Very nice electric impact wrench

RJM62

RJM62

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Geek on the Hill
I did my seasonal tire swap / rotation today, so expect a blizzard in the Northeast. I used this electric impact wrench for the first time (other than some quick tests I did when it first came in last week), and I'm very impressed. It worked as well as any air-powered impact wrench I've ever used, and it was nice not to have to sit around waiting for the air pressure to build up.

To be honest, I was hesitant to buy this tool at first because I'd never before used an electric impact wrench that performed to my satisfaction. But the reviews were great; so I figured hey, it's Amazon. If I don't like it, I'll send it back. But this one's a keeper. I'm very satisfied.

It also arrived a day before promised and shipped free with Prime. Woo-hoo!

Rich
 
Depends on how much torque you need. Very few electrics (on the cheap end) can supply high numbers, especially on batteries that aren't well-charged. For quick projects they work well, but it's tough to give up the reliability of the pneumatic.


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Maybe you can put the torque wrench on the last one, to ensure it is doing what you think it is?
 
SoonerAviator said:
Depends on how much torque you need. Very few electrics (on the cheap end) can supply high numbers, especially on batteries that aren't well-charged. For quick projects they work well, but it's tough to give up the reliability of the pneumatic.


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This one is corded. I detest cordless power tools. Other than a Ryobi screwdriver that's just now giving up the ghost after about 15 years of use, I've never been satisfied with a cordless tool. (Which reminds me... I have to look into a replacement battery for that Ryobi.)

As for the torque, I don't remember the last time I needed more than 80 ft lbs. This electric one claims to put out 240. Today I had an 80 ft lb torque stick on it as a limiter, plus the adapter for the lug nuts (which I suppose absorbs some small amount of torque), and all the lug nuts all tested at 75 -80 ft lbs. (The acceptable range for my car is 65 - 85.)

I bought this wrench mainly for lug nuts, and it handles those nicely. I'm happy.

Rich
 
I picked up a DeWALT corded electric impact wrench at the pawn shop and it kicks the pants off my cheap air tools and emphysema-striken 21gal air compressor. I think a decent electric is a worthwhile investment.
 
I operate a towing road service company. 12 years ago I bought a snap on battery 1/2 drive impact gun. It has changed hundreds of tires over the years and still going strong. Did have to replace the batteries after about 3 years. The second set are old and running strong. We keep them charged and a back up at all times. When a battery is discharged you don't get much time, seems like it works great and boom needs a charge.
 
I have a corded electric impact wrench, it's great for homeowner use. If I were a diesel mechanic,not so much.

Remember, an impact wrench is for removing fasteners, a torque wrench is for tightening them.
 
FormerHangie said:
Remember, an impact wrench is for removing fasteners, a torque wrench is for tightening them.
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I bought mine a few years ago when I had to remove the front engine crank pulley. It was on sale at Harbor Freight. Not a good one, probably, but after twisting the industrial-grade extension after standing on the breaker bar I borrowed I gave up on manual loosening of the bolt. It was worth every penny of the $60 I paid for it when it took about two seconds to remove what had me stymied for hours. Haven't needed it since though.

dtuuri
 
I have a battery powered Dewalt wrench that works pretty good. It's handy when my wife calls and says her car is at work with a flat tire. I don't have an air compressor that will work in the field.
 
I have a Dewalt and a Makita 18v impact drivers. Both are friggin awesome. From wrenching on snowgos to setting screws in a deck these are my favorite drill motors. Battery operated saws and battery operated nail guns are great tools as well. Heck, except for specialty jobs in thick steel my shop guys haven't used a corded drill motor in 25 years.
 
RJM62 said:
I did my seasonal tire swap / rotation today, so expect a blizzard in the Northeast.
Rich
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This is why my snow blower hasn't been moved from the garage to the storage shed.
 
Yeah but the Dewalt will last more than the month that the Chicago Electric will.
 
My primary impact wrench is electric. Bought from Harbor Freight 10ish years ago, works great. Sometimes needs a torque wrench to break the bolts loose. Perfect for most tire rotations, etc.
 
Actually, the HF Earthquake Impact (pneumatic) is pretty well regarded and competes with $250-300 IR units. HF isn't much for some things, but they do have a few gems here and there. The US General tool boxes are a great value, too.


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I've enjoyed everyone's take on impact wrenches. Even tho my primary business isn't tires, my techs may remove/reinstall 1-3 automobile wheel/tire units a day. I've equipped them and myself with good quality 4-way lug wrenches, click-stop torque wrenches, and lightweight aluminum jacks for when the need arises. I've been thinking about battery operated impacts, but the equipment we now use doesn't need to be plugged in, charged or hooked to a compressor. With a good 4-way it takes very little time to remove/install lugs to warrant the cost and management of the others...besides nobody wants to steal them out of my trucks.
 
