I've been toying with the idea of getting an impact wrench. (battery elect. driven). I do the (all too) occasional work on the car etc and have heard how useful these thing are supposed to be (eg getting rusted nuts off etc). From what I can see though, it'd be tricky to get something the size of the wrenches I've seen anywhere near an exhaust nut!
Still, I appreciated views on;
The general usefulness of impact wrenches Any recommendation as to make/model (£100 limit for me)
1/2 or 3/8?Thanks
I've got an unbranded 1/2" drive one bought ages ago for about 25 quid as it seemed like a good idea. It works ok. But really does little a breaker bar at less cost can't. Trouble is that for things like removing a crankshaft pulley bolt where impact would be great it won't fit - whereas the breaker bar hit with a hammer does.
:-) There's a lot to be said for the Birmingham screwdriver :-)
Actually there are two items I'd have like to have to hand for those occasional (*&*($%^^* nuts 'n bolts. The impact wrench (just be to able to try it) and a small say, mouse sized, angle grinder type thing (specific enough :) ? ) Does such a thing even exist I wonder?
A great use for the latter would have a been a very weeks ago trying to get some exhaust nuts off. I could get at them ok but with rounded edges etc no way to turn them - and in any case the bolt sections were heavily corroded. I ended up slicing them with a junior hacksaw, small chisel, bendy screwdriver, swearing and yes - the hammer treatment.
Mostly people buy half inch drive ones. I use half and three eigth ones everyday, it depends on your working practises and socket availability.
The cheap battery ones that clip on your car battery are not very good. the rechargeable ones are better, but you need to spend 200 quid, a cheap air powered one is better again at about 30 quid, but a really good air one is
200 !!If you have a compressor then get a cheap air one, and a cheap set of impact sockets, otherwise I recommend you save your money.
mrcheerful
go easy on the exhaust nuts if they are into the manifold. it's all too easy to shear the stud off resulting in a right nightmare job.
in garages, I used to use a 1/2" air driven driver with what we used to call a 'squiggle'. like a universal joint for impact wrenches but not to be confused with the crappy angle socket adaptors found in socket sets. can't remember the /real/ name for them, ask any snap-on man for an exhaust nut squiggle, he'll know what you're on about.
natch, you'll need some extension bars.
hth
Dremmel? Although it's not something I've tried for this.
Have you got a nut splitter? And if you intend keeping the car brass replacement nuts can make sense for some uses around the exhaust.
I have a nut splitter thing for removing stubborn nuts:
With steel nuts it generally distorts them enough to allow them to be removed.
sponix
The wiggle sockets are called universal sockets (snap-on) each one is about thirty pounds, they consist of an impact socket with a sort of limited arc cv joint in the middle, but money well spent as you can do many jobs that would otherwise require dismantling. For instance the bolt that secures the ball joint on an escort suspension arm can be undone with a universal and an air wrench without removing the wheel. Many crank pulley bolts and cam wheel bolts can be got with a universal too. Propshaft bolts, exhaust bolts, gearbox bolts etc.
mrcheerful
Are they using these again? However, I've never had a brass nut seize - it's far more likely it has been over tightened and the threads stripped.
Assuming you can get it on square it should split those too.
As well as the type you show, I've got one with open jaws - looks a bit like a micrometer. Can be useful where space is limited to have the choice.
Yes indeed. This is basically the approach I was trying to take re getting the I.Wrench and maybe the dremel Dave Plowman mentioned (just off to check prices). I know they are not cheap. About the nut splitter - yes I have one of those and it did make a start (into steel nut :( ) but as usual, space was the problem. The splitter had to go on at an angle so wasn't that effective.
I'd go along with that.
I've worked on cars for 20+ years, and never needed or felt the requirement for a cordless impact. I have used an air impact fairly regularly though.
There's times when only an impact will loosen something, e.g when it's hard to stop something turning and you don't want to damage the component, e.g. gears or clutch plates etc.
Exhaust u bolts, forget it. Angle grind them off and put a new one on !
I'd also be wary of a cheap impact, it might not have the power you need. If it were me, i'd put the money towards a small compressor, that has many more uses, and you can then buy a air impact (and all the other useful air accessories ..)
Cheers
Paul.
Chop them off with bolt croppers, or use the croppers to split the nuts.
My problem is not having a garage to work in so air tools would be a pest since compressors are heavy things to move around. Suppose I could put one in the cellar and pipe the air to outside, but electric tools are just more convenient if expensive. Got a super electric nibbler off Ebay secondhand - cost a fortune new.
Or get a stainless system and forget all this. ;-)
wot ee said, but 20 years ago we used to call em squiggles.
£30 you say ? there's inflation !
Yes, I'm in a residential area (obviously) so had to box in my compressor with some fairly hefty insulation to get the thing quiet enough.,
Thankfully I also have a detached brick garage, which helps a lot.
Impact wrenches are noisy, but I use it fairly infrequently in favour of a 1/2" strongarm. You know by looking at the nut whether it's going to need impact as if you don't it'll shear off.
The joys of old motorbikes .. ;)
P.
my nephew has just ordered an 18mm universal from the snap on man, it is 43 pounds for the one socket !!
mrcheerful
I take it he works for my local BMW stealer - 120 squids an hour.
will last a lifetime tho. I returned a v. large snap-on screwdriver which had chipped quite badly. when asked, I replied that of /course/ I'd used it to chisel at something, that's what a v. big screwdriver is for. the snap-on man laughed and ordered a replacement. expensive but worth it with customer service like that.
things might be different now ?
Even Halfords offer a lifetime warranty on their pro range.
What the Snap On agents offer to replace seems to depend on how much money you spend with them. Things that do suffer from wear - like cross head screwdrivers and allen keys don't seem to be any better than others - despite costing more.
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