IR Hammerhead Impact

[chevydriver37]

Was wondering if anyone had one of these. I do a lot of trailer work/restoration and think this might be great for tight spots on rusty bolts, etc. Also saw some IR's COO was China. None of mine are, but when did they start this?

Copy/Paste from website:

Twisted Impact
What It Is: Ingersoll Rand's Hammerhead impact wrenches
Why You Care: These are cool. They combine the low-profile accessibility of a ratchet with the strength of an impact wrench. Available in 1/2- and 3/8-inch drive, both versions of the Hammerhead deliver 180 ft-lb of rusty-fastener-busting torque at 7,100 rpm, yet need just over 2 inches of clearance. You'll be able to power off crank balancer bolts without breaking a sweat.
How Much: These are sold through distributors, and we're seeing prices around $300.00 online.
We Say: The hammer is in the body. It drives the arbor through a series of bevel gears.
Learn More: Ingersoll Rand; Annandale, NJ; 800/376-8665; IngersollRandProducts.com

 

[jammer1001]

There a very good tool, the head is large for tight spaces but it work as advertised!!

 

[joshthedieseltech]

well worth the money, I even overpaid ($310) off the truck and it still worth it, get one of these.

 

[impulse922]

on sale for $240 on tooltopia right now. (free shipping over $99, too)

 

[bsaint]

I dont believe it will do a crank bolt nut.

 

[marcusicp]

I dont believe it will do a crank bolt nut.

There is a video on youtube of a guy removing one on a 5.9 Dodge with a Hamerhead.

 

[srmofo]

I dont believe it will do a crank bolt nut.

I pulled one off today with mine...and the left lower engine mount also.

It a nice tool, but I wish I had gotten the 1/2 drive vs the 3/8 drive. Sockets will be a little longer, but I havent found myself using it on anything smaller than a 13mm. And air ratchet will easily take care of any fasteners smaller than that.

Lots of threads here on GJ about it. Just search for them and you will find several reviews including mine

 

[srmofo]

well worth the money, I even overpaid ($310) off the truck and it still worth it, get one of these.

The mac man got me too, but I couldn't find it anywhere else and was impatient.

At least Im happy with it, Nothing worse than a tool youre disappointed with and overpaid on.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

There a very good tool, the head is large for tight spaces!

I had a few women, through the years, tell me the exact same thing....

 

[wafrederick]

IR needs to fix the power problem with them.My Matco tool dealer has sent a few back,no power after the recall.IR never did call him on these until now.An IR rep contacted him yesterday.I will not get buy one until this is fixed.

 

[srmofo]

IR needs to fix the power problem with them.My Matco tool dealer has sent a few back,no power after the recall.IR never did call him on these until now.An IR rep contacted him yesterday.I will not get buy one until this is fixed.

I thought the issue was fixed with new units? Mine hasnt given me a bit of trouble

 

[wafrederick]

My Matco tool dealer sold two this way and each customer was not too happy about it.Did not have the power IR claimed.

 

[bsaint]

There is a video on youtube of a guy removing one on a 5.9 Dodge with a Hamerhead.

Yea I think its fake. Let me see a Honda one get removed.

 

[srmofo]

Yea I think its fake. Let me see a Honda one get removed.

The one I did today was on a honda. Obviously it wasnt one of the basterds that takes a 8' cheater bar and 3 guys to remove, but then again why do you need to use the hammer head on a honda pulley bolt? They are easily accessable through the wheel well. Ive yet to meet a honda crankbolt that my 1/2 IR impact wouldnt remove, but they can be a huge pita without air tools. My first water pump timing belt job was that way when I was 17.

Yeah its not going to remove every stuck or stubborn bolt out there. Its not bragging that it will either. Its just another tool that has its uses. I find its great for pulley bolts on water pumps, and power steering pumps. Also handy in removing certain caliper bracket bolts. I keep finding new uses for it almost everyday.

If I have the time on monday Ill torque some lugnuts down and remove them for ya

 

[lynam]

I have the 3/8" version. It seems it can take off any nut or bolt on a new vehicle.
Yes, it can do wheel nuts as long as you feed it enough air. I tried taking off the wheel nuts on my car the minute i got it. I wasn't supplying it enough air and could hear the motor bog down under full load. I got 2 of 5 nuts off. When I brought it to the shop i work for, which has better a better air supply, I was able to do 4 tire rotations with it. Keep in mind these were small and mid sized cars.

Last week i did a full sub frame replacement, only using the hammerhead, I really did it to test it out. The car was 10 years old and a rust bucket, and it took off 95% of the fasteners. It only failed on one of the 22MM control arm/sub-frame bolts, and 2 of the 19MM sub-frame to body bolts. The first setting on the air regulator in forward is around 45-55 foot pounds of torque, which is perfect for running down fasteners tight.

