Impact Wrench / Gun

[mattd860 161]

I'm looking to add an Impact Wrench to my tool chest but need some advise. My father has two of these unfortunately, both of them have no markings indicating the model # or the torque ratings and both of them have a 1/2" bit. One of them couldn't turn a nut off a bolt if it was hand tightened and the other will remove just about everything. What is an acceptable torque for a home mechanic? What about a shop mechanic? I frequently have to undo frozen lug nuts or tractor parts that have been neglected for years and years. Typically a breaker bar and 5" pipe will undo anything I need, but using the pipe or driving to my dad's to borrow the gun is getting old.

[squonk 38,937]

Lots of variables on torques and guns but for all around work I like my Ingersoll- Rand IR231. 

Edited September 11, 2014 by squonk

[Geno 1,928]

The 231 is a classic work horse for sure.   I use an Ingersoll-Rand 2135TiMAX, it's a monster.   http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-2135TiMAX-2-Inch-Impact-Wrench/dp/B000WMN2GU

[SousaKerry 500]

I went cordles/hoseless awhile back and bought a Crapsman it is rated for 200ft/lbs but I find it is a little short on power.  It is ok for light duty work like car lugnuts and for fast assembly but quite frequently I have to break it loose and then go after it with the impact.  

 

I know Dewalt and Milwaukee both make them in the 300ft/lb range and if I had to buy one again I would go that route.  A word of caution though they eat batteries for breakfast so buy two of the biggest Ah batteries they have.

[illinilefttackle 399]

Make sure your compressor is set high enough to handle the bigger guns- You can get some great deals  on impact Guns & other tools at your local Pawn Shop too.   You have to take your time and check for excessive wear & test it before you buy-it may take looking at a couple of different shops-but it can save you hundreds of dollars-good luck!

[Pullstart 59,733]

I bought a used 1/2" impact in high school probably 13 years ago and have had it apart for cleaning numerous times.  I want to say it's a snap on, but I'm not positive... Best $20 spent for a tool in my garage though!  Keeping it oiled and clean is the best thing you can do for it, tough to say given my work shop is a gravel driveway.

[smoreau 658]

As I am a mechanic, I have tried about every brand there is and I always go back to a IR titanium plastic handle gun. 1000 FP in rev at 90 psi and it's very light but heavy on the pocket book at over $400. For the normal Shade tree mechanic squonk has above pictured is very good. Not a fan of snap on or craftsman guns. Stick with a IR!!!

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

If you want cheap, I have used the HF electric for three years and it has served me well. On sale it seems all the time plus use a 20-25% coupon. The hardest bolts to take off were on the 52" deck blade bolts that I bought this summer. My truck's lug nuts get 120 ft./lb. but these were worse than that!

[Ken B 3,116]

I've had an IR and a Mac gun for over 20 yrs. now and both have served me well and both still work excellent. However, about five yrs. ago I had a Home Depot gift card and with it I bought a Dewalt electric impact gun. Its excellent for around the house and its my go to impact gun for rotating tires on my vehicles (I ALWAYS use a torque wrench for final tightening)  and Wheel Horse work... So much easier than draggin around an air hose and much quieter, it has been able to loosen anything I've ever used it on.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Ken B

[specialwheelhorse 174]

Craftsman pro 3/8 235 i199160

Wouldn't be without it and never needed more !!

[Digger 66 3,476]

   I use an Ingersoll-Rand 2135TiMAX, it's a monster.   http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-2135TiMAX-2-Inch-Impact-Wrench/dp/B000WMN2GU

 

 

Thanks a lot ! 

Now I have to dig out the credit card .

What's the CFM requirement on that rattle wrench ? 

[Geno 1,928]

Here's all the specs,  http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/am-en/products/tools/impactools/maintenance-automotive-impactools/1-2-drive/2135timax-series/2135timax/modelspec/40366

[Digger 66 3,476]

Here's all the specs,

 

Thank you ,Sir .

At 20 CFM under load my compressor ought to keep up nicely .

Now for that Discover card.....

[Forest Road 594]

I've had an IR 231 for years. It's def the old standby go to gun. How big an air tank does your compressor have? For home use I run a Makita job site

6 gallon 6cfm @ 90psi. I found an old 20 gallon tank to ad on. With the two hooked up its great for breaking stuff loose. No good for continuous use. Just a matter of waiting for the unit to fill both tanks and then I'm on my way.

