Impact wrenches

[rockford33]

I am looking into purchasing an impact wrench, either a cordless or corded model. I have a small air compressor (2 gallon), way too small for an air impact wrench. And, I live in a townhouse, so the garage is pretty small, so no plans to buy a nice, large air compressor (next house, I must remember - bigger garage!!). Anyone have some suggestions? Mostly will use it for rotating tires, removing wheels for cleaning backside also, light mechanic work. I saw a nice Craftsman the other day that worked of AC and DC for $159. I think it made around 260 ft-lbs torque max. Any thoughts/help appreciated.

 

[rockford33]

Anyone ever use Chicago Electric products? Any good? Found a 1/2" electric for $50. Sounds good for the limited use it will see.

 

[Luckydevil]

I'd go for it. harbor freight has one for about $20, but not sure how long it would last.

 

[Glen]

Just my opinion, but if you only intend to use it for rotating tires then I wouldn't bother. Invest in a good set of jack stands and a lightweight floor jack that meets your needs. Also get a good lug wrench and torque wrench.

I have and use an air compressor and various air tools, however, for rotating tires or cleaning wheels, I find it much faster to do it by hand, especially because I use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts. If properly torqued, it doesn't take much effort to loosen the bolts (or nuts depending on your car)

 

[eschoendorff]

Just my opinion, but if you only intend to use it for rotating tires then I wouldn't bother. Invest in a good set of jack stands and a lightweight floor jack that meets your needs. Also get a good lug wrench and torque wrench.

I have and use an air compressor and various air tools, however, for rotating tires or cleaning wheels, I find it much faster to do it by hand, especially because I use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts. If properly torqued, it doesn't take much effort to loosen the bolts (or nuts depending on your car)

I second this. A 1/2" breaker bar and a torque wrench will do you much better for tires. I have an electric torque wrench... don't use it nearly as much as I thought that I would. One item that I have found handy is my 1/2" cordless hammer drill. It's an 18 volt model that puts out about 420 in/lbs (35 ft/lbs) of torque. Put a 1/2" socket adapter in it and it can spin the lugnut on and off very quickly (not a one-trick pony). Just remember to hand torque when you're done.

 

[...dave]

i'll third that. It takes me longer to fill my 5-gallon compressor than it does to spin the lug nuts off one of the cars, especially with a speed wrench. i probably use it for filling tires more than anything else.

...dave

 

[networx]

If it's just for the tires, follow above advice and get a breaker bar, torque wrench and speed wrench. You'd be surprised how may wheels get damaged by impact wrenches. Besides, impacts beat the hell out of your lug nuts.

 

[Satatic]

You'd be surprised how may wheels get damaged by impact wrenches. Besides, impacts beat the hell out of your lug nuts.

So true. Every wheel my brother touches has at least one cross threaded lug bolt and nut on it.

 

[jmauld]

I change wheels about every other weekend. I use a breaker bar to break the lugnuts loose, and then a 14.4v cordless drill to spin the lugnuts off. Also works in reverse. Just replace the breaker bar with a good torque wrench.

 

[jstbecauz]

I would suggest a cordless battery powered 1/2" impact gun. You can get a Dewalt one for about $200 I believe. It gives you about 250 lbs of torque and it will come in handy for other jobs as well. I have a Snapon one and it was about $379 but I use it all the time. Especially if I am going on a road call for a flat tire. Just put the battery on charge when you arent using it. The charge usually lasts for about 4 hours of constant use.

 

[GearHead_1]

I would suggest a cordless battery powered 1/2" impact gun. You can get a Dewalt one for about $200 I believe. It gives you about 250 lbs of torque and it will come in handy for other jobs as well.

I should be receiving my DeWalt in very short order. I purchased one of their 5 piece cordless sets a couple of months ago and they had a bonus offer. You could choose from a number of different tools but I opted for the 1/2" impact. Of course you have to wait the usual 8 to 10 weeks. I've got a corded electric and I use it on ocassion, I prefer air but the cordless looks like fun.

 

[greybeard]

Don't you just love how you ask about one thing and people tell you that you need something else.

I have a Lowe's Kobalt corded impact. It came in a nice case and a set of basic SAE/metric deep impact sockets. I've used it to rotate my tires, taking off the lawn mower blade etc.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_28180-11241...entURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=impact+wrench&facetInfo=

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Don't you just love how you ask about one thing and people tell you that you need something else.

