Impact wrench repair

[koditten]

My question is if anyone knows how to rebuild impact wrenches. I have a couple of Ingersol/Rand Titanium 1/2" dive impact wrenches. They seem to have lost their ability to remove bolts and nuts. They don't seem to have as rapid "impacts" as they used to. And before you ask, I have oiled them with air tool oil. I would think they should have lasted longer for the price they cost. They do get used alot, but I was expecting a decade of use, not 2 years. These things still look new!

Thanks

Kirk

 

[tonydanzah]

Mine is going on 4yrs daily use since i bought it used off ebay.

 

[gofastman]

They are very simple. Remove the hammer-case, take out the hammer assembly and clean it off with some good solvent, coat it with a small amount of LIGHT grease, ideally the IR 115 grease. next pull out all the veins on the air motor and clean them off, re oil and put all the veins back. lastly check the tip valve in the handle for any blockage. Re-assembly everything and it should be good as new.

Otherwise, pm me and ill do it for you.

 

[mark40sw]

We used these impacts to the point of failure where I used to work. We bolted in large molds in very large hydraulic presses (4000 ton). They held up well- just got used so much.

"gofastman" has a good explanation for what to do.

If I can add to how I have seen these wear....

They come apart fairly simple, 4 torx srews in back.

The anvil (part with square drive going to inside metal cae), can crack where hammers hit. Replacement anvils where ordered.

Vanes wear in motor. Vanes will form a slight concave in the vane sides where they slide in and out as the motor turns. They can also get dirty and gummy. Tune up kits included vanes and seals.

Air tube running up thru handle (where air hose / fitting attaches) can start to back out causing it to leak inside. Could see tube backing in and out as trigger pulled. Replaced tube. Can't remember what exactly wore on it exactly, but think that a cotter key type held it in.

They held up very well for the abuse they went thru. We oiled them all the time (air tool oil). We had lots of air motors in the plant (production) and seen what no oil in the air supply would do in short order if something went wrong.

-Mark

 

[koditten]

Thanks Guys. I will take the things apart. It is nice to know that the things are repairable. I was king of hoping I could save them and not have to to toss them up on the web "for sale-needs repair". I am glad I asked.

Kirk

 

[GSteg]

They can always be repaired. The only time you should ever junk them is if the composite casing breaks, or the cost to repair exceeds the cost of a new gun.

 

[gofastman]

you really should pick up one of these 115lbk1 kits, add about 4cc's (4 pumps from their little "gun")
of grease every 45 consecutive hours of use, they're about $20 on amazon. I do it about 4 times a year.
My guns are more powerful than any other 1/2" guns in the shop by a fair margin, just because they are properly cared for.

 

[koditten]

I took the first one apart. You guessed it. No grease in the front end.
While I had it apart I sprayed the junk out of the air motor. Back together and tested. Works great.

Many thanks guys. You just saved me a couple hundred bucks. And I will be getting a miny grease gun like the one listed above.

Thanks

Kirk

 

[Marlin]

If you disassemble it to grease the mechanism, use IR105 grease and be generous with it, a couple of table spoons full spread on the anvil lugs should last you a while, if you put too much it will just be a little slugish for a short amount of running until the excess grease gets cleared out. If you get the mini grease pump, use the IR115, it's a bit lighter and works better with the grease fitting.

 

[gofastman]

If you disassemble it to grease the mechanism, use IR105 grease and be generous with it, a couple of table spoons full spread on the anvil lugs should last you a while, if you put too much it will just be a little slugish for a short amount of running until the excess grease gets cleared out. If you get the mini grease pump, use the IR115, it's a bit lighter and works better with the grease fitting.

Is the thickness of the grease the only difference? #105 says its for metallic housing guns and the #115 is for the Ti guns, I'm assuming that this is because IR wants to advertise more torque for their Ti guns and the thin grease provides less drag.

 

[Marlin]

The thickness is the only difference. The only reason for the difference is the location of the grease fittings. The aluminum body impact have a through feed system from the back of the tool and the thicker grease works well getting to the inside of the mechanism. The composite impacts have the fitting directly over the mechanism in the hammer case and the thinner grease works its way into the mechanism better. Torque is not noticeably affected when switching between either grease.

 

[rhandwor]

Where are parts available I used to go to a store in downtown Atlanta but I'm unsure if their still open.