[Digger 66 3,476]

 How big an air tank does your compressor have?

25 gal with a 5 gal aux . if need be .

[Forest Road 594]

Compressor has 6 gallon tank. Additional tank is 15-20 gallon from a dewalt compressor.

As a stand alone this compressor didn't have the power to break anything loose. With the additional tank I'm happy. I don't use air tools enough to invest in a serious compressor .

I bought this compressor when I was remodeling. Also have a smaller Makita MAC 700 compressor. Both worked great with nail guns.

Here's the compressor

http://www.makitatools.com/en-us/Modules/Tools/ToolDetails.aspx?Name=MAC5200

Edited September 14, 2014 by Forest Road

[mattd860 161]

Thanks to everyone for their help!! I have a 100gal compressor with cast iron pump that came from an autobody shop so it can more than handle anything. I'm on the fence between the 231C and the 2135TiMAX. 

[Geno 1,928]

Well this one is easy.  The 2135 has over twice the torque and is made in USA, the 231 has half and made in China. 

[Forest Road 594]

Depends on what you have to spend. 231 can be had for about $100 new. With your air supply it won't matter which gun you choose.

[shorts 182]

I haven't bought a new impact gun in over 20 years, but as a professional mechanic I wouldn't waste my money on anything except an IR 1/2" impact for heavy work, if you're mostly doing bench work their 3/8" guns are as powerful as most of the other 1/2" guns on the market.  If you don't have a good air supply go to a 1/2 or 3/4 whip hose at the gun to get an initial high volume of air to break things loose.  If you don't have air a n electric gun by Dewalt is handy but quite bulky, My neighbor carries mine in for changing tires on his 5th wheel camper using inverter power roadside.

 

For running screws and small fasteners it's hard to beat any of the battery powered impact drivers, I'm happy with my Makita but would buy a Milwaukee or Bosch in the blink of an eye for their small size and excellent performance

[Geno 1,928]

Hey shorts, you aughtta try one of the 2135's.  I've owned my own repair business for 20 years also and everytime a new gun comes out I buy it.  Best thing I ever did.  We get paid pretty much the same if we get it apart the easy way or the hard way, and time is money for us.  I've broken trailer balls with mine at 180psi pretty quick, makes the job fast.  That gun will pay for itself in time alone in a month if you get a lot of hard to break loose stuff.  

[shorts 182]

Geno, I try pretty hard to say away from mechanical repairs unless it's on a consulting basis, hopefully their is someone else doing the physical work (young healthy buck) and I'm just trying to keep them out of trouble when they jump in over their heads, not usually by choice but necessity.  I have the priviledge of helping a 3 generation heavy dirt  and land clearing contractor stay on top of their maintenance, repair and rebuild program, It started as  "help my grandson learn and keep him out of trouble in the shop and yard" to he is running the field and maintenance operations from the field and I get a call to chase down information or parts to keep the hired help productive and safe. I'm not in the personal tool buying mode anymore unless it is horse or house related

Edited September 16, 2014 by shorts

[specialwheelhorse 174]

Just saw some new IRs and they look exactly like my

Craftsman, wouldn't be surprised if ingersal makes

For sears.

[oaktown1987 82]

Air cat most powerful on market and one of cheapest can get get them at northern tool I love mine and there the quietest

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[mattd860 161]

So i stumbled over an IR 231TL-2 1/2" impact wrench today at a local farm show. Guy wanted 35 bucks but I picked it up for $20. I got home and was horrified after reading the specifications online because the product description states that it only has forward torque and the rating is 35-50lbs which is deplorable. I doubted that this meaty 1/2" impact wrench could only have 50 ft-lbs so I tried to remove a rusty old lug nut on my old ford truck and it zinged it right off with no effort! So it seems good to me.

Can anyone find out the actual specs of this gun? It says forward torque only and 30-50 ft-lbs but it removed that lug nut easily in the REVERSE. I tried finding some more specs on the first 10 pages on google search but there seems to be very little info out there on this model.

 

 

EDIT  - it's a 231TL, not a 213TL

Edited October 4, 2014 by mattd860