Need Recommendation-Cordless Impact Wrench
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 266
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
But they all hammered my lugs, breaking the chrome and causing them to rust. I finally bought new lugs and some lug sockets from Harbor Freight, they are plastic inserts, and they do a nice job protecting the lugs and are reversable since my locks are a different size. Nice product, I recommend those.
In my garage I've got a real 3 ft breaker bar, in my car I carry a foldable 4 way all the time (once had a wheel come loose on the road stranding me, nevermore), and sometimes I set my torque wrench high and remove the lugs with it.
OH AND LEARN FROM ANOTHER OF MY MISTAKES. Do not put cheap lugs on your car. I was stripping studs regularly, until I realized to stop using cheap lugs from a wheel vendor here. Cajundude here on the board sells Gorilla Nuts for a good price and they last.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,070
Likes: 162
From: Coralville Iowa
I'll reiterate what I said previously - get a breaker bar and a good torque wrench. Your local Sears can take care of both (Craftsman).
IF you routinely try to use an impact wrench you'll eventually screw something up - wheel studs and lug nuts will be the most likely candidates.
IF you can't break the lug nuts loose with a standard breaker bar you either have them installed too tightly or you better hit the gym. 100 foot pounds is tight but it isn't all that bad - a breaker bar should easily handle that. There are only 5 nuts per wheel - not that big of a deal.
IF you routinely try to use an impact wrench you'll eventually screw something up - wheel studs and lug nuts will be the most likely candidates.
IF you can't break the lug nuts loose with a standard breaker bar you either have them installed too tightly or you better hit the gym. 100 foot pounds is tight but it isn't all that bad - a breaker bar should easily handle that. There are only 5 nuts per wheel - not that big of a deal.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 40,901
Likes: 4,352
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
I have an air powered impact wrench that works just fine but find it just about as quick to use a breaker bar and a speed handle to remove the nuts and the speed handle and torque wrench to tighten.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 67,022
Likes: 51
From: Beats UD regularly playing 3D chess, and at life
I'll reiterate what I said previously - get a breaker bar and a good torque wrench. Your local Sears can take care of both (Craftsman).
IF you routinely try to use an impact wrench you'll eventually screw something up - wheel studs and lug nuts will be the most likely candidates.
IF you can't break the lug nuts loose with a standard breaker bar you either have them installed too tightly or you better hit the gym. 100 foot pounds is tight but it isn't all that bad - a breaker bar should easily handle that. There are only 5 nuts per wheel - not that big of a deal.
IF you routinely try to use an impact wrench you'll eventually screw something up - wheel studs and lug nuts will be the most likely candidates.
IF you can't break the lug nuts loose with a standard breaker bar you either have them installed too tightly or you better hit the gym. 100 foot pounds is tight but it isn't all that bad - a breaker bar should easily handle that. There are only 5 nuts per wheel - not that big of a deal.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,070
Likes: 162
From: Coralville Iowa
True - but whether it's a valid concern or not I have always tried to minimize "routine" use of my torque wrench (for example, breaking something loose) and reserve it for bringing a nut or bolt to final torque specs. Maybe that keeps it accurate over time and maybe it doesn't make a difference. Anyone with knowledge on this?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
I'll reiterate what I said previously - get a breaker bar and a good torque wrench. Your local Sears can take care of both (Craftsman).
IF you routinely try to use an impact wrench you'll eventually screw something up - wheel studs and lug nuts will be the most likely candidates.
IF you can't break the lug nuts loose with a standard breaker bar you either have them installed too tightly or you better hit the gym. 100 foot pounds is tight but it isn't all that bad - a breaker bar should easily handle that. There are only 5 nuts per wheel - not that big of a deal.
IF you routinely try to use an impact wrench you'll eventually screw something up - wheel studs and lug nuts will be the most likely candidates.
IF you can't break the lug nuts loose with a standard breaker bar you either have them installed too tightly or you better hit the gym. 100 foot pounds is tight but it isn't all that bad - a breaker bar should easily handle that. There are only 5 nuts per wheel - not that big of a deal.
. btw-am finding some of those craftsman tools are getting very poor reviews from the end-users on their web site. Dont make them like they used to.
Last edited by siffert; Jan 9, 2008 at 06:09 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
You don't know what you're talking about. I have a Snap-On 1/2" drive cordless gun and it EASILY pulls lug nuts off. EASILY. I've had it for about 10 years, and as mechanic, I use it all the time. Highly recomended.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
Yes it did 99% of the time. It was actually better than the Dewalt. Lasted a year then it's trans stripped hammering a tight lug.
But they all hammered my lugs, breaking the chrome and causing them to rust. I finally bought new lugs and some lug sockets from Harbor Freight, they are plastic inserts, and they do a nice job protecting the lugs and are reversable since my locks are a different size. Nice product, I recommend those.
