IR 231 a good impact??

[WhyMe]

i have 2 1/2" impacts. Both are IR. one is a 223 and the other a 231 Mod A.

they have seen light use throughout the years. The 231 seems weak compared to the 223. lugs that zip right off with the 223, take quite a bit longer with the 231. I have taken it apart and cleaned and lubed them. did not find any parts that looked worn.

So am i expecting too much from the 231? is it considered a light duty impact?

 

[brownbagg]

the 231 is one of the best impacts out there, you will notice all the tire people use them

 

[joedodge]

It's an outstanding impact for he money still have my first one from when I started professionally spinning wrenches

 

[dtt454]

i have several, maybe you just need to put a hammer kit in it, its one of the easiest impacts to get parts for. even if the hammers dont look to bad. one i had i broke the anvil, and put a new one in, it was like a new gun

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

Good entry tech gun, while not as strong as the IR 2135TIMAX

 

[WhyMe]

I pulled it apart and took pix of the hammer mech

does not look worn at all. Am i missing something?

 

[Fixnair]

Sounds like it is not getting enough air. This model is a great tool and should hit upwards to 600 ft lbs if the motor is working up to speed.

 

[gsmornot]

Ignore the suggested setting for pressure. I run mine about 130. Big difference from the suggested 90. Try more air and see what you think.

 

[TheGrooveking]

On 231's when lose power you may have to grease them. My 231 that I bought back in 1982 works like a charm, I worn over 4 boots off of it, I still wish they made leather boots for it.

TheGrooveking

 

[Provincial]

My IR2131 got anemic, so I took it apart and checked it out. I found nothing worn out, so I greased up the hammers with NLGI #2 and lubed the air side with ATF. It works like new again! I think that the grease was the secret.

 

[Marlin]

Check your inlet screen for debris and make sure the power setting on the reverse switch lines up with the number 5 on both sides. Your hammers and anvil look great, make sure they are greased. The 231 should definitely outperform the 223.

 

[TheGrooveking]

While on the 231 topic, has the torque rating of the 231 change at all over the years?

TheGrooveking

 

[billymade]

The tune up kits are very reasonable; you might throw a kit in, while your in there!

231-TK2 (w/o bearings)

231-TK3 (includes bearings)


https://www.google.com/search?q=ir+...75,d.aWc&fp=132ce2d3bc71128a&biw=1280&bih=937

exploded parts view:

http://www.airtoolpartsnow.com/pdf/Breakdown_231C.pdf

I bought a IR 223 brand new back in the early 90s (it was reasonably priced gun for a IR); it is not a very powerful gun, the 231 is definitely has more power.

 

[MG44]

231 is decent for a tire shop, but it has nowhere near the advertised 600ft-lbs. With the guns these days for under $200, a 231 is on the bottom of the list. The earthquake from HF walks all over it day and night in terms of power

 

[Arbybe]

What is the bottom line on WHERE the power comes from on a ir 231 Impact.
At 90psi with 3/8 line with common ,not HI FLOW fittings?
Just vane wear? Or what?
RBB

 

[tedsters]

i have two 231 and i run more then 90psi into it i bought one new then got the other one from CL i have not found nothing it won't take apart even lug nuts that was on an old 1975
motor home i don't think the rims were ever off from it rips em right off, its actually one of the best i have ever used and sometimes the Ingersoll Rand Outlet runs rebates on them i bought mine a while back but it had a $15 rebate i think it was $106 TMD

 

[crewchief888]

ive been abusing ir 231's for almost 30 years working on const eq.

 

[chris142]

I bought mine in the late 80's. It was made in Japan. Its always had unregulated air,never been opened up. It will still bust the Budd lug nuts off of big trucks as long as some yahoo didn't go nuts with the big impact.

The new 231 is made in China. Hopefully its still a good tool

 

[arz71]

Been looking for one like this:
http://www.ingersollrandproducts.co...e-automotive-impactools/1-2-drive/244a-series

 

[Marlin]

I bought mine in the late 80's. It was made in Japan. Its always had unregulated air,never been opened up. It will still bust the Budd lug nuts off of big trucks as long as some yahoo didn't go nuts with the big impact.

The new 231 is made in China. Hopefully its still a good tool

The 231 was never made in Japan, could have been a 223.

 

[Zrexxer]

Is the 231 a good impact? Sure it is.

