Let's Talk Impact Guns

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Hellion

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HOORAY for IMPACT GUNS!


You can get consistent air pressure at the tool if your compressor and gauges are up to spec.



Now of course all powered tools degrade over time (both pneumatic and electric) and you fancy-schmancy electric impact wrench fan boys will be saddened to hear your electric tool is choochin less and less as it ages. The electric motors just wear out--the motor brushes go kaput, bearings and bushings start to get rough. Most of these cordless drills and impact guns are Chinesium and basically disposable.

I don't use mine for tightening. I use my hands (no finer tool in the world) and a torque wrench. Those guys that can tighten to spec via "ugga dugga" alone are god-level unicorns. :rolleyes:
 

Piddler

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We did that just to see what it actually would go to. Something else I think is interesting about the new Matco guns is that they have no brake, so they will just twist around on you! I'm personally not a fan, my snap on has a brake, but I know of a few guys that have had to have a snap on brake fixed. The tool guy tells me the Matco doesn't have a brake in order to save the brushes on the motor , because the brake is actually reversing the motor .

---------- Post added at 11:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 PM ----------

Not a fanboy! I still use my Ingersoll stuff daily but some days I get tired of hearing the compressor all day. It's right beside my bay!
 

Kartorbust

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Our air compressor got too hot today and stopped working. So we couldn't lower vehicles, use our oil guns, air blow guns, impacts, etc. Fortunately, us technicians we all have battery impacts now (1/4" and 1/2"). Just a nice reason to have them.

I think I saw the Matco impact in my catalog from a couple weeks ago...was a bit rich for my wallet (I refuse to open an account with the tool truck), but it looked nice. Hope it'll break rusted bolts out of a vehicle...had to take out a 5th wheel setup out of a trade in truck a few months back. Needed a breaker bar and 4 foot cheater bar to break them all loose.
 

Kartorbust

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Ain't that the truth? Until you snap a Mac Tools breaker bar socket head clean off...thankfully it wasn't mine, me that did it, and it had a lifetime warranty.
 

kayde

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Pretty hard to beat the ole cheater bar on cost and effectiveness

Im certainly a cheater bar fan when that lil' bit of extra is needed.

Ive kept a bicycle seat post in my box for years, most have a reduced diameter on one end so one end fits a 3/8" drive ratchet and a 1/2" drive fits in the other end.

Crapsman ratchets have a squareish handle so a lite hammer smash too each end of the post will flatten out the round a little then they fit perfectly.

Seat posts arent really long but the bit of extra length really helps alot sometimes and its not so much that your breaking ratchets all the time.

Its saved my butt a few times over the years.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Cheater bars certainly work, but ya can't beat an impact for getting those frozen hub nuts off!:cool:
When I was still struggling with my drive wheel, it was impossible to get the hub nuts off with a ratchet or breaker bar.
When I put an impact on it, though, the nuts zipped right off.
Nice.
 

skulldrinker

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Not for working on a kart but picked this up last week for stubborn things on cars when my 1/2 just won't cut it. 3/4" HF Earthquake XT impact. Added a Sunex Universal Joint for getting around things. Cars weren't designed with large impact guns in mind. Also switched over all my air fitting to Milton Hi-Flo. It made a huge difference in added power. All my tools acted like new upgraded super power ones. My 135psi compressor acts more like shop air now. Not kidding Hi-Flo's are worth it. Problem is you have to change out everything Hi-Flo's and conventional ones do not mix. Just using everyday 3/8 air hose.

If interested in Hi-Flo here's a starter set. I enden up buying a box of each from the milton site.
https://www.amazon.com/Milton-S-217-Style-Coupler-Plug/dp/B001O2ZGQ6
 

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Kartorbust

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So after several months of professional use, my Porter Cable impact gave up the ghost. Used it to install locking lug nuts on a new Wrangler and it stopped working. Turns out there was an internal open in the trigger switch on the motor side as the LED light would still light up. Warranty does not cover professional use anyway.

So if anyone gets into this kind of work, go with a DeWalt or Milwaukee impact. Those should hold up better and longer to abuse. On the fence about replacing it anyway, will probably have huge changes coming my way in the next month.
 

48prerunner

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I finally bought battery powered https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2767-20

Milwaukee after years of air only in the shop and a six foot pipe out in the field or yard. Kicking myself for not getting them sooner. This thing took the lugs of an 8n ford that had been on for 30 years or more, loosened up nuts on an 88 truck from the north east like they were new.

https://youtu.be/EUiBJSBUS6c

not my video but shortest I could find to show it.
https://youtu.be/7atWtAQiOOA?t=303
 

mckutzy

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Ive gone red aswell... well maybe not Lincoln... but Milwaukee for sure...

Ive been looking at one of those 1/2" tools for a while now...
Expensive, and the batteries are just as expensive....
But I know itll handle it, and is worth it...
 

Hellion

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Everyone loves battery-powered tools and boy, are they just the latest thing and all "gee-whiz" but to be honest they only really shine or have that ultimate utility when you must work away from an electrical outlet. Like real rustic or rural conditions; working out in the back 40 acres, etc....

A corded tool will always smack-down a battery powered one. I don't really see the attraction. Cord gets in the way? Move it.
 

Kartorbust

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Maybe some of the higher end corded impacts might have the torque, but a lot of the really nice cordless impacts are between 300 and 750 ft/lbs of torque. My little 1400in/lb 20v 1/4" drive DeWalt impact can take lug nuts off of trucks (100 to 150 ft/lbs torqued down to). Probably not good for the hammer, but it'll do it. If you are out in the sticks and you need to work on something, it's either battery impact, or you have a generator with you. The attraction is, not being tethered to an extension cord, air hose, or you can work in an area without power (blackout etc). With the really good impacts, you can get several hours worth of work done with a single battery, if you have more batteries with you, you're golden. You're best bet is to keep all your power tools to be using the same batteries
 
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