Installing bolts with an impact wrench?

[PepperCrab]

Now I'm seriously wanting to get an impact wrench for the time it'll save me. Just wondering if there's any safe 'mode' or setting on an impact wrench that allows you to use it to safely install bolts? Are there any settings that allows the wrench to basically spin free above a certain very low torque setting (for installation)?

Also can someone educate me, is there any kind of disadvantage whatsoever to using an impact wrench to take off fasteners on a regular basis? Will it do any kind of damage to a fastener in the long run?

 

[Ohio Auto]

Most air wrenches/impacts have an adjustment that restricts air flow throught the gun.

When tightening I adjust mine down and then finish torque with hand tools.

In regard to disassembly...I wouldn't repeatedly take the same bolt/nut off with air if it is a low grade fastener.

 

[4x4gearhead]

Depending on the impact they usually have a dial on them to set how much air goes to the motor to reduce or add torque. To my knowledge there is no impact that wont hammer on any setting. The impact force can sometimes cause a bolt to break when removing a fastener, but it is sort of just the chance you take when you put the gun on it, and as far as damaging fasteners in the long run, most nuts and bolts I have been told are really only meant to be used once, not that they cant physically be reused but as they are torqued bolts stretch and nuts distort a bit. It is usually a good idea depending on what youre working on to have new hardware for reassembly.

 

[HandyManny]

They tend to hammer the hex with force. On well maintained fasteners of higher grade fasteners you should have no problem. When installing start the threading by hand first. I've seen lot's of fasteners ruined by over zelous or underskilled people. Just like with any tool out there, they are a huge asset when you know what you are doing and know how to use them. In the wrong hands they can spell disaster. Don't use chromed sockets or extentions with a pheumatic impact wrench. Use impact sockets and extentions,they are typically black oxide finished and more maleable so they deform rather than shatter when they reach their breaking threshold. Also not every socket or extenion that is black oxide finished is used for impact, it will be stamped "for hand use only" if it's not.

 

[Lotek]

It's best to have an educated trigger finger, practice until you can get it to coast to the torque you want, then retorque with a torque wrench if necessary.

 

[pipsters]

I restrict my gun to the lower of the setting they come with. Plus I don't let them impact at all once hitting the item the bolt is going in. Really I just use them as a high speed ratchet when putting stuff back together.

The biggest time savings comes in taking stuff apart.

 

[rapyoke]

When installing start the threading by hand first.

THIS. The first time my brother used my electric impact he somehow managed to cross thread one of his lug bolts

Funny for me I guess, not for him

 

[larry_g]

Another factor here is that one size does not fit all. You have to size the impact or air wrench to the size of the fastener that you are using. There are many styles of air wrenches out there that are not impact that may be better suited to the job at hand. I have an old 3/8" impact that will probably not do better that 50 ft/lbs. I'll use it to run down larger bolts to snug and then apply the TQ wrench. There are air guns that are torque limiting or set torque. Commonly found in industrial assembly.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[diesel research]

I did like my old cheap *** campbell hausfield for "nut running". It was a gutless super light weight 3/8 cheap impact. Wouldn't break free most bolts to save it's life, but worked great for running down bolts. Could even safely do trans pan bolts if they had clean threads.

The first thing is you need to calibrate your "torque fingers". that is done by using a torque wrench everytime you can, so you know the feel. Then you can move on to calibrating that feel with the wrenches/ratchets you typically use.

Then when using impacts, feel is removed. You depend on eyes/ears. At first you will have to go very easy and the moment the fastener stops spinning fast (not much hammering noise), stop and torque by hand. Will probably take several clicks. As you get more used to it, you will be able to let it hammer a little w/o over torquing, and even identify a failing impact.

Standard torquing procedures are not very accurate in the first place as far as bolt preload goes. The average guy just can't afford more precise measuring devices, not to mention most automotive applications are not as critical in the grand scheme of things. People will say a wheel is very critical, but truth be told there is quite a wide range or tolerance that is considered "acceptable". Even a dead-buts accurate torque wrench that repeatably clicks or breaks over with the same level of strain, doesn't compensate for a wide variety of fastener friction due to various other variables like thread condition or lubrication.

I do use a "torque limited gun" which is calibrated to 550ft-lbs. It does not hammer or impact and turns pretty slow and smooth and stops "pretty close". Isn't an exact science, again due to thread condition and even air pressure/supply.

 

[LEVE]

For running down bolts that need to be torqued, I prefer my air ratchet. Are you thinking about an Air or Electric driven impact wrench/gun?

 

[dsan]

Caught my nephew using my cordless impact to take out and install spark plugs on his corolla. When I asked him why he said it was faster. Okay. His father was pissed none the less.

 

[HandyManny]

Caught my nephew using my cordless impact to take out and install spark plugs on his corolla. When I asked him why he said it was faster. Okay. His father was pissed none the less.

There's one application you NEVER want to use any type of power or pneumatic tool. It's never faster when you mess things up at the beginning of a job.

 

[dsan]

There's one application you NEVER want to use any type of power or pneumatic tool. It's never faster when you mess things up at the beginning of a job.

Yep. However at 24 years old he knows it all and is one step ahead.

 

[HandyManny]

Yep. However at 24 years old he knows it all and is one step ahead.

I remember knowing it all at 16 years to 18 years old, but I became much wiser in a hurry after 20 The real world tends to do that to you.

 

[idoitproject]

If you don't all ready have an impact wrench or air ratchet, you can always use a drill if you have one. Just buy socket adapters, like below. They can be found at HF or Amazon.