Is it a great impact? Well, maybe not as much anymore, as it's been kind of eclipsed by some of the new "super" air tools. It's a little long in the tooth. Not the newest, flashiest, or sexiest on the market. But you could give a guy a working 231 in good condition, and he could still take it and go earn a living. It was the only 1/2" impact I owned for a long time.

 

[chris142]

The 231 was never made in Japan, could have been a 223.

Odd because I could still read the tag on the back up until a few yrs ago.

 

[madcrisis]

what are the differences of the different versions of the 231? such as c, g, ha, and others?

 

[PBCampbell]

231HA has an extended anvil and exhausts through the handle. I think it's intended for wheel work specifically. I'm not sure the difference between the C and G, although I think the G is cheaper in price.

 

[stikman56]

231HA has an extended anvil and exhausts through the handle. I think it's intended for wheel work specifically. I'm not sure the difference between the C and G, although I think the G is cheaper in price.

Also I know the inlet valve designs are different as well. model A and C are the same, just an 0-ring. The G, and HA etc. are the conventional tip valve and seal.

 

[NY_treeguy]

Check the lower crew that holds the nose cone to the body. I have had them work lose or snap. This lets air bypass out the front and robs power.

 

[dnschmidt]

The 231 has the perfect torque for use with a torque stick. My Aircat's and Nitrocat's are too powerful and cause the torque stick to go into a weird twisting mode whereas the 231 works perfectly with them. For a tire changer they are the best.

 

[Arbybe]

Watching Tony Beets on "Gold Rush" doing his R&R of the dredge barge
Spinning 3/4"-1" bolts with 1/2 drive IR231's
That says a lot to me.
Really would love to meet him and Grandpa.
IMHO
RBB

 

[May Pop]

On sale at tooltopia this week for $112.

 

[KTA_Kevin]

you guys should check out the m7 1/2" mini impact.. you can get them with or without the stubby sockets.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUEXMQY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[stage20]

from what i have learned on here, set you regulator to 90psi, then hold down on the trigger of the gun. psi will drop. adjust the regulator up to 90spi while still holding on the trigger.

ive done this and set my air on 100-110 psi to get 90 at the gun while running. 231 has a lot more power now. my harbor freight earthquake really has some kick.

 

[bob nobody]

I took apart my ir231 model A & I found wear stripe on the anvil where it goes through the bushing the anvil has a little slop,
is this normal? should replace I replace the bushing?
thank you!
kidd

 

[anndel]

the 231 is one of the best impacts out there, you will notice all the tire people use them

Here in Hawaii, I only see tire techs with Snap-on, MAC, Matco and several Air Cats here at Costco, Sam's Club and Lex Brodies.

 

[Schurkey]

IR231 used to be an "industry standard" like the CP734. Incredibly popular, durable, reasonably powerful, not overpriced. There weren't forty-five brands of knockoff-junk trying to compete in the market. Well, "reasonably powerful" in terms of 1975. The Snap-On impact wrench in '75 (IM5 or IM5A) wasn't any stronger. And--truth to be told--they were durable because they didn't make enough power to hurt themselves.

Fast forward from '75 to twenty-ish years ago. The 231s and 734s get EATEN ALIVE by the better Y2K impact wrenches, including some of the bottom-feeder import brands. Current-production high-end impacts are somewhat more powerful than the Y2K units.

I had a Snap-On IM510B, which I bought used around 1993. Even that long ago, it would kick *** on the obsolete but brand-new IR231s supplied by the Company. My 510B was the only 1/2" impact in the assembly plant that could properly tighten the huge jam-nuts used to hold copper A/C pipes in position. Modern impacts would do to my '510 what my '510 did to the IR231.

At this point in the game, I don't know why "Tire Techs" need a 1/2" impact gun unless they're using 'em on medium trucks. A good 3/8 is about the same functional power level--or more--that a 231 has; and either one is way more than you'd need to zip 7/16" or 1/2" lug nuts.

 

[TNToy]

Good entry tech gun, while not as strong as the IR 2135TIMAX

You’ll put three triggers in the MAX and then the buttons will begin to wear the case out, causing you to replace the gun roughly a decade before the 231 has any kind of problem.

It isn’t the strongest gun, but they last forever.

Ilove my Ti’s, but I’m realistic about their faults.