Impact Wrench and Air Ratchet ?

[Gebo]

I want to buy an impact wrench and "air" ratchet. I have an air compressor but would probably just as soon have them both work with battery (yes, I know the air ratchet works with compressed air). I read the posting describing the Milwaukee M18 and it seems like overkill but apparently it is the mac daddy of impact wrenche. The impact wrench will primarily be used to change tires on all my vehicles. The air ratchet will be used to take off all the plastic/metal covers during oil changes. I'm getting to old to wrist ratchet and I got a bunch money for my birthday....

Do you have any advice?

 

[The motor guy]

Astro Nano probably has some air ratchets that are impacting. There is a guy on youtube called eric with south main auto repair and he really puts them to the test. Using an impact wrench on stuck bolts back and forth for 20 minutes straight, etc. Stopping to spray penetrating oil and pounding with a hammer in between, but mainly using the impact wrench.

 

[Linctex]

I bought a Craftsman 3/8" air ratchet in 1988.... most useless air tool I have ever owned.
What a waste of money.

Get an 18v cordless impact driver... these are incredibly useful!! (Ryobi, Makita, etc.)

Get a set of adapters like: https://www.harborfreight.com/hex-drill-socket-driver-set-3-pc-68513.html

- to go along with it, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

 

[Chris142]

The harbor freight earthquake tools are great.

 

[Boczech]

Milwaukee M18 aka Mac Daddy is on my list of tools to get. Just need the $$ so still saving for now.

Good Luck
B

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: Gebo
The air ratchet will be used to take off all the plastic/metal covers during oil changes. I'm getting to old to wrist ratchet and I got a bunch money for my birthday...


The air ratchet is the old, LOUD, and obnoxious way of doing it. The tool you seek for that is called an 18 volt 1/4 inch impact driver. I've had one for a few years now and it is just the bees knees. I use it all the time. VERY handy tool to have, and way better than an air ratchet for that task and many others.

https://www.harborfreight.com/18-volt-14-in-cordless-variable-speed-hex-impact-driver-68853.html

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18-Volt-3-Speed-1-4-in-Impact-Driver-Tool-Only-P237/206588778

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18...6-21L/207132462

 

[bubbatime]

For impact wrench, look at Aircat or Earthquake (from Harbor Freight)

I have the earthquake and it will zip every single bolt I have every tried off in a second flat. Its good for 700-800 ft lbs so it will zip almost any bolt you can imagine off in a jiffy. Either the bolt is getting loosened or the stud is snapping, one of the two. LOTS of power.

https://www.amazon.com/AIRCAT-1150-Killer-Torque-2-Inch/dp/B007WQQ90A
https://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/...ench-68424.html
https://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/...ench-62835.html

 

[dlundblad]

I have the HF Earthquake air ratchet and Aircat 1150 gun. Both are awesome.

Tool Topia has the best 1150 price that I have found.

 

[bioburner]

I use a air right angle wrench on a few hard to reach areas. Its ability to use as regular ratchet to break the nut then hit the air to screw out the bolt is great. The bolts on a Ford diesel water pump,17, are long and in a hard to access spot and the purchase for this job alone was worth it. Getting out exhaust manifold bolts on a 97 Jeep was another. Have couple 1/2 inch impact tools and a little 3/8. Couple of the Ryobi electric impact tools that are great drivers for long decking screws and lite body fastners on cars.

 

[eljefino]

I'd go with the air 1/2 earthquake impact and a battery impact for smaller stuff. something like this.

Battery impacts are good for the smaller 10mm headed bolts that are all over holding in fender liners, ground straps, air intakes and the other "interference" stuff you have to pull to get to the actual work.

I don't mind dragging a hose for the big stuff like lugnuts and axle nuts.

 

[JMJNet]

Check Ebay, sometimes you can get older used IR or SnapOn for cheap.
I got an IR Air Impact Wrench for $30, looks beaten up but it works for my occasional used.
When I got it, I opened it up, put some grease on the internal parts and good as new.

 

[bigt61]

For a shadetree mechanic - used on ebay or Harbor Freight is all you need. Professional mechanics need more durable stuff. I have Harbor Freight impact guns that are 30+ years old and still work fine.

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

Yup, I hear yeah. It’s not always fun hand wrenching everything especially tire changes.

Turns out torquing lug nuts with impact tools and even ‘torque sticks’ exceeds the
actual torque spec. GM Techlink Nov 2010 talked about that.

Taking nuts off with impact tools is OK especially if they were hand torqued properly.

In my case, on the cheap I picked up used cordless impact wrench and batteries that was
rated for 80 Ft/Lb. I use it to run off and on nuts and final torque with a click torque wrench.
To initially loosen tight wheel nuts, I use a 24” long wrench, ¾ turn then jack it up, and spin
the nuts off with the cordless.

On the re-install I’ll use the cordless to run the nuts back on criss-crossing as usual, I release
the jack, and final torque to 100 Ft/lb with the click torque wrench, usually 1 to 1 ½ turns.

Years back I saw OEM prints that show how crummy wheel studs and nuts are, they’re spec’d and made
to be cheap first!!

Add to that it turns out Torque Sticks all over-torque, a product scam form day-one, tested it here.

See this PDF.

BAD NEWS: TORQUE STICKS n’ IMPACT GUNS
https://app.box.com/s/g8s47dm0woyz65ybundz

 

[Trav]

Get the 1/4 driver with an extra 3.0A battery and a 1/2 impact bare tool and swap/charge the batteries as needed. these 2 will do everything you need and last forever, they have some of the best batteries in the business. I have 4 going on 9 years this Sept and still work like a champ.


https://www.amazon.com/Makita-XDT111-Lit...a+impact+driver

https://www.amazon.com/Makita-XWT04Z-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Battery/dp/B00K194N1C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494006476&sr=8-3&keywords=makita+impact+1%2F2

 

[tig1]

I use both. I have a 1/4 and 3/8 in. air ratchet, and a 1/2 in. Ingersoll Rand impact. There is a place for all three.

 

[andyd]

My rule is use hand tools on cars. Less breakage,cheaper, quieter, safer. slower

 

[Trav]

Glad we don't have to follow your rules.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: andyd
My rule is use hand tools on cars. Less breakage,cheaper, quieter, safer. slower


I had that rule once too. Then I got hooked on air tools and now kick myself for not starting to use them a few decades sooner.

 

[Trav]

If someone wants to pay me 4 hrs for a 1 hr job I will be happy use hand tools especially on old rusted fasteners that require a breaker bar, penetrating fluid and heat when a powerful impact takes them off in seconds.
Believe it or not many times an impact gun will get something apart that would otherwise break with hand tools.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted By: andyd
My rule is use hand tools on cars. Less breakage,cheaper, quieter, safer. slower


You must not have to change the oil and filter on 8 toyota/lexi. All those ?*JT^%$ plastic flappers come close to making a Preacher cuss out loud.