Craftsman electric impact driver help

[JoeL4330]

I've had excellent luck ordering reconditioned tools from CPO ...all the top brands ...here is link to reconditioned Milwaukee impact drivers, one of which I just ordered but haven't yet received. Milwaukee Factory-Reconditioned Impact Wrenches

I also have a 3/4" drive impact wrench, w. 1/2" adapter that is powerful but heavy and unwieldy.

Every spring and fall, I change winter-summer tires on 5 vehicles and generally find it easier to use very long pipe extension over my ratchet, while all for tires are on the ground, to just loosen ever so slightly. (Calculate, a five foot lever and a 150 lb operator is more foot pounds than the best 1/2" air tools ...no impact, though)

Then, it's up on the jack, whiz them off with the impact wrench, change wheel and coat w. small amount of anti-seize, then whiz them on tightening in the prescribed order (across, never adjacent). ...actually takes longer to describe than to do.

Even w. anti-seize, some vehicles can be a bear ...my old MB, for example, which has lug bolts instead of lug nuts and they tighten something fierce with tire rotation.

 

[Bird]

I know some people only want new equipment, and I've had nothing from Milwaukee tools, but I've had nothing but good luck with reconditioned Black & Decker, Craftsman, and KitchenAid products. I wouldn't hesitate at all to buy a reconditioned Milwaukee impact.

 

[JoeL4330]

couldn't agree more ...I've bought several Makita tools from CPO and they are great value

 

[megotatractor]

let's see if I can adequately describe the hammer. it is a planetary drive on the bottom,a spring, then an oblong shaped weight with an internal weight cut diagonal, and a roll pin through the drive shaft that holds it all together.
I'm researching some name brand tools. It appears Ingersoll has posslibly the most powerful rated in ft/lbs but with a $500 price tag. (ouch)
I have an electric leaf blower for blowing, a shop vac, and a 2 gallon portable air comressor for my tires. I can't see a real need for an air compressor with enough capacity to run my pnuematic impact driver but what would I need, how big a compressor to handle a small impact driver well enough to rotate my tires?

 

[Bird]

Yep, the Ingersoll-Rand tools are not cheap. My current IR231H cost me $43.20 including sales tax about three and a half years ago at a pawn shop. I don't necessarily recommend pawn shops, but in my case, I knew I could rebuild it if I had to, and I know where to get the parts. Of course, I also checked it a bit, so I've done nothing to it except oil and grease.

As for determining how big a compressor you need. You want to look at the specifications for pressure and volume. All the air tools I know of are "rated" at 90 psi. They can work on less with less power and they can work on more with more than the rated power. Then look at the CFM (cubic feet per minute) or SCFM (standard cubic feet per minute). Different tools require different volumes of air. Sanders, drills, and grinders usually need the most. So if you think you might ever want those tools, look at a few and see what they require. Impact wrench requirement vary, but basically a minimum of 4 CFM (the IR231 is 4.2) to 5.5 CFM for the most powerful half inch impacts. Naturally 3/4" and 1" tools require more.