electric impact wrench
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
Likes: 2
From: Rio Vista ca.
electric impact wrench
Any recommendations for an electric impact wrench? I don't have any experience using impact wrenches and don't have an air compressor. Are they available with adjustable torque settings?
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 1999
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From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
I've got a sears pro series I had for over 15 years, it was about $250 back then and has had alot of used but looks and performs brand new. Very happy with mine. It true, you get what you pay for.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
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From: St Marys GA
I got the DeWalt 18v cordless impact wrench for X-mas, and I LOVE it! It can do up to 300 ft-lb, which is more than I'll ever need, and works really well. They had it for sale for $200 when I got it, and you can probably find that price online somewhere. Here's the Sears link: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+impact+wrench
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
Likes: 2
From: Rio Vista ca.
I got the DeWalt 18v cordless impact wrench for X-mas, and I LOVE it! It can do up to 300 ft-lb, which is more than I'll ever need, and works really well. They had it for sale for $200 when I got it, and you can probably find that price online somewhere. Here's the Sears link: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+impact+wrench
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
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From: Sandhills of North Carolina
Kim,
I have an Ingersol Rand that I really like. It was around a 100.00 or so. It's fairly light which is always a plus. Usually the cheaper ones are kind of heavy and gobble up air.
Get a good one, don't cheap out on one.
I have an Ingersol Rand that I really like. It was around a 100.00 or so. It's fairly light which is always a plus. Usually the cheaper ones are kind of heavy and gobble up air.
Get a good one, don't cheap out on one.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 6
From: St Marys GA
You don't actually use a torque wrench to torque bolts to spec, you mainly use it to get bolts off. Then, when putting bolts back on, it's pretty easy to regulate the torque. I mainly use mine for wheel lug nuts, and when I put the nuts back on, I'll tighten them snug with the impact wrench and let it "impact" on them for about 1 second once they are seated. This gets them relatively tight, but well under the 100 ft-lbs that the nuts are torqued to. Then I go around with my torque wrench and torque them all down to spec.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: FL
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16,839
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From: Database Error Indiana
Battery ones rock !! I have a corded one I use on the farm and it is really usefull but I had a cordless for a while at home and it was great. I have air at home but its nice to not have an air hose to drag around. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,356
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From: No HOA, New Hampshire
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
I use my Harbor Freight cheapie to remove the lugnuts and to snug them back on. Then the torque wrench finishes the job. Lazy mans ratchet, but it works for me.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Rio Vista ca.
I think I'm getting the picture now. An impact wrench is used mostly to remove bolts/nuts. They do not have adjustable torque settings, and they can be used to install nuts but finessed in such a way as to not over tighten bolts/nuts.
Someone said that an impact wrench would be useful to tighten the spring retainer bracket nuts (front leaf spring retainer brackets) without allowing the bolts to spin. How could this safely be done with an impact wrench that has 300 lb./ft. (ft./lbs. ?) of torque, and nuts that need to be torqued to only 48 lb.ft.? Also I don't quite understand how you can tighten lug nuts without over torquing them. I'd hate to spend good money on a tool that in my inexperienced hands could be a lethal weapon.
Thanks for your patience folks.
Kim
Someone said that an impact wrench would be useful to tighten the spring retainer bracket nuts (front leaf spring retainer brackets) without allowing the bolts to spin. How could this safely be done with an impact wrench that has 300 lb./ft. (ft./lbs. ?) of torque, and nuts that need to be torqued to only 48 lb.ft.? Also I don't quite understand how you can tighten lug nuts without over torquing them. I'd hate to spend good money on a tool that in my inexperienced hands could be a lethal weapon.
Thanks for your patience folks.
Kim
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16,839
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From: Database Error Indiana
You just let go of the trigger. If you just hold the trigger and let it hammer, bolts will get very tight or snap off. They really come in handy for removing stuff that has been bolted together for 100 years or is rusted up.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 6
From: St Marys GA
It doesn't immediately torque the bolt/nut to 300 ft-lb. It only gets that tight if you let it sit and hammer on the nut for several seconds. I would estimate that, letting it hammer for about a second, it gets to roughly 40 ft-lb. If you let go of the trigger as soon as it starts hammering, then it will only be snug. It sounds complicated, but it's really easy once you actually get it in your hands and see what we're talking about 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,068
Likes: 6
I've been wanting to get one myself, but just wasn't sure which would be best for me (Air vs Elec). After reading the posts, I think an electric would suit my purposes just fine. I really like that DeWalt that was referenced!
Great Post!
Great Post!
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 641
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From: O'Fallon MO
Similar, I got a no name ebay auction for $85 24 volt with two batterys and it works great. My grandson and I autocross so it gets a workout the past two seasons. With it and a reasonably priced torque wrench we have made out like a bandit, it has paid for itself several times.
