, there must be something stripped somewhere.

if you can't feel it twitch in your hand, something is disconnected.

if you have it apart, try isolating the motor, and see how it behaves.

 

[Know Wosad]

Brushes

 

[gdocktor3]

Yea I'm thinking brushes also. If you cannot find replacement brushes easily, I'd suggest grabbing another impact before Christmas is over as you might be able to get one on sale.

 

[NUTTSGT]

but one would expect the socket to spin when he held it in his hand if there was no problem with the tool, right?

if you can feel the socket twitch in your hand, there must be something stripped somewhere.

if you can't feel it twitch in your hand, something is disconnected.

if you have it apart, try isolating the motor, and see how it behaves.

Ahh, I missed that part of his post.

 

[MrGiggles]

Anvil bushing wore and causing if to bind?

 

[Kevs02Accord]

Thanks guys for the input. The lugs were torqued by me to 90 ftlbs, I think the impact is rated to 200. I have not had an issue with this impact taking any lugs off, providing the battery was good, even took the crank pulley bolt off my wife's corolla.

I get the feeling the motor is brushless, not sure though. I am going to post some pics of it apart to maybe help.

I don't think the anvil is binding, I can spin it by hand. The impact runs fine without any load.

Edit 1; Here is a link where you can see the exploded parts view.
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/model-number/31/5116020/0247/0755200.html

Edit 2; Here are some pics

 

[Derek420]

It has to be brushes and not a brushless if only rated at 200ftpnds I seriously doubt it..... I hate a Matco 19.2v I paid $50 for with 2 batteries and the brushes are in the metal housing by the anvil it has 2 smaller circles on each side that's where brushes are on most older styles not sure how to remove without looking as I haven't needed to yet but you can get brushes from websites easily just measure and compare by pics they are all about the same really.

 

[Derek420]

Hmm idk I looked at pics and diagram and not seeing the brushes maybe it wasn't made to be serviced or is brushless check out motor if brushless the drive shaft and so on should pull out of the metal housing but it looks like brushes are by the, writing on the motor but I cant tell with pics on my phone. Search and see if it's brushless or not if so than it's binding up in the head maybe planetary gears or motor is **** out.

 

[stikman56]

How are the batteries? This makes a huge difference as well.

 

[Kevs02Accord]

Thanks guys, I will take a closer look at the motor when I get home. The impact free spins fine, which makes me think it has something to do with the actual impacting part itself.

I tried a freshly charged battery, although they are getting old. I have run this impact with near dead battery and if you held the socket it just wouldn't spin. This is a new behavior where it free spins fine, but if I even hold the socket it just keeps acting like its at max torque.

 

[a52-830]

it is hard to imagine that this impact which he has had for "a few years now" is a brushless design. to this day, i have only seen two or three tools that they list as brushless, and it is hard to think that they would make one without mentioning it (and charging a lot more, but i digress).

 

[71goldss]

Does it have 2 speeds like my C3 compact drill? A few times I've bumped the selector on top, putting it halfway between both 1 and 2 on the selector. Each time it has caused the drill to make noise but not turn, or at least not with any torque. My first thought is that my drill is dead, but then I remember the selector!

 

[Kevs02Accord]

it is hard to imagine that this impact which he has had for "a few years now" is a brushless design. to this day, i have only seen two or three tools that they list as brushless, and it is hard to think that they would make one without mentioning it (and charging a lot more, but i digress).

I agree. I looked through the manual and it doesn't mention brushless design which I would think they would want to up sell / up charge for. I will try to take the motor out of its metal casing when I get home tonight and post some pics.

Does it have 2 speeds like my C3 compact drill? A few times I've bumped the selector on top, putting it halfway between both 1 and 2 on the selector. Each time it has caused the drill to make noise but not turn, or at least not with any torque. My first thought is that my drill is dead, but then I remember the selector!

Just forward and reverse, although it does have a variable speed trigger.

 

[Dingleburry]

Stripped gears in gearbox, or sheared key in gearbox or output shaft /slipping gear?
Or parhaps broken dogs or hammers on the hammering mechanism. Dont know name.
Didnt look at parts diagram but thats where id start.
By clacking you mean its hammering or trying to? But with zero torque?
Maybe something is seized ? Causing it to hammer but not actually moving.
Does the "clacking" sound like a normal impact?

 

[4x4_G30_Sportvan]

That is NOT a brushless motor.

Probably need a new #11 on diagram Case,gear

Parts #: 201151001 $ 34.04

In Stock

 

[Fcvapor05]

but one would expect the socket to spin when he held it in his hand if there was no problem with the tool, right?

Actually, no.

An impact needs to work against a rigid fastener or whatever to develop any torque. Your hand is not rigid.

If your batteries are still good, it's possible your lugs have a little corrosion holding them on, or that the preload on the lug studs is now higher due to a change in temperature.

 

[ItsNemo]

Actually, no.

An impact needs to work against a rigid fastener or whatever to develop any torque. Your hand is not rigid.

If your batteries are still good, it's possible your lugs have a little corrosion holding them on, or that the preload on the lug studs is now higher due to a change in temperature.

Disagree, I've yet to experience an impact wrench that I can stop from rotating with my bare hand.

 

[Kevs02Accord]

Stripped gears in gearbox, or sheared key in gearbox or output shaft /slipping gear?
Or parhaps broken dogs or hammers on the hammering mechanism. Dont know name.
Didnt look at parts diagram but thats where id start.
By clacking you mean its hammering or trying to? But with zero torque?
Maybe something is seized ? Causing it to hammer but not actually moving.
Does the "clacking" sound like a normal impact?

I was worried about the hammer mechanism also, in the diagram its called the camshaft. The gun free spins no problem, but when I put it to a bolt it acts like there is not torque. This is different than it has worked in the past were it would just keep hammering. Now the clacking is faster and higher pitched.

That is NOT a brushless motor.

Probably need a new #11 on diagram Case,gear

Parts #: 201151001 $ 34.04

In Stock

That part is just the cover, the only thing that contains is a bushing for the anvil, I suspected I would need part #8, which they say they don't make any more.

Actually, no.

An impact needs to work against a rigid fastener or whatever to develop any torque. Your hand is not rigid.

If your batteries are still good, it's possible your lugs have a little corrosion holding them on, or that the preload on the lug studs is now higher due to a change in temperature.

I am going to add this to my checks when I get home. I will take the bolt all the way off, then put it back on with the impact and see how much torque it can take off and put back on with.

 

[Kevs02Accord]

Disagree, I've yet to experience an impact wrench that I can stop from rotating with my bare hand.

I agree, I have multiple air impacts and this cordless and when properly powered I can not hold it with my hand, it will just spin freely.

 

[Kevs02Accord]

Decided to try and take the motor apart first. It appears to be a sealed, non-serviceable unit, looking at how there are tabs locking the outer metal shell to the base. Here are some more pics.

 

[Dingleburry]

Decided to try and take the motor apart first. It appears to be a sealed, non-serviceable unit, looking at how there are tabs locking the outer metal shell to the base. Here are some more pics.

Did you figure ut out?
Sounded like the hammers not engaging properly.
Try running motor with nothing attached.
Try running whole assembly without shroud.

 

[Kevs02Accord]

Did you figure ut out?
Sounded like the hammers not engaging properly.
Try running motor with nothing attached.
Try running whole assembly without shroud.

Nope, haven't figure it out yet. I am guessing its the hammering mechanism, seeing as with no load it runs just fine, but as soon as you put any load on it has no torque and just clicks.