But they all hammered my lugs, breaking the chrome and causing them to rust. I finally bought new lugs and some lug sockets from Harbor Freight, they are plastic inserts, and they do a nice job protecting the lugs and are reversable since my locks are a different size. Nice product, I recommend those.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,322
Likes: 3
From: Hugetown Texas
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
For the wheels, I use it with a 90 ft/lbs torque limiting extension and finish up with the Snap-On torque wrench to 100 ft/lbs. Fool proof and gets it irght every time.
I saw the Snap-On as in investment. Got it along with a trouble light and two batteries for about $400 a few years ago.
BTW, remember to calibrate your torque wrench every year or so.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 266
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
You might want to invest in some lugs from cajundude if you track a lot.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
I have bad news for you, those factory lugs have stainless caps on them and the caps will break off in no time with the impact nylon sockets or not. The impact kills them. When the caps fall off they are an odd size. Mine didn't last 6 months with track use. Cheap things, my 1979 Monza Spyder had them too and they were a POS then too.
You might want to invest in some lugs from cajundude if you track a lot.
You might want to invest in some lugs from cajundude if you track a lot.
I only plan on take off and put on about 6 times a year. So how many times did you impact in 6 months? Fortunately I do have manual back up like yourself with 24" break bar, speed wrench & Torque Wrench.
Last edited by siffert; Jan 9, 2008 at 08:48 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 266
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
If you break them loose with your breaker bar, and just use the impact to zip them off and on, they should last a long time - it's the hammering of the impact that breaks them. I didn't have the nice sockets when I broke mine, the sockets might protect them for a longer time, but those factory caps will eventually break if you take them off with the impact. That's been my experience with a couple of cars that had them.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Olathe Kansas
I'm a little biased, but Ingersoll Rand makes a great unit. Haven't used the 1/2" impact, but after using the 1/4" impact and 18v drill weekly they hold up like champs. The new IQv batteries and chargers utilize digital communication for complete charges, trickle and renew. Have been using them for two years and yet to replace a battery. Impact only runs about $200.
http://www.irtools.com/cordless/index.aspx
http://www.irtools.com/cordless/index.aspx
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Halethorpe MD
I have the higher model dewalt 18V. I would recommend that if you are going to use it for lugs, you get the snap on. It seems to have alot more power. We pull lugs all the time with the snap on, my dewalt doesn't seem to want to yank them off.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
If you break them loose with your breaker bar, and just use the impact to zip them off and on, they should last a long time - it's the hammering of the impact that breaks them. I didn't have the nice sockets when I broke mine, the sockets might protect them for a longer time, but those factory caps will eventually break if you take them off with the impact. That's been my experience with a couple of cars that had them.
I tried the $39.99 Harbor Freight Chicago Electric Impact Wrench and it beat up the first lug nut I tried! Oh well, back it goes. I will stick to the manual breaker bar, speed bar and torque wrench combo. Am keeping the deep impact nylon sockets though, they do a good job acting as an extender and keeping the bar etc. away from the fender.
Last edited by siffert; Feb 2, 2008 at 09:30 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
Likes: 11
From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
When I worked for a rally team as the team mechanic, the team carried this in the trunk:
And I used the same tool to take the wheels on and off. It works BRILLIANTLY. Just be really careful to start the lugnuts by hand, otherwise they WILL strip and you WILL destroy the lugs.
Its expensive ($300+ dollars), but with Milwaukee tools, you do get what you pay for
And I used the same tool to take the wheels on and off. It works BRILLIANTLY. Just be really careful to start the lugnuts by hand, otherwise they WILL strip and you WILL destroy the lugs.
Its expensive ($300+ dollars), but with Milwaukee tools, you do get what you pay for
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Halethorpe MD
When I worked for a rally team as the team mechanic, the team carried this in the trunk:
And I used the same tool to take the wheels on and off. It works BRILLIANTLY. Just be really careful to start the lugnuts by hand, otherwise they WILL strip and you WILL destroy the lugs.
Its expensive ($300+ dollars), but with Milwaukee tools, you do get what you pay for
And I used the same tool to take the wheels on and off. It works BRILLIANTLY. Just be really careful to start the lugnuts by hand, otherwise they WILL strip and you WILL destroy the lugs.
Its expensive ($300+ dollars), but with Milwaukee tools, you do get what you pay for
I bought that one first, it's FREAKING HUGE. Barely manageable.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,510
Likes: 1,825
From: Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '17,'22 thru '26
http://www.deere.com/en_US/parts/hom...et_3101_j.html
Local Deere mechanics sold their Snap On cordless and now use these. I have the 3/8" and I'm very happy with it.
Local Deere mechanics sold their Snap On cordless and now use these. I have the 3/8" and I'm very happy with it.