Air tools w/ small compressor?

[Soundguy]

if i bought an electric impact wrench.. it would either run of 12 or 12v.. 12v preferably... not battery..

 

[SPYDERLK]

I need an impact wrench to remove lug nuts. A good cordless 1/2" one would be ideal but run $250-$300. (I want one for various reasons and plan to get one but it just isn't in the budget right now.) A good corded one would be about $150+. An air tool impact wrench can be got for about $75.

I have a 3.5 gallon, 135 psi pancake compressor. The tools I've looked up say that 90 psi is the ideal pressure and they use 5.5 cfm of air. Knowing nothing about air tools I am wondering if I could get by using my small compressor and an air impact wrench. Entire job is removing 4 wheels and then putting 4 on. I normally do this with a lug nut T wrench and the desire for an impact wrench is just pure laziness. It does not have to be fast.

Thanks for any advice.

With only 1/2 cu-ft storage you are relying on pretty optimum fastener conditions unless the compressor is good sized. How long does that compressor run for a normal pressure make up with no air being used?
larry

 

[Bird]

Cheap air impacts vs. Expensive air impacts. In addition to, or instead of, comparing prices, compare the torque ratings. Many, many years ago my first 1/2" air impact wrench was a Central Pneumatic from Harbor Freight. It appeared to be a Chicago Pneumatic CP734 clone and it lasted many years with no problems. But it was rated for 210 ft. lbs. vs. the CP734's 425 ft. lbs. You could certainly find some lug nuts that it would not loosen.

And now you can buy this half inch impact that appears to be an IR231 (Ingersoll-Rand) clone and it's rated at the same 425 ft. lbs.; probably a good buy.

 

[Gary Fowler]

When I got my 3/4" drive HF impact with advertised 650 ft pound torque I think I paid $69 for it and they had a 1/2" drive 350 ft.# one that was higher priced, go figure. Anyway the big one had a 3/8" NPT input fitting to use 3/8 hose. With me only having a 1/4" connection on my compressor, I had to reduce it down. It still produces impressive torque even with the 1/4" hose. If my present compressor dies, I will get a larger one with larger hoses.
One of my better investments has been a little 3/8" drive ratchet which I thing might be CH brand but was only about $25 25 years or more ago and it still has plenty of torque for up to 1/2" bolts. All it has ever had is a squirt of air tool oil whenever I use it, just like all my other air tools. I have right angle drills, a ratchet, 2 -1/2" drive impacts, 3/4" impact, 2 straight die grinders and a cutoff straight grinder and they all work as they should and range in age from over 25 years to 1 year of age and none are high dollar. I likely have less invested in all these than one Snap-on 1/2" impact would cost.
I have bought replacements for my older stuff when on sale thinking that they would stop working , but so far everything is going fine and the replacements are still in the boxes in my tool storage box.

 

[Soundguy]

i just picked up a 3/8 drive air ratchet myself last year. don't know why I waited so long..

 

[k0ua]

A super cheapie cambell 1/2 I've abused and treated like **** is over 10 years old and going strong. For the use stated go cheap with confidence, especially harbor freight where you can swap it out if you get a dud.

I agree, I have a $25 campbel Hausfeld, 1/2 inch and I have had it over 20 years. still works, and has taken off thousands of nuts, and driven a lot of 7/16 lags 5 and 6 inchers in landscape timbers. It still works fine, and doesn't owe me a dime. Is it the end all do all impact?. heck no. its a 250 ft lb. at best, but it sure has saved me alot of time and pain. Looks like it is about $29 now..and mine did not have the grip cover.

Amazon.com: Campbell Hausfeld TL050299AV 1/2-Inch Impact Wrench Grab-N-Go Tool Kit: Home Improvement

 

[the old grind]

For rotating or for brake inspections I crack 'em loose with a 4-way before jacking up & spin 'em off with a corded/cordless drill or lite duty impact, according to how well greased or not bunged up the last time off. They spin right back on with the little guys to be fully torqued in steps (20,40, 60 ft/lb, etc) once back on the ground.

Impacts usually bust stuff loose with even the smallest tank, if hoses/fittings are big enough as sound guy says. Air consumption isn't that high once they're spinning, but folks expect a lot from 'em anyway. btw: Anything else but an air-nailer is too often expecting too much from single-stage compressors or small tanks. Grinders, jitterbbugs, sand blasters, DAs, etc run best from 2-stage compressors due to volume demand. Oh, and air ratchets are air hogs too.

Production lines use air powered stuff for convenient replacement and cool running (drills, nut runners, etc). BTDT, but most times I'd rather run a 12 Ga cord than an air hose in my shop. HFTs may be 'throwaways', but I haven't busted or worn one out yet in 20+years. YMMV if you do/don't use 'em every week. Oil 'em per use. MMO works fine and won't gum up vanes.

 

[RobertN]

Be like Bo and Luke Duke changing a tire on the General Lee. Remember seeing that on a couple of the shows. They whipped the lightened floor jack out while the other got the 12V impact out and did a NASCAR/Formula-One style pitstop change!

if i bought an electric impact wrench.. it would either run of 12 or 12v.. 12v preferably... not battery..

 

[RobertN]

Do you tow the car to the track?

Wondering, as a BIL, and other friends with hard rock crawler Jeeps have converted AC compressors to air compressors, and added a small tank(some use their tube bumpers as tanks). They get impressive volume and psi. BIL carries impact, and stuff to air tires when done on the trail and/or tire repair on trail.

http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/converting-c-compressor-board-air-compressor-30976/

On-Board Air Compressor

My situation is this: In my current house I have no garage. I have a dungeon-like shop in my basement but all automotive work occurs in my driveway. I have a car that I take to the track so whenever I go I have to change wheels and brakes. I could get a larger compressor but I'm just not sure that would make sense because it would hardly be used for anything else.

 

[boggen]

when the air compressor will not produce the CFM (cubic feet of air per minute), and your air tank is small. *raises hand* yep that is me.

wait till ya find some of them "5 gallon" portable air tanks.
then wait till ya come across one of them all in one kits at menards or like that has... (air hose, quick connects, adapters, tee fitting) that is on sale.
get some pipe thread tape for the fittings. and redo connection on to of portable air tank or 2.

and then rig the air tanks up so they will give you extra air tank capacity.

remember to get sockets for impact wrenches. regular sockets can destroy themselves *been there done that*

always have a good breaker bar for sockets. more so ones that have a nice handle that you can slip a pipe over.

make sure ya torque lug nuts down. and not over tighten them. have seen a few stripped lug nuts.