Impact Wrench Advice

[jrepp]

I need an impact wrench to remove automobile lug nuts, compact tractor lug nuts, and mower blades (ridding mower 1-1/8" nut). How big 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1"? How much torque? How many RPM? What is BPM? What is IPM? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Thanks.

 

[_RaT_]

I would get a 1/2" drive. I have a Ingersol. There are other good brands, Chicago Pneumatic, MAC, SnapOn come to mind. The cheap ones will reveal their deficiencies quickly. Get all the power you can get. They like to use air so you need a decent compressor to run it for any length of time.

 

[shvl73]

I bought a 1/2" drive one at Home Cheapo for $99 w/ 500 ft. lbs. of max torque. It seems to work well.
I use my $29 Campell Haulsfield unit for lug nuts. It's easier not to over-torque them with that unit.

 

[dmftoy1]

I'd vote for 1/2 inch also. I've got a cheapo Campbell Hausfield and while it works ok, it definately doesn't have the power of one of the high end units. I'm saving for one of those for when my CH completely craps out. The high-end 3/8 drive impacts have better torque than the CH 1/2 inch units.

Regards,
Dave

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Impact Wrench

Bird. A.K.A. Tool Man (air) gave high marks to the IR231 and IR2131

 

[Bird]

To the best of my knowledge:

RPM = Revolutions Per Minute (how fast it spins under no load)
BPM = Blows Per Minute (talking about things like air chisels, jack hammers, etc.)
IPM = Impacts Per Minute (impact wrenches)

And I wouldn't even worry about those numbers at all myself. Look at the ft./lbs. of torque the impact wrench produces and look at the CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air required (do you have enough compressor). All the impact wrenches I know of are rated at, and for, 90 psi (pounds per square inch) of air pressure and no more than 100 psi (you can certainly get more power with higher pressure, but you may break your impact wrench). Personally, I'd go with a half inch impact wrench with a minimum of 425 ft./lbs., although you can get them upwards of 600 ft./lbs. The tool trucks sell good quality, but at too high a price for anyone but a professional mechanic who is going to pay them out over time, in my opinion. Snap-On is good, but too expensive both to buy and to repair if it breaks. MAC, Matco, and Cornwell are also good and are nearly all made for them by either Ingersoll-Rand or Chicago Pneumatic, so you can buy the IR or CP locally cheaper.

 

[KubotaSteve]

My dad had bought a 1/2" cheapo from Harbor Freight and it was ok for most everyday things, but when you had something that was really tight it showed it's true colors. He then got one from Sears which was higher quality and not that expensive. We haven't came accross anything yet it wouldn't take off. We even put a 3/4" adapter on it and used larger sockets for his MF135.
One word of caution is to make sure to use the low setting when putting lugs on a car or truck. By using the high torque settings, you can warp your rotars and cause other problems. We only use the impact gun to bring them up to the wheel and then use a 4 way lug wrench or torque wrench for final tightening. Definitely need a decent compressor.

 

[DiskDoctr]

jrepp,

If you have a Northern Tools catalog, flip to the airtools section and you can very quickly size up what is available.

I agree with Bird on several points.

1. CFM is king. If your compressor is lower rated than the tool, you will constantly be underpowered. Think "pow-pow-pow, wait-wait-wait, pow-pow-pow" Never be happy and throwing away $$ on torque you won't get. Also consider the size of hose and connectors you use if getting a larger tool. Larger tools usually require larger hoses and connectors.

2. Most impact wrenches have a higher reverse torque than forward. This gives more oomph for removing stubborn bolts.

3. 1/2" or max 3/4" seems reasonable for what you have. Forget 1"- lots of $$ and high CFM in the larger units. Very specialized.

4. Anvil- This looks like a built-in extension. Helpful sometimes, but a good extension will work well. A cheap extension probably won't hold up long, just to note.

5. Oil, OIL, OIL. Did I mention Oil? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif If you don't oil it, you WILL ruin it. More on this if you want...

6. Proper PSI. Don't make a habit of using too much pressure. Use a good regulator, and as mentioned earlier, most are rated at 90psi. Going over will eventually ruin the seals. Bad seals= poor power.

7. You usually get what you pay for... Brandnames like Ingersoll-Rand (IR part #'s), Snapon, etc carry a sometimes inflated premium, but have great support and repairability and rebuildability.

Hope this helps.

-JC

 

[Joe1]

No one here has recommended an electric model. They usually sell for less, even in name brands and it seems would eliminate the Air Compressor issues.

Does anyone have any experience/recommendations on these?

Joe

 

[shvl73]

I haven't seen ones that have the torque to get the jobs done that I would do with one. Maybe they're out there though. The pneumatics need a good balance of adequate CFM at 90 psi & tank size. You don't need a very expensive compressor to run one.