While free spinning under no load the hammer head seems to be hammering/impacting the whole time, unlike a 1/2 impact gun which free spins a bit without hammering. I found this a bit annoying because it is harder to tell what the threads are doing when running a nut/bolt/fastener in or out.

The guys at the shop were joking about it sounding like a tazer when you full throttle it. Also, you cannot use it to break anything free manually like a air ratchet, you have to use air. I think these things are more of a learning curve with how to use this new tool then a problem. When I got more confident with it and it didn't seem to bother me anymore.

If you have 300 bucks to blow on a air tool and have the basics, go for it! You should see what you can get at with a 3/8" impact universal socket and this tool. Makes doing starters and alternates on FWD drive vehicles a breeze!

 

[chevydriver37]

Thanks for the reviews... Still on the fence as to whether or not to buy. I HATE when I have dough burning a hole in my pocket!!!

 

[Toolhorder]

I bought one off the truck a little over a week ago. Was on the fence because of the recall but I bought a new version and it seems to be okay so far. It's probably more like the power of my 3/8 IR titanium impact gun than it's bigger 1/2 cousin.
I haven't tried to take a Honda crank bolt off yet but I don't think I'll even try. It's just not going to have enough power. The Dodge crank bolts aren't that tight compared to be fair.
I used mine to pull ****** bolts on an Acura Legend so far and I'm happy enough. The power is pretty decent for most bolts. The only thing that ***** is it won't act like a ratchet you have to be on the button to loosen something, if not the unit freewheels. It's just not a ratchet so you have to untrain your hand to use it right.

Also I paid a little more than the above poster. I think it was $350 or so. I don't buy tools new online as I buy off the truck and finance weekly so I pay a little more. Plus I other have a Snap-on dealer (who doesn't carry them) and a Cornwell dealer so I didn't have a lot of choice.

 

[lynam]

I got mine for 274$ Canadian plus tax free shipping. Best price i have seen it go for. I ordered it from www.babcotools.ca Best place to order tools on line for us Canadians. Some items do take about a month to show up at your door though. I waited 5 weeks for my hammerhead.
Heres a link to the hammerhead looks like they changed the price abit
http://www.babcotools.ca/Tools/Air-Impact-Wrenches/IRT2130-2_2

 

[joshthedieseltech]

My Matco tool dealer sold two this way and each customer was not too happy about it.Did not have the power IR claimed.

Mine has good power, I did F550 lugnuts with it, I installed them and torqued to 140ft/lbs and it spun them right off.

 

[Tony1M]

....................................
While free spinning under no load the hammer head seems to be hammering/impacting the whole time, unlike a 1/2 impact gun which free spins a bit without hammering. I found this a bit annoying because it is harder to tell what the threads are doing when running a nut/bolt/fastener in or out.
....................

Hello. I'm posting because I just bought a 2025MAX. (I also own an Ridgid electric impact wrench, which is huge and inappropriate for any but the biggest jobs where there is plenty of space available for this monster of a tool.)

Anyway, I noticed the exact same thing as lynam -- even under no load, the tool hammers, albeit not anywhere near as loud as when it is removing a fastener.

Hear this for youself on a youtube video I just uploaded:

Our electric Ridgid impact wrench sounds just like regular electric drill when operated with no load. As soon as it is put on a fastener, though, it starts hammering like mad. If my memory serves me correctly, a regular pneumatic impact wrench also does not hammer until it is put under load. I'd be interested in any comments about whether the no-load hammering is normal for this tool.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Marlin]

Hello. I'm posting because I just bought a 2025MAX. (I also own an Ridgid electric impact wrench, which is huge and inappropriate for any but the biggest jobs where there is plenty of space available for this monster of a tool.)

Anyway, I noticed the exact same thing as lynam -- even under no load, the tool hammers, albeit not anywhere near as loud as when it is removing a fastener.

Hear this for youself on a youtube video I just uploaded:

Our electric Ridgid impact wrench sounds just like regular electric drill when operated with no load. As soon as it is put on a fastener, though, it starts hammering like mad. If my memory serves me correctly, a regular pneumatic impact wrench also does not hammer until it is put under load. I'd be interested in any comments about whether the no-load hammering is normal for this tool.

Thanks ahead of time.

If it is performing well when used on a bolt you are fine. There is some drag in the gearing that is normal and can cause some to impact when freespeeding, it should have no affect on the performance of the tool and will probably stop as the gearing gets broken in.

 

[Tony1M]

If it is performing well when used on a bolt you are fine. There is some drag in the gearing that is normal and can cause some to impact when freespeeding, it should have no affect on the performance of the tool and will probably stop as the gearing gets broken in.

Thanks very much. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear!