Impact wrench questions

[rworkman98]

I got an air compressor and some air tools for Christmas, and I have a few questions. Although I have used air tools before, I have not done so very frequently.

When trying to get the lugnuts off my truck, some are stuck, even when using the 1/2" impact to get them off. Is it dangerous to keep holding the trigger down on the impact wrench to try and free them? I've been holding it down for about 10-second bursts and no longer. Would I damage anything if I held it down for 30-40 seconds straight to try and remove the nuts?

Also, is there any reason I have to buy separate impact sockets? I would use my sockets with an impact gun very infrequently; can I just continue to use my Craftsman sockets? They have a lifetime warranty, so I figure I would just replace one if I destroyed it over time.

Thanks!! Any other air tool tips would be helpful!

 

[eschoendorff]

I got an air compressor and some air tools for Christmas, and I have a few questions. Although I have used air tools before, I have not done so very frequently.

When trying to get the lugnuts off my truck, some are stuck, even when using the 1/2" impact to get them off. Is it dangerous to keep holding the trigger down on the impact wrench to try and free them? I've been holding it down for about 10-second bursts and no longer. Would I damage anything if I held it down for 30-40 seconds straight to try and remove the nuts?

Also, is there any reason I have to buy separate impact sockets? I would use my sockets with an impact gun very infrequently; can I just continue to use my Craftsman sockets? They have a lifetime warranty, so I figure I would just replace one if I destroyed it over time.

Thanks!! Any other air tool tips would be helpful!

I've held my impacts on to free a stuch bolt and usually the worst that happens is that the bolt comes loose.

Yes, you need impact sockets. Chrome sockets can shatter uner the stress of an impact wrench. Impact sockets are a little softer... just go and get yourself some impact sockets from Harbor Freight. They're cheap and for what you will use them for, they'll be more than sufficient.

 

[Piper]

There are a couple of things. 1 if your compressor is not able to provide sufficient air to the gun then you may not be generating the torque required to remove the lug nut. Holding the gun and pulling the trigger, assuming that there is sufficient air there really should remove the nut. Possibly your gun is torquing at 70 or 80 ft-lbs and the nut is torqued to 100 or more. 2. you really should be using sockets specifically for impact. The impact part causes lots of stress on the tool and there is risk of the regular socket actually exploding while in use with an impact gun. (do you wear safety goggles when using your gun?? I don't). I'd doubt that any manufacturer would warranty a regular socket when used with an impact gun.

Welcome to the world of new tools. (also known as, gotta get more tools!!)

Piper

 

[ron in sc]

I don't know about any damage from continuing to hold down trigger. If I had that problem I'd use use a bigger impact wrench.

As far as impact sockets I would definately recommend them. I don't know if they are stronger or not than the regular type. Impact socket are often made of Cr-Mo and the other type are made of chrome vanadium. I think the chrome vanadium is stronger but more brittle and subject to shatter if subjected to the hammering punishment of an impact gun.

Also always were safety glasses when using impact tools.

 

[rworkman98]

I've held my impacts on to free a stuch bolt and usually the worst that happens is that the bolt comes loose.

Cool!

There are a couple of things. 1 if your compressor is not able to provide sufficient air to the gun then you may not be generating the torque required to remove the lug nut.

The compressor is a pretty decent one: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...mpressors+&+Inflators&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1 I think it should provide enough air at 90 psi outlet pressure.

The impact wrench is 230 ft/lbs http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...=Automotive+Air+Tools&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1


When I powered up the compressor, I manually shut it down when the tank pressure was ~140 psi. The gauge goes up past 200, but it there doesn't seem to be a way to manually set the tank pressure (just the outlet pressure). Am I supposed to let the compresser go until it shuts itself off? I have no idea what tank pressure it will go to if I don't manually shut it off.

 

[malibu101]

Since it was not asked: Is your air hose large enough. 3/8" is perfect. If you have something like the 1/4" yellow curly hose your gun cannot get enough volume to perform to spec.

 

[Piper]

Cool!


The compressor is a pretty decent one: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...mpressors+&+Inflators&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1 I think it should provide enough air at 90 psi outlet pressure.

The impact wrench is 230 ft/lbs http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...=Automotive+Air+Tools&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1


When I powered up the compressor, it manually shut it down when the tank pressure was ~140 psi. The gauge goes up past 200, but it there doesn't seem to be a way to manually set the tank pressure (just the outlet pressure). Am I supposed to let the compresser go until it shuts itself off? I have no idea what tank pressure it will go to if I don't manually shut it off.

Yes, the compressor will cycle on and off as it requires. There should be a switch on the compressor called "auto" so that as air leaves the tank the compressor will cycle on. They usually turn off at about 125 but possibly as high as 150. The manual should be able to tell you.

 

[rworkman98]

just go and get yourself some impact sockets from Harbor Freight. They're cheap and for what you will use them for, they'll be more than sufficient.

