WHATS A GOOD IMPACT WRENCH?

[k0ua]

Here is someones take on the possibility of a problem:

A cheesy flowing regulator, filter or water trap, internally damaged air hoses, hose leaks, an excessive length of hose ,or ANYTHING else that cuts down on the air-tool manufacturers minimum recommended CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) delivery of 90 PSI airflow ( industry standard pressure) will cause weak impact power and performance.

James K0UA

 

[jeffinsgf]

I've got a Porter-Cable electric impact. It has yet to fail me. I can also get electricity easier and faster to more places than I can air.

 

[kevinj]

WHATS THIS KEVEN J?
KOUA,
I have good pressure at the chuck id have to look but i think its 120-130 or so.Ihave no other problems with my other air tools [framing nailer,grinders drills etc.Yes i know i have different settings on the guns.More than glad to take pics of my setup if you really think i might have issues.I m heading out to putter in the garage in a bit ill take the camera
ALAN

Chicago Pneumatic model 734 1/2" drive

Google cp734 to look at em

 

[Transit]

I bought one no sale for $35 a few years ago, no longer use the air wench. Now you may say the name brands in this power range are better, think again. Look at the specs, Hp, torque and the only two things that differ are the price and color. Why pay $125 at Sears?

Now if you have problems with frozen bolts, you should have used some anti seize when things were new.

1/2" Electric Impact Wrench

 

[crazyal]

I don't have a nice one yet but have done lots of reading up on the subject. The best I found is if you're looking for the best 1/2" impact wrench then get an Ingersoll Titanium Quiet drive. It's not cheap but it's built to last. A close second is the AirCat Kevlar composite (what I'll end up getting). Chicago Pneumatics also makes a very good wrench. I think the CP734 is a Chicago Pneumatic model number, I don't know much about them though. The main reason the Aircat is not rated as high as the IR is because they are a Korean company.

The length of air hose shouldn't hurt you, 3/8" diameter is the smallest I would use though. If you read your (if you still have it) manual for your compressor they tell you it's much better to run long lengths of air line over electrical lines and having the compressor close to your work. A simple check would be to put an air gauge on your impact wrench and see how much the pressure drops as you try to remove a stubborn bolt.

A bad regulator will cause you issues as it will let full pressure down the line until you go to use air. Then it will not open up to allow the flow needed to supply the air needed for tools. I would suggest a regulator that has 1/2" threads for fittings. They are larger and will allow more air to flow through them.

 

[Bird]

I've been out of the air tool repair business now for nine and a half years, but until then, the most popular half-inch impact wrenches for professional mechanics were the Chicago Pneumatic CP734 and the Ingersoll-Rand IR231. They were entirely different styles and designs, but both produced the same amount of torque; i.e. 425 ft. lb. MAC, Matco, and Cornwell all had versions with their own names on the tools, but they were just Chicago Pneumatic or Ingersoll-Rand so the parts were interchangeable.. Snap-On has very similar impacts, but just different enough that if you ever need parts, they have to come from Snap-On at much higher prices.

But when you buy any impact wrench, look at the manufacturer's rating of air consumption and torque produced. There are literally dozens of cheap "knock-offs" especially of the CP734. They look the same, but only produce 210-250 ft. lb. of torque. Huge difference.

In the last 15 years or so, there are even more powerful half inch impacts made, such as the IR2131, composite body, with 600 ft. lbs. of loosening power. They became popular with diesel mechanics because they'd loosen nuts and bolts that used to require the heavier 3/4" impacts.

And as others have said, the size and length of your air hose can make a big difference.

Incidentally, my own current half inch impact is an IR231 that I gave $40 for at a pawn shop.

 

[2458n]

IR works great with alot of abuse. No one has mentioned lubrication. Try a shot of Marvel Mystery Oil or Blaster in the gun. Like all things -some tools have a much higher torque rating then others. Harbor Freight has a 1/2 air impact called,"earth quake" that has 600 ft/lbs. for removal. If your 1/2'' impact removes bush hog blades you have a good one!

 

[brin]

IR works great with alot of abuse. No one has mentioned lubrication. Try a shot of Marvel Mystery Oil or Blaster in the gun. Like all things -some tools have a much higher torque rating then others. Harbor Freight has a 1/2 air impact called,"earth quake" that has 600 ft/lbs. for removal. If your 1/2'' impact removes bush hog blades you have a good one!

Here's the thing...I really should have posted it removes the nut from the blades so the impact wrench does it's job but I can't ever get the blade itself off..I have squirted, pounded and heated..no go..not the wrenches fault because it got the nut off.. I am beginning to believe you don't need a nut on a bush hog blade, at least not on mine...those blades are on there for good ..I just grind them once a year and have given up trying to take them off.

 

[Bird]

Here's the thing...I really should have posted it removes the nut from the blades so the impact wrench does it's job but I can't ever get the blade itself off..I have squirted, pounded and heated..no go..not the wrenches fault because it got the nut off.. I am beginning to believe you don't need a nut on a bush hog blade, at least not on mine...those blades are on there for good ..I just grind them once a year and have given up trying to take them off.

Bob, I didn't have a gear puller of the right size, so I used two 6" C clamps and about an 8" piece of 4" channel iron to pull the blades on my Howse 500. Of course I put nut back on, but backed off a ways, tightened the C clamps, then one sharp rap with a hammer and the blades popped right off.

 

[Bird]

IR works great with alot of abuse. No one has mentioned lubrication. Try a shot of Marvel Mystery Oil or Blaster in the gun. Like all things -some tools have a much higher torque rating then others. Harbor Freight has a 1/2 air impact called,"earth quake" that has 600 ft/lbs. for removal. If your 1/2'' impact removes bush hog blades you have a good one!

Any oil or grease is better than no oil or grease, but I prefer genuine air tool oil for insertion in the air inlet. In fact, when I was in that business I used Marvel Mystery Air Tool Oil (came in a white can instead of red). Air tool oil is a gum solvent lightweight oil. Oil in the air inlet lubricates the air motor. Incidentally, you don't really need more than 2 or 3 drops at a time, but you cannot hurt the tool by using too much because it will just blow the excess out the exhaust. Messy maybe but no damage.

But the oil in the air inlet does not lubricate the impact mechanism. Some tools use oil, some grease. For example, the CP734 has a plug in the side of the housing, labelled "Oil". You can remove that plug with an Allen (hex) wrench. Put the tool down on the bench horizontally and turned so that plug is at 3 o'clock (or 9 o'clock), so you can fill the front end of the tool with 20W or 30W non-detergent motor oil up to that hole. In other words, you fill the front end of the tool half full of oil. On the other hand, the IR231 doesn't use oil in the impact mechanism; it used grease. The grease fitting in the center of the back end of the tool looks like a little dimple with a tiny ball bearing. You have to have a needle nosed grease gun to pump grease into it. The rotor and the anvil in those is hollow so the grease pumped into the back end greases the rear bearing, goes through the rotor, lubricates the front bearing, and then into the anvil and out little holes to lubricate the hammers. The IR2131 has the same kind of grease fitting but on the side of the housing. The rotor and anvil are not hollow and the front and rear motor bearings are sealed bearings.

Of course in that business, I always used Ingersoll-Rand genuine air tool grease and they actually have a different grease for the IR231 than the grease for the IR2131. But most mechanics use whatever they happen to have in their grease gun.:laughing: