Air tools w/ small compressor?

[kenmac]

Also, you can get adapters for impact guns that cause the socket to slip at a specified torque. I reckon they have those on the impact guns at the races.

Guess that's what they use at the factory.I have not seen them use hand held torque wrench

 

[Soundguy]

Guess that's what they use at the factory.I have not seen them use hand held torque wrench

i might trust one at the factory to be calibrated and changed out often to keep set torque.. not one at the local tire beater that has tools from the 70's that never get repalced..e tc...

 

[dodge man]

I always use a torque wrench on my lug nuts. They don't have to be exact, but most tire shops over tighten them big time. I would be the factory gets them pretty close to the correct torque, I wish they could do as well with oil filters on new vehicles.

 

[Bird]

Guess that's what they use at the factory.I have not seen them use hand held torque wrench

I guess that's a possibility. And I know the Matco Tool trucks (probably Snap-On as well) sold Torque Sticks for your impact. But in a factory setting, such as an assembly line, there are some torque wrench calibrators, such as the Skidmore-Wilhelm. Then there are valves you can put on your air lines to permit a burst of air of a predetermined length of time (say for instance 2 seconds) and shut off the air. So with those two items, and a regular rechecking of the calibration of your impact wrench, an assembler can simply hold the trigger until the impact stops and he/she will get the same torque each time.

 

[kenmac]

Worked on my son's chevy truck this weekend,Removed water pump and intake with my small 12v makita impact

 

[TheGoose]

I read the first page and skipped the rest of the reply's....

My $.02. Don't do it. I have a small compressor and 1/2" drive impact. It doesn't have enough CFM to keep the pressure high enough to work well enough for the trouble. You need flow IMO more than pressure. What I mean by that is that even if you have a compressor that can do 120psi, like mine, it needs to be able to maintain that pressure while you're using it. I find that sometimes the air isn't sufficient enough to really get a nut started. If it does get it loose it barely can keep up spinning the nut completely off. I have also tried using a smaller air-ratchet with slightly better luck.

Go corded, much more effective and you won't have to hear your compressor running the entire time you're trying to use an air tool way too big for your system.

 

[Soundguy]

i agree.. with a metering valve , set relief and periodic calibration.. you COULD do it. I used to work at a water meter factory.

some of the meters had cast iron bottom plates.. some bronze. we had an assembly jig that you set the assembled meter in upside down with 4 washer headed ccap screws and then pulled down a handle.. there were 4 air driven ( non impact) air ratchets with sockets that came down and tightened the bolts. we had 1 jig for the coated cast iron and one for the bronze. i believe they were calibrated every MORNING, and they would indeed tighten to a set torque and stop... again.. not an apples to apples comparison tothe guy at the filling station with a 1/2" gun and a 60g compressor that just lets it beat on there till the stud stretches.. etc..

I guess that's a possibility. And I know the Matco Tool trucks (probably Snap-On as well) sold Torque Sticks for your impact. But in a factory setting, such as an assembly line, there are some torque wrench calibrators, such as the Skidmore-Wilhelm. Then there are valves you can put on your air lines to permit a burst of air of a predetermined length of time (say for instance 2 seconds) and shut off the air. So with those two items, and a regular rechecking of the calibration of your impact wrench, an assembler can simply hold the trigger until the impact stops and he/she will get the same torque each time.

 

[joshuabardwell]

i might trust one at the factory to be calibrated and changed out often to keep set torque.. not one at the local tire beater that has tools from the 70's that never get repalced..e tc...

What about one in the pit at a race track? Remember--that was the original context of my comment.

 

[Soundguy]

i believe that is a different application than an ON road vehicle. Liekly heavier duty studs.. etc.. if it were a track only vehicle.

if the vehicle does track and road work like the OP's.. then i would not be using an impact gun to tighten the nuts on the studs.

on a race car that only see's a track, and may get a rebuild between races.. thent hey can service the studs when they want to as well.
thos studs won;t see a lifetime of use like a regular auto...

 

[Travelover]

I always use a torque wrench on my lug nuts. They don't have to be exact, but most tire shops over tighten them big time. I would be the factory gets them pretty close to the correct torque, I wish they could do as well with oil filters on new vehicles.

I used to work in the industry. At the factory what is used is called a DC nut runner. It not only measures torque, but also counts revolutions, so if there is a cross thread condition it is caught before it leaves the plant.

 

[RobertN]

I like disassembly with air tools. But most assembly I do by hand, and use torque wrenches. For lugs, I'll use the impact to run the lug nuts back on, but only after starting them by hand, and then usinga low setting. Then, will finish them with a torque wrench.

If you need a NASCAR speed pit stop, time for NASCAR speed tools, and lots of $$$

 

[MacTractor]

+1

Cheers

I like disassembly with air tools. But most assembly I do by hand, and use torque wrenches. For lugs, I'll use the impact to run the lug nuts back on, but only after starting them by hand, and then usinga low setting. Then, will finish them with a torque wrench.

If you need a NASCAR speed pit stop, time for NASCAR speed tools, and lots of $$$

 

[Soundguy]

I used to work in the industry. At the factory what is used is called a DC nut runner. It not only measures torque, but also counts revolutions, so if there is a cross thread condition it is caught before it leaves the plant.

i figured they must have soemthing 'calibrated' like that.

 

[RobertN]

What are thought on trying anti-seize on lug nuts/studs?

 

[Turbys_1700]

Years ago I got tired of using a pry bar to take off my rear finish mower blades and purchased a nice 1/2" air impact wrench...
When I say nice, I mean rated @ 450 lb. ft. of force @ 5.5 cfm and 90 psi...
It is certainly not considered professional by any means but it did cost me $49 at the time...
To power it I purchased a nice 6 HP air compressor that had a 30 gallon tank...
Darn thing was stolen so then I replaced it with a 60 gallon unit...
Both of my air compressor were purchased off of Craigs List for $250...
I know that is probably more than you want to spend but it is nice putting that air impact up to frozen bolts and bust them loose...
It is a man thing...lol

 

[Soundguy]

harbor freight and tsc usually run a 29-30g 2-3hp 120v compressor in the 150-200$ rnage now and then..

 

[SPYDERLK]

yep.. I don't want the studs on my road vehicle stretched.

the local tire place I normally use use a torque wrench when putting lugs on. no joke.

I know for a fact walmart tire does too, as a matter of fact I was getting 2 new fronts the other day, and someone came in for tires and they did not have lug torque data for him and refused to do any tire work. ( he was quite angry! )

that's why i won't use an impact for lugnuts. even with a torque slip socket..

I musta missed it. Why?

 

[Soundguy]

I musta missed it. Why?

I don't trust a tire store to have calibrated torque slip sockets or extensions.

those items don't last forever.. they wear.

and I wouldn't personally use them for the same reason.. they would serve me no better than a torque wrench.. which at least I can have calibrated at the tool store.

I love an impact to REMOVE nuts.. but not put them on..

i don't need a wheel coming off while I'm shooting down the interstate hauling a load of horses or cattle.. or a flatbed full of iron, because some hs dropout used his hi power air gun and just pulled the trigger on it putting my lugs on at the tire store and held the trigger till the air tank died while he texts his girlfriend.

cuz I've seen monkeys like that at some shops...

 

[kenmac]

After lug nuts came loose on me on the interstate.I would put them on with impact and go over them with a wrench.Now that I've got a great air compressor and a good inpact.Impact is all I use

 

[Soundguy]

my concern would be the studs coming off due to stretching from the impact putting the lugs on.. not the nuts coming loose...