 

[IRMan]

for the 2135TiMax replacement parts can be bought at your local fastenal.

part numbers-
Hammers and anvil - 2216333
Tune Up kit - 2240050
Cylinder - 2241883

 

[1stwarrior95]

Very informative thread!
I have one of these guns myself and our mechanic at work also has one. I don't use mine a whole lot, addicted to my 18V dewalt impact too much...LOL), but the one our mechanic has, he says it's never worked good. I'll let him know about the info you guys have posted and maybe he can get his back up to par.

BTW, where to pump the grease from the little 115lbk1? Do I need to disassemble the gun or is there an external zerk or somethin? (I put a sleeve on mine when I first got it).

 

[wreckercologist]

Very informative thread!
I have one of these guns myself and our mechanic at work also has one. I don't use mine a whole lot, addicted to my 18V dewalt impact too much...LOL), but the one our mechanic has, he says it's never worked good. I'll let him know about the info you guys have posted and maybe he can get his back up to par.

BTW, where to pump the grease from the little 115lbk1? Do I need to disassemble the gun or is there an external zerk or somethin? (I put a sleeve on mine when I first got it).

There is a grease fitting on the nose of the impact. They should be greased every fourty or so hours of use. Mine didn't come with an hour meter so I just guess.

 

[1stwarrior95]

Thanks wrecker! Maybe mine has an hour meter under the sleeve with the grease fitting....LOL
I'll have to check!

Mine should have about 35 hours left before it needs greased at the that rate. After all it's only a couple years old...

 

[mailman]

Great post on the IR guns.

I am new to the site and just got my first IR2131QT gun used off of Ebay.
It looks barely used but when I torque the lugs on my truck ( I know this is bad but I wanted to test the unit) for a few seconds, they are only at about 90-95 lbs. I can put my breaker bar on them and get them a little tighter by hand.
Is this normal or is my gun weak?

Also: The air inlet spins where the line attaches. You can also pull it in and out about an 1/8 of an inch. Normal or not?

Thanks in advance guys. There is some great info on this site.

 

[jrlp]

Impacts are very dependent on air. If you're feeding an impact with a 1/4" line.. they aren't going to have very much power. Normal M or Automotive style quick connects are usually very restrictive. You should run an impact with a 3/8" line bare minimum, and turn the pressure up so it's running pressure is ~95-100psi, not static pressure (which, depending on your air setup, can be 30psi higher than running pressure).

As far as the inlet moving in and out, I'd say that's not normal.
Goodluck!

 

[Buckgnarly]

Great post on the IR guns.

I am new to the site and just got my first IR2131QT gun used off of Ebay.
It looks barely used but when I torque the lugs on my truck ( I know this is bad but I wanted to test the unit) for a few seconds, they are only at about 90-95 lbs. I can put my breaker bar on them and get them a little tighter by hand.
Is this normal or is my gun weak?

Also: The air inlet spins where the line attaches. You can also pull it in and out about an 1/8 of an inch. Normal or not?

Thanks in advance guys. There is some great info on this site.

My 3/8 and 1/2 move like that.

 

[mailman]

I started with a 1/4" line but quickly upgraded to a 3/8" 50' line. I also held the gun wide open and checked the pressure gauge and set to 100 psi with the gun running. I have a 25 gallon 5 hp compressor.
I also added oil to the air inlet a few times.
I think this gun is rated to 450 lbs forward. How long would you have to hold it on a bolt to reach that number?
Is it worth it for me to get a less restrictive air inlet attachment?

 

[mailman]

My 3/8 and 1/2 move like that.

Thanks. That helps.

I will tear the gun down now and see if anything looks worn.

 

[mailman]

I just tore the gun down and everything looked perfect.
I did notice that my compressor needs to be 130 to 140 psi so that my gun pulls a true 90 psi ( Good call jrlp, thanks ) on the gauge and works much better.

Thanks guys.

 

[Skin]

Impacts are very dependent on air. If you're feeding an impact with a 1/4" line.. they aren't going to have very much power.

I beg to differ, especially with the correct fittings. Very rarely do i find the need to change to a larger hose or bump up the pressure. The only application where i found a larger hose constantly beneficial is heavy equipment and trucks repair where you're constantly dealing with 3/4" and larger fasteners. Below that though? 1/4" line is more than enough.

 

[wafrederick]

Any Matco and Cornwell tool dealer can order the parts including the tune up kits.I order my IR parts through my Matco tool dealer.

 

[Jason280]

Good information!

 

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