Dave, I own a few 4-ways as well, but there's no comparison to the utility of an impact for removal of lug nuts, even if it's once a week. The potential for back/arm strain while cranking on a lug wrench is more than enough reason to warrant purchasing the tool. I can remove all of the lugs on the wheel with an impact before you can get one lug backed off with a 4-way. It's just mechanical advantage. Same goes with installing the lugs, but I recommend starting the lug on the threads by hand (to avoid cross threading) and always follow up with the torque wrench to ensure proper torque is achieved.


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SoonerAviator said:
Dave, I own a few 4-ways as well, but there's no comparison to the utility of an impact for removal of lug nuts, even if it's once a week. The potential for back/arm strain while cranking on a lug wrench is more than enough reason to warrant purchasing the tool. I can remove all of the lugs on the wheel with an impact before you can get one lug backed off with a 4-way. It's just mechanical advantage. Same goes with installing the lugs, but I recommend starting the lug on the threads by hand (to avoid cross threading) and always follow up with the torque wrench to ensure proper torque is achieved.
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Sounds like you guys do it right, hopefully everyone does when you're not looking.

Nothing, I mean nothing, will tick a customer with a clue off more, than watching some tire guy slam a set of wheels onto a vehicle with ONLY an impact tool and setting it for some insanely stupid high torque and not checking it with the real torque wrench.

I watched a kid do that and start to lower my Jeep once and I walked over and told him to leave it right where it was and I wanted to talk to his manager.

Then I told the manager to try to get the nuts off with a four-way. He couldn't budge the damned things. Next sentence out of my mouth was, "If he damaged those wheels in any way, you just bought me a set of wheels..." I had custom wheels on the jeep and I was HOT.

I normally don't get that way easily, but watching the kid not give a crap about oversized custom wheel and tire work, and just slam away with the air gun, really blew my lid that day.

Manager re-did the whole thing himself in about 60 seconds and did it all correctly, which was really the kicker for me. Doing it right doesn't add significant time to the job on that particular task at all. Man I was mad.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Dave, I own a few 4-ways as well, but there's no comparison to the utility of an impact for removal of lug nuts, even if it's once a week. The potential for back/arm strain while cranking on a lug wrench is more than enough reason to warrant purchasing the tool. I can remove all of the lugs on the wheel with an impact before you can get one lug backed off with a 4-way. It's just mechanical advantage. Same goes with installing the lugs, but I recommend starting the lug on the threads by hand (to avoid cross threading) and always follow up with the torque wrench to ensure proper torque is achieved.


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That's pretty standard, in my experience. The torque sticks are just for a bit of safety. The torque wrench is the last tool that touches the lug nuts.

Rich
 
denverpilot said:
Nothing, I mean nothing, will tick a customer with a clue off more, than watching some tire guy slam a set of wheels onto a vehicle with ONLY an impact tool and setting it for some insanely stupid high torque and not checking it with the real torque wrench.
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That is a good way to kill a brake rotor as well. Anytime I have a garage put wheels on I drive around the corner and check them with the torque wrench.
 
denverpilot said:
Sounds like you guys do it right, hopefully everyone does when you're not looking.
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The funniest one was when I was picking up my wife's minivan after the Costco guys changed the tires. They were done except for putting the spare back. The spare mounts under neath with a cable to draw it up (like many pickups). There's a lugnut sized hex shaft that you crank up with the hand wrench that comes with the car. This guy was trying to use the impact wrench to do it and every time he'd pull the trigger it would jerk the cable so hard that the tire would come off the little teeter bar that it sits on. He finally got it done, but it would have been faster to do it by hand.
 
flyingron said:
The funniest one was when I was picking up my wife's minivan after the Costco guys changed the tires. They were done except for putting the spare back. The spare mounts under neath with a cable to draw it up (like many pickups). There's a lugnut sized hex shaft that you crank up with the hand wrench that comes with the car. This guy was trying to use the impact wrench to do it and every time he'd pull the trigger it would jerk the cable so hard that the tire would come off the little teeter bar that it sits on. He finally got it done, but it would have been faster to do it by hand.
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That sounds like a good use for an air wrench due to slower speed and low torque, but not an impact, lol. I'd have been worried once he got to the top with an impact and snapped the thin cable or stripped the cheap gears in the spare tire retract mechanism.
 
I do have an air rachet in addition to impact wrenches (both air and cordless-electric). Handy when I was trying to get all these blasted boat transmission bolts out.

I'd like to now what ungodly device EZGO puts the lug nuts on with. Even my impact wrench had a hard time getting thm loose on my golf cart.
 
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