what impact to buy

[steveo2155]

I bought a 6 gallon oil less porter cable compressor over the weekend for $129. CFM ratings are 3.7 at 90psi & 2.6psi at 40. Will be used for small projects around the home, but I would like to use it on occasion to rotate tires on half ton truck. I know this is a smaller compressor and I will have to wait for it to catch up when taking off lug nuts, but I have read many reviews on this compressor and people have said they use it to rotate tires. So does anybody have a somewhat cheap impact wrench they would recommend for taking off lug nuts? Also I am going to be looking for a jack and jack stands, any recommendations there?

 

[zkling]

Budget? It's a bit of a double edged sword, the cheaper impacts are less efficient to produce the same force compared to a higher $ unit. Since you don't exactly have a bunch of extra air to waste.... The HF earthquake series is very nice for the money, but louder, heavier and less efficient than a IR or other large brand counterpart. A used IR231 might be a good fit. Embarrassingly my $10 china made campbell hausfield has done everything I've asked of it, but air shortage is not a problem for me. Then there is always the breaker bar.

 

[joedodge]

Ir231 will make you happy for a long time

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Cheap impacts are just that. My friend has a 1/2 CH that can't break lugs loose. Look for a used snap on mg325 in 3/8. You will get more use out of something that actually works. If you want 1/2 get a snap on mg725. You can find them on Craigslist and eBay for around 150-175 for good condition if you look and are patient.

On a side note I have heard good things about the HF earthquake. Not sure on pricing, but I am sure someone here has one and can chime in.

Jacks and jack stands I would say HF. They have a decent selection and I haven't heard anything bad.....yet.

 

[MG44]

A few of the guys at work have used Earthquakes for years with no problems. Guys with IR231 have to borrow an earthquake time to time. for $80 def. the best bang for the buck on the market.

 

[71goldss]

I purchased my HF 1/2" Earthquake w/coupon for $69.99 last year. I'm still running across those coupons quite frequently.

 

[Farmall450]

Cheap impacts are just that. My friend has a 1/2 CH that can't break lugs loose. Look for a used snap on mg325 in 3/8. You will get more use out of something that actually works. If you want 1/2 get a snap on mg725. You can find them on Craigslist and eBay for around 150-175 for good condition if you look and are patient.

On a side note I have heard good things about the HF earthquake. Not sure on pricing, but I am sure someone here has one and can chime in.

Jacks and jack stands I would say HF. They have a decent selection and I haven't heard anything bad.....yet.

I personally would get a IR over an SO, but I don't know which for you, since I've never had a air problem....2k series are good all around.

 

[blacK20]

I actually used the HF earthquake professionally for several years back when I was an apprentice. It did the job and is still used today for backup. Can be had for around $70 I think. Decent power but the sucker is heavy for a 1/2" gun. For what it's worth, I highly recommend it.

 

[firebox40dash5]

If you want new, I'd look at the HF Earthquake... although I haven't owned one personally.

If you're open to used, I'd look for an IR, either a 2131, or even a used 2135Timax. I've picked up 2 of the latter now for $100. The first was the old black-body one, then I got the current grey one when an acquaintance got his stuff repo'd. Bang for the buck wise they can't be beat at that price.

Whatever you do, rig it up properly for air tools. If you've got another tank outlet, put a fitting on there without a regulator. You don't need to regulate down to 90, and when you're using an impact, you'll be disappointed if you do. Those little regulators might flow enough for a nail gun, but lean on the impact and you'll end up with 30-40psi in the hose. While you're at it, might as well go to Northern Tool and order some Milton V fittings... you'll be wanting all the help you can get with a little compressor, and it's not like you have dozens of them to buy.

 

[dankicksass]

NitroCat 1375XL is the near-perfect impact. Small, light, powerful and easily affordable. It's quiet and I've used it for a few years almost exclusively. It weighs half of what my old IR 2135 does and has just as much power. I've used it with a small 3gal compressor at a friend's house and it performed adequately with tiny airline choking it to death.

