WHATS A GOOD IMPACT WRENCH?

[Bird]

One other thing I failed to mention. Every pneumatic impact wrench I know of is "rated" at 90 psi. You can turn up the air pressure and have a more powerful tool. Many, if not most, mechanics run 150-175 psi routinely. Of course that increases wear on the air tool. That excess air pressure, lack of lubrication, moisture through the air inlet, and dirt and debris through the air inlet are what keep air tool repairmen in business.:laughing: But paying for repairs now and then may be cost effective for mechanics who need the additional power to work faster with existing tools.

 

[escavader]

WOW ,WHAT QUICK REPLYS,
My impact gun is an IR 244.according to what i just researched it suppose to have 500 lbs torque?
I do use air tool oil [campbell h brand]everytime i use it ,and run wd 40 through it each time im done.
looking at that cp734 ,all i find is cp734 h .One web site says 425 ftlbs another says 600???
id like to buy a gun with more power and use my IR for lighter jobs.OR...
plan b redo my system

Irun hose all the way across my 24 ft barn trusses ,into the mechanic bay and onto a reel that has at least 100 ft on it[i have alot to reel outside to blow up tires].Would i be better to t off at the compressor,run a solid pipe line to my automotive bay ,install a new water trap/regulator,with mabey a 25 ft hose for the current impact?You folks are making me think i just got too much darned hose.Where on line can i buy materials for this ? ANYONE ever use cpvc line for air?It sure is easy for water
Guess i need to figure if i got a bad system or a weak gun:confused2:
ALAN

 

[kevinj]

WOW ,WHAT QUICK REPLYS,

Irun hose all the way across my 24 ft barn trusses ,into the mechanic bay and onto a reel that has at least 100 ft on it.Where on line can i buy materials for this ? ANYONE ever use cpvc line for air?It sure is easy for water
Guess i need to figure if i got a bad system or a weak gun:confused2:
ALAN

And therein lies your problem. Run a 1/2 or 3/4 iron or copper pipe near the work and get the hose down to 25'.

DO NOT USE PLASTIC FOR AIR unless there is some new special rated product.

 

[escavader]

And therein lies your problem. Run a 1/2 or 3/4 iron or copper pipe near the work and get the hose down to 25'.

DO NOT USE PLASTIC FOR AIR unless there is some new special rated product.

KEVEN J
Where can i get the stuff i need,[Ive never worked with pipe]Does lowes or homedepot sell the pipe elbows fittings etc? Will i need to be some sort of pipe threader for the ones i cut?Im afraid you guys will have to walk me through it.Also can one give me a link on a good water seperatorand regulator to buy? Im heading out now to take pics of my setup now.
ALAN

 

[Bird]

I do use air tool oil [campbell h brand]everytime i use it ,and run wd 40 through it each time im done.

That's probably not bad; nothing wrong with Campbell Hausfeld air tool oil, but you'd be better off using the air tool oil again instead of the WD40 when you're done. Lots of people use a little air tool oil to start a job, but it's probably more important to give it a shot of air tool oil and one very quick burst of air when you finish so the oil displaces any moisture. I know WD40 is "water displacement" but then it evaporates so the air tool oil is better in the long run for preventing corrosion.

And I agree with kevinj on the plumbing.

 

[kevinj]

KEVEN J
Where can i get the stuff i need,[Ive never worked with pipe]Does lowes or homedepot sell the pipe elbows fittings etc? Will i need to be some sort of pipe threader for the ones i cut?Im afraid you guys will have to walk me through it.Also can one give me a link on a good water seperatorand regulator to buy? Im heading out now to take pics of my setup now.
ALAN

In your case copper or some of the special aluminum air systems will be better if you have never worked with pipe.

Can you solder or braze???


If not, hire it out or contact a commercial air compressor dealer and ask about the aluminum piping systems.

http://transairaluminumpipe.com/

 

[not2old]

And therein lies your problem. Run a 1/2 or 3/4 iron or copper pipe near the work and get the hose down to 25'.

DO NOT USE PLASTIC FOR AIR unless there is some new special rated product.

I agree on running the pipe closer to your work station. 1/4" hose is too small, use 3/8" at least if 50'. There are lots of posts describing how to install filters and water traps.

 

[kevinj]

That's probably not bad; nothing wrong with Campbell Hausfeld air tool oil, but you'd be better off using the air tool oil again instead of the WD40 when you're done. Lots of people use a little air tool oil to start a job, but it's probably more important to give it a shot of air tool oil and one very quick burst of air when you finish so the oil displaces any moisture. I know WD40 is "water displacement" but then it evaporates so the air tool oil is better in the long run for preventing corrosion.

And I agree with kevinj on the plumbing.

I do not think air tool oil makes gum as fast as WD40. Mine only get good air tool oil.

 

[k0ua]

ANYONE ever use cpvc line for air?It sure is easy for water

Most of the experts say not to use any kind of PVC as it is dangerous if it breaks, it makes shrapnel, apparantly a lot of people injured from this. There is a thread going in the last couple of days about using PEX for air line. Apparently it is softer, and would not "shrapnel" if it leaked or was broken. apparently has some kind of quick connect "sharkbite" connectors. also. search here for the thread, and Home depot sells some. check it out. I dont know anything about it personally, but have seen the thread.
James K0UA

 

[LD1]

Another vote for the ingersoll titantium from me. Model 2135TI is what I have.

The thing is just flat out a beast. You just have to watch it when using it to tighten things that you dont over do it:laughing:

Depending on what and where you read, the specs are somewhere between 780 and 1000FT-LBs in reverse.

It got tired of the cheapie $20 impacts made in china. They didn't have any more torque than my 3/8 Snap-on or IR's. Get a good one and you wont regret it.

