Impact Wrench Recommendation Needed

[JWA]

Since we're talking a bit about road side tire changes I use something called a bull bar, USA made by Wright tool. Basically a sliding head tee handle its unique in that the head is held either in the center or one end by a set screw. Being 3/4" drive this brute won't deflect under the strain most mortal men could put on it!

Coupled with a 3" extension and 7/8" deep impact socket both in 3/4" drive its about as good a set up as a manual tool could be. It stows very easily since its all just straight pieces of steel.

I found that bull bar used on eBay for like $15 but not sure what they cost brand new.

On the topic of cordless impacts that Snap On seems well worth the price if it works that good. I wonder who makes it for Snap On though?

[lndshark]

Good question. I know many of Snap-On's pneumatic impacts sold under the Blue Point name were made by Chicago Pneumatic but I don't know who makes their electronic tools. This is surely a trade secret but let me ask my buddy who used to be a Snap-On dealer and see if he knows.

I thought this was a bull bar:

[JWA]

I'd be interested to know about the Snap On country of origin--sadly they're offering more and more Chinese-made stuff carefully not identified as that being a fact. Same relative high cost and much shorter of their former lifetime guarantees.

Not sure where the term "bull bar" originated----might be a variation of the chicken/egg came first?

[Gene Atl.Beach]

Mike mentioned about a chain saw......I bought a black and Decker chain saw with a battery pack. f/Lowes, good for small jobs, limbs in the way, small fire wood, trim trees around yard... $100.00. It has worked great, stores easy in small space, light....some more $00.02 Gene

[coyotearms]

Originally Posted by coyotearms

Both of you definitely have good points, but I am guessing neither of you have an air system as part of your vehicles. We just got back from a 3+ month trip in Canada, and aired down for gravel, traction and one time to escape from sand and I just love having air. The Ford lug nut wrench, which under most circumstances is sufficient to break the nuts loose, would stay in the van as a backup in any event. While waiting for answers to my post, I sprang for a Husky HSTC4150 impact wrench rated at 650 ft-lbs that was on a special Home Depot 50% off sale for $58 + tax and probably weighs about as much as a breaker bar extension. I had already purchased a Craftsman deep impact socket to use my torque wrench, which is still a necessity w/ or w/o an impact wrench.

Although I am of the attitude that I could not do many roadside repairs, replacing my std. 1/2" on-board socket set with an impact type could possibly come in handy one day. I remember the many times when I worked on cars more, the hardest part was loosening bigger nuts. And I never regretted replacing an old battery drill with one of those drill and 1/4" impact driver sets. I use the driver EVERY time I need to remove a screw! Impact tools are great for removal!

If I remember, I will post again after doing a tire rotation as a dry run of a hydraulic jack I have not used yet and the impact wrench instead of going to Discount Tires where I can just sit there and read car magazines . . .

The Husky pneumatic impact wrench delivered by Home Depot was ASTC4151 with the same specs, 650 max ft-lbs, 4.3 lbs and two year warranty. I already had a rotation done at Discount Tire a few days ago, so I just checked out how the wrench worked on a couple of lug nuts on one wheel. Note my lug nuts require the key you see on a nut in the picture below to remove them.



I started the on-board ARB CKMTA12 compressor with no regulator and waited for the 1 gal. ARB tank to fill. On the weakest of the three reverse settings the nuts did not loosen, but on the next highest setting shown in the picture below, they came off easily.



I installed the lug nuts using the lowest forward setting, which tightened them against the wheel, but when I applied the torque wrench they were nowhere close to the 140 ft-lbs. (When at Discount Tires one of the technicians said the way they tighten is to set the air to 60 psi to spin the nuts on and then finish with a torque wrench.) I did not think the wrench was very loud, but if I were using it all day, I would probably wear ear protection.

In conclusion, it appears this impact wrench has the right features to minimize the efforts needed with final tightening done with a torque wrench. I cannot vouch for the reliability of this wrench, but it was less than 1/10th the retail price of the Snap-On battery impact wrench mentioned above, which in turn is as much as the top of the line ARB compressor, the ARB tank and Husky wrench combined including tax and shipping---go figure!

[JWA]

Nice write-up Coyote---thanks for sharing your experience.

The Snap On 18 Volt impact is about $600 for the typical kit which I assume includes the tool, charger, case and two batteries--the site isn't too clear just what's in the kit. For me the worst part is rumor has it Black & Decker is the manufacturer, much of it Chinese in origin. Only if something isn't available will I knowingly buy anything Chinese but if I do it won't be paying gold-plated Ingersoll-Rand prices for a cordless impact!

I'm already strongly considering an on-board air system and the ARB stuff looks very promising. I'd add a 10-12 gallon reservoir tank somewhere underneath to (hopefully) reduce run time/battery draw of the compressor.

Interesting topic!

[coyotearms]

Originally Posted by JWA

Nice write-up Coyote---thanks for sharing your experience.

I'm already strongly considering an on-board air system and the ARB stuff looks very promising. I'd add a 10-12 gallon reservoir tank somewhere underneath to (hopefully) reduce run time/battery draw of the compressor.

Interesting topic!

Thanks! But a 10gal tank? There is an informative thread on compressor installs at
http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/vie...hp?f=13&t=8056, covering a number of installs of the ARB twin compressor. There is also an entry (BajaSportsmobile) about carrying a small 110v unit, but it is short on details. I had a very capable Hitachi 110v 4 gal twin tank 1.35 HP (60 lb!) compressor (sized for framing guns) that I used to use to fill tires at home, but was not very impressed with how quickly it did the job compared to the ARB. Even with a 4 gal tank, the compressor came on a lot just topping off one tire, but maybe there is something to going the 110v route. I chose to put in the 1 gal ARB aluminum tank primarily to deal with the heat generated by the compressor.

[jage]

Originally Posted by coyotearms

I installed the lug nuts using the lowest forward setting, which tightened them against the wheel, but when I applied the torque wrench they were nowhere close to the 140 ft-lbs.

When you say installed, how many times did you go over the pattern?

What I do at home is:
-Hand start
-Air Impact spin until contact Full pattern (essentially finger tight, the resistance all the way down should be nothing)
-Blatt them once or twice around Full pattern (blatt = hitting the trigger once and releasing)
if nothing was loose (backed out a few threads from the rim being tightened):
-Lightly tighten them in full pattern (immediately release trigger when socket stops making progress)
-Fully tighten twice in the full pattern (now I hang on the impact and let it fully tighten until it is just bouncing and not tightening)

Twice, or until they all start tight whichever is more (sometimes on the second time #7 is 1/3 turn loose or something)

Basically it's round robin from loose to tight in small steps, and going over them repeatedly. It's as much sound as visual, and experience with my particular impact wrench.

In theory I then double check the torque and re-torque after 500 miles.

[JWA]

Originally Posted by coyotearms

Thanks! But a 10gal tank?

Yes--10 gallon, probably minimum for me. I'd use an OAB mostly to blow debris away when working on a job so don't really need enough pressure to power an impact gun. The reservoir could be filled while driving to a job, once filled the compressor shuts down and would powered only when the engine was running.

[coyotearms]

Originally Posted by jage

When you say installed, how many times did you go over the pattern?

What I do at home is:

Only thing that might be missing in your description is a bolt pattern you use? I get out this page from the 2008 E350 Owners Guide every time:


And the better Discount Tire places do remind you after a rotation to re-torque in 300 mi (never heard a Ford dealer do that . . .