I have a Lowe's Kobalt corded impact. It came in a nice case and a set of basic SAE/metric deep impact sockets. I've used it to rotate my tires, taking off the lawn mower blade etc.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_28180-11241...entURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=impact+wrench&facetInfo=

Hey Greybeard,

How's that Kobalt treating you? I've been looking at them and just read your other thread...http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110496

I have an older B&D that is pretty gutless. (USA Made). So I'd like to upgrade. I like the Kobalt warranty-5 year- and the stats-8amps/350lbs- is up there with the best of them.

And BTW, to all my fellow GJers, I have air and I have Makita 18v impacts, but the way my property is laid out, sometimes extension cords are easier on certain projects.

 

[skulldrinker]

I have had my Craftsman electric torque wrench for 20 years and it has been great. Handles lug nut with ease.

 

[rlitman]

I'd still say to consider pneumatic. Many 2 gallon compressors are enough to remove 5 lug nuts. Not much more than that, but how much more continuous hammering are you going to need? You'd be surprised at how much you can do with just those few seconds of air.

Oh, and I ALWAYS remove my lugnuts with the impact. That way, I can leave them on tight and lift the car, and then remove the nuts. They go back on by hand though.

 

[TheGrooveking]

I have had my Craftsman electric torque wrench for 20 years and it has been great. Handles lug nut with ease.

Is your Craftsman like the one in my photo below?

I bought mine in 1984 and it has been used a bunch and still going strong, of course compared to the air impacts available today its a wimp, but 30 years I felt stronger too

TheGrooveking

 

[skulldrinker]

Is your Craftsman like the one in my photo below?


I bought mine in 1984 and it has been used a bunch and still going strong, of course compared to the air impacts available today its a wimp, but 30 years I felt stronger too

TheGrooveking

Mine must be older than 20 years. Mine has a different lable. Mine is from before the industrial label line came out. I think it just says Craftsman. I went out to take a picture of it but it's not where i thought it was. I'll have to look for it later. It is black and silver like yours.

 

[Loscaldazar]

Don't you just love how you ask about one thing and people tell you that you need something else.

I have a Lowe's Kobalt corded impact. It came in a nice case and a set of basic SAE/metric deep impact sockets. I've used it to rotate my tires, taking off the lawn mower blade etc.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_28180-11241...entURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=impact+wrench&facetInfo=

The Kobalt one is the same as the current craftsman corded impact, except it is more expensive and comes with 5 times the warranty (5 years v 1 year).

I grabbed the CM one for $60 out the door, so I got it since it was such a good deal, but otherwise would have gone for the Kobalt one because of the warranty.

I also just used it to install lowering springs on my Forester, and it took off some rusty suspension bolts that had been through 10 years of Minnesotan winters, and didn't hesitate. Also pulled off a few axle nuts on various cars that had been through even more winters.

 

[fsdogwood]

Haven't finished the whole thread yet.
But want to say that even the 2-gal compressor could drive a 1/2" impact wrench, to
take off the Honda (80 lb-ft) lug nuts so that you can rotate, just have to wait while the compressor refills

The impact wrench doesn't need continuous air supply that much.

 

[sberry]

An electric impact especially a reasonable priced one is not money flushed down the toilet. Cant use it if you dont have one. I have one, its mostly a loaner these days but used it back in the day, was convenient and worth owning, very portable.

 

[sberry]

hey groove,,,, I do have that same one but also had the pencil grinder but that never panned out, blew a bearing out of a couple right off and I finally gave up, didnt need it as much as I thought etc anyway. The grinder is a B&D 2750, for runner of the Dewalt 402 and still made, aslo cloned by Walmart as a 7750 with a different switch. In the effort to make the Wally orange version cheaper they made it better at 1/3 the cost, if you ever got to buy a grinder thats the one. The one (had 3 cman and 3 or 4 B&D) issue with them in hard use was you could overheat them and took them and the brushes out as well as no brush minder and a rubber cord.

They are about as good or best "feel " grinder I have used, love the switch, that paddle is perfect, just got tired of replacing them, working on the cords but again this was in severe use also, would last a part timer a long time either way.

Cant attest to the HF impact but a couple of these others hit pretty good. I have 2 cordless red ones, they are ok. I dont think they hit quite as hard as the electric but its been a long time.