Harbor Freight impact sockets would be better than Craftsman chrome sockets? I just want to make sure, since I know Harbor Freight doesn't have very good quality tools.

Since it was not asked: Is your air hose large enough. 3/8" is perfect. If you have something like the 1/4" yellow curly hose your gun cannot get enough volume to perform to spec.

It is 3/8"

 

[TNToy]

I dislike HF impact sockets. They don't live very long for me. Other people have had decent luck with them.

Personally, in your shoes I'd go buy a 3/4" and a 13/16" impact socket from sears. Those will remove the vast majority of lugnuts out there, and maybe a 19mm and 21mm socket as well. 3 or 4 sockets won't break the bank.

The main problem you have with chrome sockets is that they round-out the square drive in the back of the socket. Anything that increases slop between the snout on the gun and the bolt, reduces it's power. Same thing with extensions and stacked adapters. If you're using a short socket and an extension now, ditch the extension, and use a deep socket straight on the gun instead if you can't reach in there with a short socket alone.

The main problem you're having is the gun isn't terribly strong. Something like an IR composite gun or a NitroCat will back the lugnuts off with the exact same compressor without hardly bothering to hammer on them first. Your gun is much weaker than a top of the line air gun, which is also why it didn't cost $150-300...

You won't hurt anything by continuing to hit the lugnuts, except maybe a non-impact socket... Blast away. However, the gun has it's highest amount of power right at the first couple of blows... an impact actually draws about 4 times the amount of air that compressor can supply when at full load. So you're best off to blast away on it for a while, then use short bursts to break it free.

Anohter trick: Try TIGHTENING the nut. Switching back and forth between Fwd. and Rev. is similar to rocking a stuck vehicle out of the mud. Works with weaker guns sometimes.

If you CAN'T get the lugnuts off, crank the regulator up so you're running the tool at 120ish PSI. Won't hurt the tool if you don't make a habit of using it at that pressure all day long, and usually gives cheaper guns a good bit more kick.

Personally, I don't know how I ever got along with a gun in that performance range... A $160 Nitrocat is worth every penny.

 

[Ign]

Any gun rated at 230ft/lb will realistically do maybe 1/3 of that. Don't believe me, take the gun and tighten (notwithstanding the fact that forward torque is usually less than reverse torque, this will still demonstrate my point) one of those lugnuts as much as you can w the gun. Now take a torque wrench (beam or clicker but you gotta set the clicker low and progressively move up) and see when the nut moves.

You won't hurt a thing w extended use of the gun, one of the MAIN advantages of air tools is that they can be "stalled" and they don't care, unlike electric motors. Worst case the gun will get too cold to handle, or your compressor will burn up trying to keep up w the demands of the gun (VERY WORST case LOL, extremely unlikely).

I have to recommend the Harbor Freight impacts, they're great for the money. TNToy works in a professional environment. I do not, and it sounds like you do not either. YES, the HF sockets would be WAY better than chrome Craftsmans.

As TNToy said, flex is the enemy of maximum torque. A normal socket will actually flex or deform a tiny bit during use with an impact wrench. It may not hurt the socket - at least in the short run - but it effectively absorbs the twisting force the gun is trying to apply. This is why impact sockets are six point and thick wall.

 

[SteveU]

Get the Nitrocat!! I had the same thing; cheap, weak impact which would have to hammer on lugnuts that were torqued to 100 lbs with a torque wrench for up to 5 or more seconds to break them loose. Buddy brought his truck over & cheap impact wouldn't touch the lugs on it regardless of how long it hammered away. I put all type V HVLP fittings on everything, run 3/8" hose & got a Nitrocat, don't have a problem loosening things anymore. TNToy has a review of them on this forum, they are awsome, quiet & loosened a locking hub nut that a 200 lb man bouncing on a 4' cheater bar wouldn't budge. (The buddy that did this says he is going to get one now)

Steve

 

[stupidjet]

i had a gun that came with my compressor..had trouble taking the lugs off my truck..thought i needed a bigger compressor. well, i bought the quiet ingersoll rand one and it takes anything off, no problem. i vote for new gun

 

[rworkman98]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I ended up buying a impact socket set from Harbor Freight. I was able to finally get all the lug nuts off my truck; I had to use a 18" cheater bar to loosen a few of them, but the impact wrench got off most of them. Thanks!

 

[kartracer55]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I ended up buying a impact socket set from Harbor Freight. I was able to finally get all the lug nuts off my truck; I had to use a 18" cheater bar to loosen a few of them, but the impact wrench got off most of them. Thanks!

For future reference, next time this happens, grab a SHORT socket, and try hammering the lugs in forward then reverse, forward then reverse. a quick burst in forward then hammer in reverse. It helps to break the rust free. This combo has never failed me with lugs

Jim