 

[619DioFan]

Been using the HF earthquake for about two years now. no problems at all. also the use the other earthquake air tools. with a coupon the 1/2 inch impact was 70.00 out the door.

If you want new and can pay a little more the aircat line is really good.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

I Have the HF earthquake 1/2 impact I got it for 73 bucks out the door. It's an air hog. It's like 5 cfm. Works great for at work, but with the ratings on your compressor it wouldn't be running at its greatest.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[beamrider]

I've heard nothing but good things about the HF Earthquake series. That's a small compressor, but if all you plan to do is remove lug nuts, you'll be fine, you just might have to wait a minute between tires. Money well spent, IMHO.

 

[GSteg]

Big fan of the Ingersoll Rand line. Even the 2131 can still hang with the newer stuff, and it's priced decently too. When you have a good gun that doesn't need to hammer too much, your air consumption may actually be lower.

 

[woody 73]

If money is tight I would get the HF earthquake, if money is super tight look for a good used IR air tool.

Funny but over the x-mas Holiday Home Depot had an 1/2 air gun for $20.00 dollars, then it went for $15.00 dollars (I bought one), then to get rid of them they went for $10.00 each. Someone made a video of this same gun and they said it would not remove anything, but as soon as I can clear away the last of the snow from my man cave I am going to try that sucker out.

 

[woody 73]

Found the video, still I would like to see for myself just what the tool will do:

 

[adro815]

You can get a nice IR231c from sears for a great price. I got mine 3 years ago for 149 and have had 0 problems breaking lugs loose. Or anything for that fact. I use mine daily at my shop and would not recommend anything else. IR is alot better quality then snap on in my opinon, i own both i got a mg325 3/8 love it but my IR is by far my fav impact

 

[cheechi]

I have a 6gal Bostitch pancake at my parents house, similar to yours. I also have IR235G (from what I can tell researching, an older version/cousin to the 231) and Earthquake, both 1/2". They are both plenty strong enough to take off two wheels, maybe 3 before waiting to refill. 6 bolts on my light truck, though not very much torque required (I don't nascar them down to 800 ft-lb), and I have been able to do brake work, some body/frame work, and general repairs with either impact and that tank with reasonable delay times as a backyard repair job. Even refilling, it's got enough recovery time to use the air ratchet with it without much frustration.

Obviously it isn't going to give you much performance with an air saw or grinder but I have used both with mine for little bursts without any issues either.

Basically, if you aren't trying to book 100 hrs a week with it you can get your job done reasonably quickly with any impact gun recommended here.

 

[Engine]

I bought a 6 gallon oil less porter cable compressor over the weekend for $129. CFM ratings are 3.7 at 90psi & 2.6psi at 40. Will be used for small projects around the home, but I would like to use it on occasion to rotate tires on half ton truck. I know this is a smaller compressor and I will have to wait for it to catch up when taking off lug nuts, but I have read many reviews on this compressor and people have said they use it to rotate tires. So does anybody have a somewhat cheap impact wrench they would recommend for taking off lug nuts? Also I am going to be looking for a jack and jack stands, any recommendations there?

I have exactly the same compressor and use an IR 231C with it sometimes to rotate the tires on my truck. When filled to 150 psi, and the outlet pressure at 90 psi, the impact wrench will remove five lug nuts before the pressure drops enough to build up again. By the time I set the tire aside and move to the next one, it's ready to do another five. I'm using a 3/8" hose and 1/4" fittings.

 

[Finky198]

A used ir 2135TiMax and buy a rebuild kit take it apart clean it and reassemble it will work like new it just won't look new but who cares I got one for $100 cleaned oiled and regreased it in 1/2 an hour and a $0.05 worth of lube works like new

 

[Danglerb]

For my use all of the HF EQ air tools were no brainers, 3/8 ratchet, 3/8 and 1/2 impacts.

OTOH a $10 25" HF breaker bar is what I use on lug nuts to remove, HF 1/2 torque wrench to put them back on.