 

[IXLR8]

WOW ,WHAT QUICK REPLYS,
My impact gun is an IR 244.according to what i just researched it suppose to have 500 lbs torque?
.......
Guess i need to figure if i got a bad system or a weak gun:confused2:
ALAN

Alan, I think you should be able to loosen most anything with that gun. Can you hook up a short, 10'-20' 3/8" ID line directly to the compressor regular, bypassing all the hose you have running through your rafters/hosereel, and try that? I am betting you will have much better luck. Do you have an oiler on your air line?
I have the IR Titanium quiet gun, worked so-so, I was not impressed with it. I was using 30' of 3/8" OD tubing with an oiler on the gun. Based on advice I got here, I removed the PIA oiler, got 25" of 3/8" ID tubing.. gun now works like it should. I have not found anything it has not been able to loosen.... or break!!
The oiler was a PIA due to the fact that it was much more of a hassle to fill the oiler every few months than it was to put a few drops in the gun before I used it for the day.

 

[Shmudda]

Actually, one of the best 1/2" drive air impacts is a Sears Craftsman. You can catch it on sale for about 90 bucks and it develops over 500 ft:lb of torque I believe. As someone said before there are others out there that only get to about 250, so you need to be careful on what you are buying. I also use a electric impact (1/2") and it can do 90% of what I need to do, works really good.

Bolting and fasteners are one of least understood mechanical items in industry, they are simple in design, but are used incorrectly many times. Correct assembly will have everlasting benefits during use and will still allow you to remove them easily. Blaster is the best product on the market for loosening stuck anything, I use it all the time. The best bet is to use Anti-sieze during reassembly of nuts and bolts that will be in dirty, dusty and wet environments. Using an anti-sieze at assembly and blaster at disassembly you can use regular wrenches most times for disassembly.

Craig

 

[Chilly807]

My vote is on the hose size/length. My Mastercraft (Canadian Tire) wouldn't even break 100 ft/lb lug nuts with a 25' 1/4 inch hose. Changed to 3/8 and much better results, 1/2 would be better yet. Mine runs 110 psi max.

Also check the internal bore of any fittings in the pipe/hose. It only needs one choke point to cause problems.

You can try tee-ing in a gauge near the gun, but you'll need a damper of some sort or the gauge will likely not stand the fluctuation.

Sean

 

[kevinj]

KEVEN J
Where can i get the stuff i need,[Ive never worked with pipe]Does lowes or homedepot sell the pipe elbows fittings etc? Will i need to be some sort of pipe threader for the ones i cut?Im afraid you guys will have to walk me through it.Also can one give me a link on a good water seperatorand regulator to buy? Im heading out now to take pics of my setup now.
ALAN

A few pics of an air system

The first is a vibration method and water drain for the riser

The second shows tapping THE TOP for air use

The third shows a dual pressure station with isolation and drain

The fourth is a main line extension with water drain on the wall

I should point out that the main is highest above the compressor and must run down to the end at the drain so air and water travel the same direction.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Truly astounding. You have a good impact gun that is not functioning properly. Are you using an extension? - they are springy. More than likely you are starving it for air. Use no regulator. Use no hose reel. Use no extension. Use 50' or less of 3/8" minimum air hose directly out of the compressor tank at at least 120PSI. If it wont twist off a grade8 1/2" bolt take it back. If it wont twist off a 5/8" consider taking it back.
larry

 

[Bird]

My impact gun is an IR 244.according to what i just researched it suppose to have 500 lbs torque?

Yep, that's a good impact wrench; same design as the IR231, just hasn't been around as long as the IR231. But it's been around quite awhile. I repaired one in Feb. 1999, that had the spline twisted off the rotor, so I think it's a pretty safe bet that he was running 175 psi on his air.:laughing: And of course he was a big truck mechanic so he probably let it hammer quite awhile on some of those nuts and bolts.

 

[Qapla]

We had the problem of the air impact and our system. We traced it to an in-line water trap in the system. It would allow enough air for the grinder, drill and other tools, but not the impact. When we took the trap out of the line, impact worked fine.

Our system has a water filter at the compressor, so no need for another one in the line. The in-line one was from a system that did not have a trap.

All that said, we still have found some things that the air impact still won't budge. In that case, I get out the electric impact. Haven't found anything it wont take off. I can even run it from my truck with a 1500 watt power inverter. The electric impact is from Harbor Freight and cost me $39 on sale.

 

[SPYDERLK]

All that said, we still have found some things that the air impact still won't budge. In that case, I get out the electric impact. Haven't found anything it wont take off. I can even run it from my truck with a 1500 watt power inverter. The electric impact is from Harbor Freight and cost me $39 on sale.

Uncharacteristic. Could you give the part #? Id like to check that one out!
larry

 

[LD1]

All that said, we still have found some things that the air impact still won't budge. In that case, I get out the electric impact. Haven't found anything it wont take off. I can even run it from my truck with a 1500 watt power inverter. The electric impact is from Harbor Freight and cost me $39 on sale.

I agree with larry on this one. VERY uncharacteristic.

Did I miss it or did you mention what model the air impact is??

The only way I see a HF electric beating a 1/2" air impact is IF it is a HF air impact or similar.

 

[crazyal]

For 100' 3/8 hose is good for about 7 cfm. 1/2" will do about 15. If you are going to install new lines this is the best system out there. It's quick and works well. The only limitation is the pipe is rated for 140 psi working pressure(but there's no need to be that high to begin with). The connectors are a push lock, just cut the hose and push it into the connector. We use them at work everywhere with no problems what so ever.

Compressed Air Piping, Compressed Air Systems, Do It Yourself Air Tool System

Northern tool sells it.