Big impact wrenches

[SPYDERLK]

Tank is 60 gallon. Pressure is at 120 psi. It does go through a regulator, then a quick connect. To that a 25 foot 3/8" hose is connected, with a quick connect on the end and a quick connect on the impact.

We also mounted a quick connect on the air tank on the truck and ideally were hoping to use the air from the truck to run the impact but we tried that and it did not work either.

Good sized tank - not the problem. Regulator, connectors and hose are the problem. Try this with just what you have on hand. Temporarily install your 3/8 x 25 hose directly to an unregulated port on the tank. Thread the other end directly to the earthquake tool - no connectors [yould be surprised at the pressure losses at demand flow thru the regulator -unless a large one - and those small connectors used on 3/8hose]. Pressurize the system to 120 and use the tool. That should work. The Earthquake 3/4 is a powerful tool and the ensured good delivery to it should give at least 1kft# impacts. If this doesnt work your lugs are tighter than they are meant to be. More torque is available from the tool [up to about 1300#] by using higher tank pressure and/or a 1/2 hose.
larry

 

[BigE_]

Like Spyder said, you have an air delivery problem. Of course, the other problem is the HF impact wrench. If you look at the specs on the HF impact wrenches (or the cheaper CH wrenches), you'll see the ft-lb / cfm is much lower than on the higher end wrenches. No, they don't list this rating, but they do list the ft-lb, and they do list the cfm requirement. You can do the calculation yourself.

So, you'll need to either upgrade your wrench to a better brand (with higher ft-lb / cfm), or upgrade your hoses / quick connects / regulator setup. 1/2" hose gets expensive fast, as do the connectors, so it might be cheaper to take the HF wrench back and get an IR wrench.

-Steve

 

[Redbug]

I have never seen nor heard of a torque multiplier until now. I looked at it on the Northern site. Just how does it work? Like a cheater bar and pipe?

 

[Willl]

Just how does it work?

More like dropping a gear range in your vehicle. It's a gear reducer of sorts.
The handle of the torque multiplier must be against an immovable object.

 

[Redbug]

Oh, and then you attach your wrench or socket to the multiplier? Sort of like a gearbox? Seems like one of those is a good way to really strip or wring a nut off.

 

[AlanB]

If I remember right, there are two 1" impacts from HF. The one I have works well, but you MUST feed it with the big hose and proper couplers (which fortunately HF now carries as well)

I use mine regularly, while certainly not an IR or CP, I regularly shear off 3/4" pipe threads when frozen.

Picture trying to drink your iced tea through a coffee straw. That's what your impact is doing on the small hose and couplers.

 

[Willl]

Seems like one of those is a good way to really strip or wring a nut off.

That's why you use quality 6-point impact sockets to keep from rounding the corners off your bolt heads.
If ya strip threads, well that would of happened regardless of what you used to turn it with.

Side note; DO NOT USE IMPACT GUN on any torque multiplier. You'll destroy it in no time flat.

 

[NuBota]

Regarding the torque multiplier

The reason I bought mine was because I bought a hitch receiver with a ball already on it. Went to change it and couldn't budge it. The specs call for a hitch ball to be torque to 450 ft-lb. Try getting there with your torque wrench by hand or off with a breaker bar. Any way I now fell pretty comfortable that the ball won't come loose.

The multiplier uses planetary gears. So on mine every full turn of the input wrench turn the socket 1/3 of the turn, but with 3 times the force. I did some research before buying and found most info from heavy equipment mechanics for removing wheel lugs.

Here is one I liked
http://www.vannattabros.com/saw48.html

As far as rounded heads, I would only imagine a problem if the nut is frozen, rusted, stripped, or whatever - but imagine any method would have the same risk. One that is just tight should not be an issue.

And I always pictured an impact wrench - trying to remove a nut that is heavily torqued - twisting and ripping my hands off of my wrists

 

[schmism]

when i was at the retreat camp i helped change tires on the full size dump truck a time or 2. started off with the 1" rachet, but finished with the 4 way and a 7' cheater bar. one guy would hold the end of the 4 way that was parallel to the lug nut while i got to run the cheeter bar. like doing pull ups. bout the time i couldn't pull the end of the bar up anymore, "ok good".

removal went similar although it often ment standing on the end of the bar and bouncing a few times, after that you only had to put ALMOST all your weight on it till the 1" impact would start to run them off.

 

[Redbug]

Very interesting NuBota. Thanks for the link. It shows some serious force being used. Now I know I could have used a torque multiplier a time or two.