Air Impact Wrench
- Thread starter MikePA
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Jeff396
Veteran Member
Impact wrenches allow you to set the tightening force but not to a specific torque. When I searched the net I did find that someone has invented a special impact gun which will also have computerized torque control which translates to EXPENSIVE I would think. It is not yet available. When I posed your same question the following was suggested to me.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tireservicecentral.com/Product%20Catalog/Torque_Stick_Repl/torque_stick_replacements.htm>http://www.tireservicecentral.com/Product%20Catalog/Torque_Stick_Repl/torque_stick_replacements.htm</A>
They will limit the amout of torque the gun will apply and are color coded. Northern tools has sets of four but they end at around 120 ft lb. This was the largest assortment I could find. Sure seem like they would make tire rotation a breeze!
Jeff
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tireservicecentral.com/Product%20Catalog/Torque_Stick_Repl/torque_stick_replacements.htm>http://www.tireservicecentral.com/Product%20Catalog/Torque_Stick_Repl/torque_stick_replacements.htm</A>
They will limit the amout of torque the gun will apply and are color coded. Northern tools has sets of four but they end at around 120 ft lb. This was the largest assortment I could find. Sure seem like they would make tire rotation a breeze!
Jeff
Jeff396
Veteran Member
The ones from Northern allow you to use your own thin wall sockets as opposed to buying for specific fastener sizes.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=126126&prmenbr=6970&cm_catid=000089&cm_partner=tl&cm_pid=126126&cm_ref=none>http://www.northerntool.com/...126126&cm_ref=none</A>
Jeff
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=126126&prmenbr=6970&cm_catid=000089&cm_partner=tl&cm_pid=126126&cm_ref=none>http://www.northerntool.com/...126126&cm_ref=none</A>
Jeff
Bird
Rest in Peace
Mike, like Jeff said, nearly all (but not quite all) impact wrenches have a regulator to turn down the power for tightening (and turning it down does not affect the power for loosening - reverse in other words), but the only way I know of to know just how much power you've turned it down to is to buy a measuring instrument that costs over $1,000 such as a Skidmore-Wilhelm./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Very handy for assembly lines; don't know of anyone else who uses them./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Thanks to all for your responses. What prompted my question was a visit to TSC. They have several CH impact guns with the top one being a 1 inch that goes to 1000 ft pounds! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Would it be as simple as half closing the regulator to get 500 ft pounds?
I was also thinking about getting an inexpensive air compressor and impact gun like Bob T just for handling the occasional tractor/deck maintenance items. Any compressor recommendations?
I was also thinking about getting an inexpensive air compressor and impact gun like Bob T just for handling the occasional tractor/deck maintenance items. Any compressor recommendations?
Mosey
Veteran Member
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Bird - "impact wrenches have a regulator to turn down the power for tightening (and turning it down does not affect the power for loosening - reverse in other words)"
I didn't know that! I've been turning it back up to loosen each time. Thanks.
I didn't know that! I've been turning it back up to loosen each time. Thanks.
TerryinMD
Veteran Member
Mike,
I got a 1/2" impact wrench that has 4 settings - 100, 200, 300, 400 ft/lbs. It's either a CH or Igersol Rand. It cost me about $54 at Home Depot. I used it this past weekend to reconfigure my disc harrows and it worked great. FYI, I tried it on the most of settings and it was interesting to find out how each setting worked. As you can imagine, the lower the setting the "harder" the tool has to work. I found that the 3rd and 4th setting worked the best to tighten the fastener down.
Probably the best way to look at it is to buy the tool to suit your needs. I looked at the spread of torque ranges that I would need for my tractor and looked for the wrench to match those needs. It took a couple of visits to the stores to find the tool to fit my parameters.
Hope this helps.
Terry
I got a 1/2" impact wrench that has 4 settings - 100, 200, 300, 400 ft/lbs. It's either a CH or Igersol Rand. It cost me about $54 at Home Depot. I used it this past weekend to reconfigure my disc harrows and it worked great. FYI, I tried it on the most of settings and it was interesting to find out how each setting worked. As you can imagine, the lower the setting the "harder" the tool has to work. I found that the 3rd and 4th setting worked the best to tighten the fastener down.
Probably the best way to look at it is to buy the tool to suit your needs. I looked at the spread of torque ranges that I would need for my tractor and looked for the wrench to match those needs. It took a couple of visits to the stores to find the tool to fit my parameters.
Hope this helps.
Terry
TerryinMD
Veteran Member
Mike,
Now you're going to make me think!!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Doh!! Getting brain cramps... hey I have to defer this to a little later on.... gotta get my eyeballs on the the machine to pass the info along. I will have the answers to you by 9:00 EDT tonight.
l8r,
Terry
Now you're going to make me think!!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Doh!! Getting brain cramps... hey I have to defer this to a little later on.... gotta get my eyeballs on the the machine to pass the info along. I will have the answers to you by 9:00 EDT tonight.
l8r,
Terry
Jeff396
Veteran Member
I bought a Craftsman 5hp 60 gallon upright which delivers 12.0 scfm at 100 psi. Max is 175 psi. The only time I have ever run into a problem with air pressure is when I ran a sand blaster. That's one tool that uses a lot of air and you will run it for long periods of time. Even at that I only had to pause for a short period before I could get back at it. I have found that it is recomended that you get a dual stage compressor. I'm not quite sure if it's for efficiency or capability but most recommend it for automotive use.
I gotta tell you, I am quite surprised that an air impact has an adjustment for torque. I have an Ingersol Rand IR2131 which is their top of the line 1/2 inch model. All it has is four adjustments from least to most power. They don't even mention torque values for each. When I first got my gun I experimented with the different settings to torque lug nuts. I figured if I could set it and tighten them so they came in just under the desired value I could then just hit them with a torque wrench. Problem is that the amount of time you hold it on there really has a great affect on how tight the nut gets. I can't remember if that was on my car (80 ft lbs) or my truck (140 ft lbs). Anyway, I decided that I will eventually buy a couple of those torque sticks to make the job quicker.
BTW, these compressors are a lot like our tractors....if you've got space you can never go wrong buying larger. I wouldn't have even considered a 110 volt compressor for my use. My buddy just bought an Ingersol Rand that requires some special electrics to start the electric motor so you won't blow something out. I think it's 80 or 100 gallon......someday!!!
Jeff
I gotta tell you, I am quite surprised that an air impact has an adjustment for torque. I have an Ingersol Rand IR2131 which is their top of the line 1/2 inch model. All it has is four adjustments from least to most power. They don't even mention torque values for each. When I first got my gun I experimented with the different settings to torque lug nuts. I figured if I could set it and tighten them so they came in just under the desired value I could then just hit them with a torque wrench. Problem is that the amount of time you hold it on there really has a great affect on how tight the nut gets. I can't remember if that was on my car (80 ft lbs) or my truck (140 ft lbs). Anyway, I decided that I will eventually buy a couple of those torque sticks to make the job quicker.
BTW, these compressors are a lot like our tractors....if you've got space you can never go wrong buying larger. I wouldn't have even considered a 110 volt compressor for my use. My buddy just bought an Ingersol Rand that requires some special electrics to start the electric motor so you won't blow something out. I think it's 80 or 100 gallon......someday!!!
Jeff
