lets talk impact wrenchs

[kossetx]

I've only ever needed an impact wrench for personal use. I bought a campbell housfield 1/2" to use but it seems to be a dog. It's like it runs out of power as the day goes on, but it is hooked to a porter cable 6cfm@90, 25 gal compressor. I was also only using it to remove 3/8" nuts to take some tool boxes off my farm truck. They weren't even rusty.

I took it back and exchanged it for another but it did the same. The manual indicates it needs less air than my comp puts out. I bought it because it said it put out 340ft/lbs of tork.

Do these homeowner type impacts suck and should I get a better one? Some of them have even less tork than this one. I really doubt it is my compressor, but I guess it could be. When the wrench starts to dog down the compressor shows plenty of air in the tank and sometimes hasn't even restarted itself. Does anyone have any opinions of the red one HFT sells. Name like thunderbolt or something) It is supposed to have about 2X the tork and is usually about 80.00.

TIA for any replies. MP

 

[SteelDust]

I was in the same boat as you. My first set of air tools included an impact wrench rated at about 350 ft.lbs of torque, it wouldn't unbolt much of anything at all. I immediately went out and bought an Ingersol Rand that was rated at about 600 ft. lbs. There isn't much that it hasn't been able to break loose. The adage holds true, you get what you pay for. That one IR impact cost nearly as much as the compressor and cheap air tool kit together, but it works.

 

[Bird]

Mark, that Campbell-Hausfeld is not one of the more powerful impact wrenches around, but it should not run down on power unless it's not properly lubricated; i.e., it should maintain its 340 ft./lbs. of torque all day. Are you putting air tool oil into the air intake? A teaspoonful is more than adequate; however, you cannot hurt one with too much oil. It might be messy because the excess will be blown out the exhaust, but it sure won't hurt the tool. In addition, doesn't it have an oil plug for a hex wrench in the side of the housing? The only Campbell-Hausfelds I'm personally familiar with do have. At any rate, the oil through the air intake lubricates the air motor, but then the impact mechanism also needs lubricating. Some impacts have the oil plug and the front end should be half full of 20W or 30W non-detergent motor oil. Other impacts (such as my IR231) have a grease fitting (actually a dimple with a tiny ball bearing) in the back end (the IR2131 is on the side instead of the back end). A needle nosed grease gun is necessary to add grease to those. The next question would be, what size air hose are you using? You'll have a little more power with a 3/8" hose than a 1/4" hose, but I'd assume you're using a 3/8" which is probably the most common size.

Incidentally, the IR231 (one of the most popular impacts made for many years) is rated at 425 ft./lbs. and the IR2131 (composite body) was rated at 600 or more originally, but I think they've changed that rating to 550 ft./lbs.

And yes, your compressor with 6 CFM at 90 psi should be quite adequate.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

The old saying is, the cheap pay twice. The torque rating on an impact gun is with a constant supply of air. If you put a pressure gauge at the tool, you would probably find a significant pressure drop. This is part of your issue. Try a larger air hose and instead of a qd at the tank, plumb it straight in. Bypass the regulator as you have a single stage compressor anyway, you want all the flow and psi you can get. With going thru the pressure regulator, (even turned on max) air hose, and small qd's, you are probably down to 80 psi and low flow at the gun when holding the trigger down. The regulators on these small compressors are very restrictive.
As for home use air guns, the Ingersoll-Rands are very good. This would probably be the last gun you ever bought for home use. I use my old I-R 231 frequently and have had it 15 years. I use 1/2" hose and 3/8"qd's, drop down to 1/4" at the gun. If I can't remove it with that, I have to get the 3' breaker bar and jump on it. This is just what works for me. Other people may have different experiences.

 

[RobS]

Hey all you impact experts: Years ago I invested in a good impact wrench and it's still going strong. I remember looking at the IR but ended up with a Chicago Pneumatic. The guy sold both and said they were pretty much equivalent. I have no complaints, just curious about CP (and NOT Central Pneumatic, HF brand).

 

[WildWest]

I am also a beliver in the

I use AeroKroil As a lubricant on a 14cfm 125psi compressor the more psi you have the better it will run

 

[kossetx]

I knew bird would find this, Thanks. The wrench was oiled though.

As far as being cheap, well....

Not knowing IW's, I assumed this one would work OK. It struggles with taking a nut off, let alone the initial losening. I don't think it could take a tight nut off.

Steeldust, by what you say I'll have to get another.

Thanks again folks.

 

[gemini5362]

I knew bird would find this, Thanks. The wrench was oiled though.

As far as being cheap, well....

Not knowing IW's, I assumed this one would work OK. It struggles with taking a nut off, let alone the initial losening. I don't think it could take a tight nut off.

Steeldust, by what you say I'll have to get another.

Thanks again folks.

I notice you said it was oiled but did not mention the hose. What the other posters have said is very important. I use a 1/4 inch hose for my nail gun. I had to take some bolts off and used the 1/4 inch hose because of the length. The results were disapointing and I thought I had a problem with my IR impact. I moved things closer to the air compresser and used my regular 3/8 inch hose and things were a lot better.

 

[KubotainNH]

I started with a cheap CH one too, that thing wouldn't loosen much. A couple years later I bought a 900 foot pound Northern Tool one, it was a bit over $100 I think. I doubt it really does 900 ft/lbs but it is powerful. When I first got it I tried it on every nut I could find and there wasn't one it didn't break loose. Good tools rock!

 

[MrJimi]

Do you have the power adjustment at the bottom of the grip opened up all the way to get full power?
Jim