Q: Electric Impact Wrenches

[BMWDriver]

I've seen a couple, electric cord, and battery operated electric impact wrenches. They show a torque of 1000-1400... can you really change tires with those ?

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

I've seen a couple, electric cord, and battery operated electric impact wrenches. They show a torque of 1000-1400... can you really change tires with those ?

I think we visited this a few years back and it all depended on the brand.

Cheapo no name ones failed, and the high priced brands seemed to do better.

But nothing beats a good pneumatic wrench for speed and reliability.

[632 Regal]

Bill R got lucky and found a good one, I ordered the thing and they changed something over time and it was junk.

heres a good one http://www.metacafe.com/watch/186691...salvage_video/

[Mordan]

I bought a cheapo one to do the bolts for the crankshaft pulley.

no problem. good DIY tool. but only max torque of 130. I would need to buy the Dewalt with a massive 430 torque for the crankshaft bolt.

[shogun]

I have the upper one from Chicago
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...CategoryID=108
once it was on sale and i bought it. Enough for most cases, lugnuts etc.
Last week I used it for my spring compressor for the rear shocks, nice and easy work with that.
I have another one with battery. battery is nice as long as it lasts, and new batteries are expensive. And you need at least 2 battery packs for 1.
For serious/heavy work air tools are number 1.
Problem is where to keep the compressor and stuff if you live in a small appartment and have to repair your car on the parking lot.
Always depends on the circumstances what is best.

[Bill R.]

A number of the lithium ion impacts are as good or better than the air tools out there now. I have the nitro cat 1000 ft. lb. air impact and the 3/8 ratchet that they make. My newest lithium ion powered makita's , I have all 3, the drill driver impact the small 1/2 inch impact and the large impact make short work of just about anything and i don't have to drag an air hose around with them.

They run an amazingly long time on a charge and do most of the work that i need. You can find them on sale fairly cheaply sometimes. I already had 2 battery packs and charger so the bare tools small and large impact were around 129 each on sale. Even my large nitrocat won't break a lot of crank bolts loose so i have a snap on torque multiplier for that now. But for everyting else these newer cordless tools work fine, Air is on its way out.

I have the upper one from Chicago
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...CategoryID=108
once it was on sale and i bought it. Enough for most cases, lugnuts etc.
Last week I used it for my spring compressor for the rear shocks, nice and easy work with that.
I have another one with battery. battery is nice as long as it lasts, and new batteries are expensive. And you need at least 2 battery packs for 1.
For serious/heavy work air tools are number 1.
Problem is where to keep the compressor and stuff if you live in a small appartment and have to repair your car on the parking lot.
Always depends on the circumstances what is best.

[repenttokyo]

bill - do you have the exact model of the battery-powered impact wrench you like so much? I am in the market for one.

[BMWDriver]

As for me, I'm only looking to change the wheels. I can't do any serious work to it since I lack the proper space to work. Nevertheless, I saw a corded one from Mastercraft for 99$ CAD, which could be good for that. So far I've seen a cordless kit from Mastercraft at $249. There are less powerful ones, but I'm not conviced they can do the job. They all seem to be at around that price.

[shogun]

for the wheels you can buy the one I linked above from Harborfreight for abt $ 50.00, and that is till too strong for tightening the nuts again.
But for wheels only I would not buy a power tool. A good wrench is enough. You do not change wheels every day. Spend the money for tools which you use more often.

[repenttokyo]

for the wheels you can buy the one I linked above from Harborfreight for abt $ 50.00, and that is till too strong for tightening the nuts again.
But for wheels only I would not buy a power tool. A good wrench is enough. You do not change wheels every day. Spend the money for tools which you use more often.

some of us go to the track and change tires twice in one day, two days a weekend.