 

[HandyManny]

Now I'm seriously wanting to get an impact wrench for the time it'll save me. Just wondering if there's any safe 'mode' or setting on an impact wrench that allows you to use it to safely install bolts? Are there any settings that allows the wrench to basically spin free above a certain very low torque setting (for installation)?

Also can someone educate me, is there any kind of disadvantage whatsoever to using an impact wrench to take off fasteners on a regular basis? Will it do any kind of damage to a fastener in the long run?

This should explain it clear as day. Read the first sentence of the first post. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98231

 

[srmofo]

There's one application you NEVER want to use any type of power or pneumatic tool. It's never faster when you mess things up at the beginning of a job.

you havent done too many Ford 3 valve 5.4 spark plug jobs have you? obviously you dont install them with the gun though

 

[HandyManny]

you havent done too many Ford 3 valve 5.4 spark plug jobs have you? obviously you dont install them with the gun though

Unfortunately I've done too many of those. Including pulling the cylinder heads on my old truck. Luckily Ford has fixed that problem with a new one piece plug.

 

[wafrederick]

I use an impact to remove spark plugs,not to install and I do this with my air ratchet the same way.Start the spark plug and tighten with a hand ratchet.Champion fixed Ford's spark plug problem for the 3 valve 5.4s,Made it one piece and Ford does not recomend the Champion #7989 spark plugs.The Autolites are still a two piece,seen a picture of one.

 

[snapmom]

When I see hubby spinning around, I say "don't you think you have that set to high"

 

[HandyManny]

I use an impact to remove spark plugs,not to install and I do this with my air ratchet the same way.Start the spark plug and tighten with a hand ratchet.Champion fixed Ford's spark plug problem for the 3 valve 5.4s,Made it one piece and Ford does not recomend the Champion #7989 spark plugs.The Autolites are still a two piece,seen a picture of one.

Really, just some friendly advice, do it by hand, both removal and install. You may never have had a problem removing them with power tools thus far, but believe me, if you continue using power tools on plugs, you will have trouble, and it's going to be ugly at best, terribly expensive at worst. Best to do it by hand. A 3/8" drive long handled flex-head ratchet works best.

By the way Ford did resolve their two piece plug breakage problem, switch to a factory installed one piece plug in 2008. Autolite hasn't been OEM on Fords for many years. My new 2010 F-150 has those new Motorcraft one piece plugs as I understand. Wont have to change them for a while, truck's only 9 month old.

 

[wafrederick]

I never had a spark plug break off removing them with an impact or air ratchet.Ford did put a revise on the spark plug change on the 3 valve tritons,change every 30,000 miles and they still break off.I have seen a picture of the Autolite on Parts Plus's online order site which shops use to order parts,a two piece plug.

 

[HandyManny]

I never had a spark plug break off removing them with an impact or air ratchet.Ford did put a revise on the spark plug change on the 3 valve tritons,change every 30,000 miles and they still break off.I have seen a picture of the Autolite on Parts Plus's online order site which shops use to order parts,a two piece plug.

According to my dealership they don't use Autolite sparkplugs. Not sure who makes the Motorcraft plugs for Ford, but Autolite hasn't been OEM for Ford for a great many years. Maybe some independent shops buy those two piece Autolites as aftermarket plugs. According to Ford they have been using one piece plugs staring mid years 2008 model year. Not saying I fully trust the dealership, but the tech I spoke to in person seemed like he knew what he was talking about since he'd done plenty of spark plug jobs on the Triton 5.4L that had those two piece plugs. I've also done a few of those tune-ups recently, on an '04 F-150 I no longer own and for friends of mine who have '04 and '06 F-150's. Also one of my good friends owns his own shop and he verified that he also has done plenty big mess jobs with those two piece plugs, said Ford has since switched to one piece. My 2010 F-150 is the last model year that Ford used the 5.4L Triton. Been told mine has the newer one piece plugs, haven't had any inclination to pop the boots off an pull a plug to verify this. Truck is still new so I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

 

[wafrederick]

Must look like the #7989 Champion spark plug.Will change coils at the same time when a missfire code appears.Had a 2005 this way which 3 missfire codes appeared,changed 3 of the spark plugs and had to change 2 of the coils.Missfire code came back on two of them after changing 3 of the plugs.Ford has crappy coils with the cop ignition system,$100.00 a piece for the 3 valve tritons.

 

[diesel research]

Sounds like a hack mechanic.

 

[wafrederick]

Only changed 3 of them,missfire code came on these three.This 2005 I mentioned is a money pit and the customer knows about it.The 7989 Champions are $25.00 a piece and this is one reason why the tune up is very expensive on a 3 valve triton.

 

[HandyManny]

Must look like the #7989 Champion spark plug.Will change coils at the same time when a missfire code appears.Had a 2005 this way which 3 missfire codes appeared,changed 3 of the spark plugs and had to change 2 of the coils.Missfire code came back on two of them after changing 3 of the plugs.Ford has crappy coils with the cop ignition system,$100.00 a piece for the 3 valve tritons.

Even though Ford advises againt the Champion I'm willing to bet that Champion is the OEM for the Motorcraft plugs. But who knows? I really don't.

I recall a Jeep dealership trying to tell me not to use Champion plugs in my Jeep, that I should use only MOPAR plugs. I know for fact that Champion made those exact plugs for MOPAR. Nothing unique about the MOPAR except the price.