Impact Wrench Recommendation?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
2,042
Location
NY
I have no impact wrench today but I would like to tackle the shocks on one of our vehicles, and am thinking I should add an impact wrench to the toolbox, looking for recommendations.

I'd like to keep it reasonable price and quality given the occasional use it will get. As of now no compressor so I'd prefer to keep it electric.

Thanks in advance.
 
Kobalt 8-Amp 1/2-in Corded Impact Wrench from your local Lowes. $150, 5-year guarantee, and 91% positive reviews.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Earthquake 1/2 from HF. $69 on sale.


He wants electric. I have the earthquake as well. You will find out that the electric is ok for lug nuts and some other basic stuff. But once you get into any serious maintenance, you`ll find that you`ll need a compressor and air impact gun.

Get the cheap electric from HF. Also get the impact sockets from them.

Regards, JC.
 
Originally Posted By: JC1
Get the cheap electric from HF. Also get the impact sockets from them.


This. Harbor freight sources a lot of their tools from the same factories that Sears, Home Depot, and Lowes get their tools. They also sell the same exact tools for at least 50% cheaper. Harbor Freight sells the Pittsburgh Pro impact sockets for $25 ($20 after 20% coupon). Those SAME EXACT sockets (with a different brand name stamped on them) are sold at Lowes for about $60 or $70 last time I looked.
 
I have an Earth Quake(600 ft.lb.) from HF and I love it. Although I'm just a shade tree mechanic, this is powerful and HAS NOT failed me!
 
I had a harbor freight electric and it broke after a year. It failed in the hammer mechanism, it just stopped hammering and decided it wanted to be a really weak drill.

I have a Dewalt DW292 that I bought on Amazon for $120. It's been great for 2 years.

However, I use my Rigid impact driver for almost everything. It breaks loose nuts up to 95ft/lbs and torques up to 85 ft/lbs, and it's much smaller, gets into tight areas and is cordless.

You're going to find that these electrics are just too large to be used on hardly anything. On a standard passenger car they hardly fit in a wheel well.
 
Originally Posted By: Jakegday
if cordless, i recommend milwaukee


I bought their M18 Fuel 3/8" impact and just love it. I don't know why I did not do it sooner. Buy once, cry once - it is pricey
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I have an Earth Quake(600 ft.lb.) from HF and I love it. Although I'm just a shade tree mechanic, this is powerful and HAS NOT failed me!
i keep one on my hose crimping table. its a couple of years old and still works awsome.
 
Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
I have no impact wrench today but I would like to tackle the shocks on one of our vehicles, and am thinking I should add an impact wrench to the toolbox, looking for recommendations.

I'd like to keep it reasonable price and quality given the occasional use it will get. As of now no compressor so I'd prefer to keep it electric.

Thanks in advance.


This tool with a few cheap wrenches and cheap ratchets is the cheapest you can get and will out perform cheap Micky Mouse corded electric impacts with ease.
I am not trying to be funny its a fact. Unless you want a good tool like the IR W7150 or the new Milwaukee 18V i wouldn't waste my money.

Before i owned my own home (there were no decent cordless back then) i used one of these wonders for years and still do if i don't feel like turning the compressor on and dragging out the air hose for a small job like strut or brake caliper bracket bolts.

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-57-533-42-...ead-blow+hammer
 
If you can find a under $100 deal on a generic 24v Ni-Cd cordless impact wrench, that will do most automotive bolts, including strut and axle nuts, just fine. It does need a full charge, though! I purchased mine about 4 years ago, and it's served me well for the once every few months use it sees. Pep Boys often has a Goodyear branded version on sale every Black Friday.
 
If it's the lower bolt/nut you don't need an impact. Put the car on jack stands, and hit the fastener with pb blaster or kroil. Then get a box end wrench, preferably a six point. Then place a hydraulic jack under the other end of the wrench and use the jack to break the nut loose.
 
Nice! Thats a good tool, the 3Ah batteries are really good in them i have had 3 of these batteries for the last 6 or 7 years and they still hold a full charge.
I really use the tools not every other week but sometimes daily and never had a problem.
 
Yes, I had good luck with a Makita cordless drill and impact driver set I bought a few years ago. Like you said, those batteries seem to hold a charge indefinitely.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top