18v impact driver/wrench

[Traction]

Originally Posted by Traction

You could get by with what I do when working on nice chrome lug nuts, or locking nuts. Instead of hitting them with my IR 1500ftlb cordless 1/2in impact, I will break them all loose by hand, and use my cordless 1/4 inch impact to run them off and back on. Then snug them by hand before lowering, and finishing with a torque wrench. Very easy.

I'm on my 4th high dollar cordless impact wrench, and I have figured out after the first 2 tools that needed a breaker bar most of the time, and the cheaper ones are still going to need to be broke free with a breaker bar too. At that point they are not any better than a 1/4 inch impact to buzz them off and on. If I run into a lug nut my impact wrench can't move, I have something even better than a 3 foot breaker bar. It's a 6:1 torque multiplier wrench that puts out 1200fllb with only 200 on the input.

 

[CNT]

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Whatever you do, watch out for extensions--you know, 6" or whatever that you might have between the tool and the socket. I forget what I was doing but one day I went to zip something off and my "big" Earthquake wasn't moving it. I was kinda surprised, then thought about it, removed the extension and... off came the bolt effortlessly. Pointing that out as some reviewers might have a 3" or whatever non-impact rated extension while working on lugnuts, and that might be complicating the issue.

What are you referring to? the flip socket set, the 3" impact extension bar or the torque limiting bars, the 8" extension bars Are you saying that using (either) extension bar weakens the advertised torquing power?

 

[eljefino]

Yes, using extensions or even long sockets reduces the effective torque of impact wrenches. Imagine the hammer's blow being used to accelerate the socket vs accelerating the fastener.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by eljefino

Yes, using extensions or even long sockets reduces the effective torque of impact wrenches. Imagine the hammer's blow being used to accelerate the socket vs accelerating the fastener.

They probably end up acting like a torque stick. Basically the metal ends up absorbing the impact blows so you don't end up with as much torque. To get the max torque out the impact wrench, use it without any extensions. I might actually end up getting this set although I only really one for 100 foot pounds and the basic 1 setting on the impact gun is for 100 foot pounds but that's probably less accurate than the torque stick or wrench. https://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-12-in-torque-limiting-extension-bar-set-69870.html

 

[Traction]

Which for tire/wheel work impact wrenches must have an extended anvil allow you to get the most power by not needing an extension.

 

[CNT]

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using extensions

So, let say... best to get the higher impacting power. Example (numbers are made up, just example): (forward impact) get the 750 ft-lb tool, that way, when using extensions, it would reduce down to like 650 ft-lb? get the 485 ft-lb tool, that way, when using extensions, it would reduce down to like 390 ft-lb? (reverse impact) get the 1400 ft-lb tool, that way, when using extensions, it would reduce down to like 1100 ft-lb? get the 620 ft-lb tool, that way, when using extensions, it would reduce down to like 400 ft-lb? I think I get it... when using extensions, the impact tool would be working on the socket rather the lug nut. Correct me, in technically, the full impacting torque is the anvil, so anything add onto the anvil (even just the first one socket), the torque is dropped. The more extensions, the more the torque (multiply) drops. In watching (more than one) YouTube reviews, when they use torque limiting bars, they double check with manual torque wrench, it met the specs. So, the engineers made aware of "using extensions" causing reducing torque measurements? In other words, torque limiting bars are exemption in this case?