Justifying an impact wrench for infrequent hobby use

On 07/11/2012 07:47 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Vic > wrote:
>> On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), > wrote:
>>
>>> I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>> wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>> Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>> with to justyfy the purchase?
>>>
>> Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
>> fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
>> it in. My opinion.
>
> It is, however, an absolute miracle for dealing with corroded fasteners. If
> you ever do any suspension or exhaust work or if you ever do anything on an
> Triumph or MG, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.
> --scott

i second that. exhaust fasteners were something i'd never touch unless
absolutely necessary since they'd usually shear off with manual
wrenches. but with a rotary impact, those things zip off no problems
almost every time.


--
fact check required

On 07/11/2012 03:51 PM, Brent wrote:
> On 2012-07-11, Scott > wrote:
>> Vic > wrote:
>>> On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>>> wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>>> Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>>> with to justyfy the purchase?
>>>>
>>> Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
>>> fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
>>> it in. My opinion.
>>
>> It is, however, an absolute miracle for dealing with corroded fasteners. If
>> you ever do any suspension or exhaust work or if you ever do anything on an
>> Triumph or MG, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.
>
> An impact wrench designed for lug nuts and other large fasteners is
> usesless for the vast majority of corroded fasteners. It will break
> them. For that I purchased a corded impact driver.

then you got the wrong driver. the right one will work pretty much
every time. and you should still use stuff like wd40 with an
appropriate soak-in time if you anticipate problems.


--
fact check required

On 07/11/2012 02:27 AM, AD wrote:
> I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
> wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
> Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
> with to justyfy the purchase?
>
> I don't steal other people's rims for living hence I ponder if twice a
> year 30 something bolts on two car
> summer/winter reshoeing are worth the money spent.
>
> I pay about $5 per car where I live to swap the rims. Hence me thinks
> 10 seasons to recoup the
> cost seems like a long long time.

an impact driver will save you time. and money on broken fasteners.
they're a great investment imo.

but exercise some judgment on what you get. lug nut torque is a good
deal higher than most other fastener torque, and most drivers have two
levels of control accordingly. the high torque models usually just have
"forward" and "reverse" switches, no speed control. they're great for
lug nuts. but the wrenches for most everything else are lower torque
and have speed/torque control. now, some of these purport to have
sufficient torque for lug nuts, but as you'll see from online reviews,
they seldom work for that. see if you can try before you buy. $200 is
at the lower end of quality for cordless, so this is particularly relevant.

finally, remember that lug nuts need to be correctly torqued.
particularly so with an impact driver. you can fit them, but their
final torque should be with a proper torque wrench.


--
fact check required

On 07/12/2012 01:24 AM, AD wrote:
> On Jul 11, 9:57�am, jim > wrote:
>> On 07/11/2012 02:27 AM, AD wrote:
>>
>>> I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>> wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>> Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>> with to justyfy the purchase?
>>
>>> I don't steal other people's rims for living hence I ponder if twice a
>>> year 30 something bolts on two car
>>> summer/winter reshoeing are worth the money spent.
>>
>>> I pay about $5 per car where I live to swap the rims. Hence me thinks
>>> 10 seasons to recoup the
>>> cost seems like a long long time.
>>
>> an impact driver will save you time. �and money on broken fasteners.
>> they're a great investment imo.
>>
>> but exercise some judgment on what you get. �lug nut torque is a good
>> deal higher than most other fastener torque, and most drivers have two
>> levels of control accordingly. �the high torque models usually just have
>> "forward" and "reverse" switches, no speed control. �they're great for
>> lug nuts. �but the wrenches for most everything else are lower torque
>> and have speed/torque control. �now, some of these purport to have
>> sufficient torque for lug nuts, but as you'll see from online reviews,
>> they seldom work for that. �see if you can try before you buy. �$200 is
>> at the lower end of quality for cordless, so this is particularly relevant.
>
> Ok, so how much should I expect to pay for a decent quality cordless
> provided I have enough patience to wait for a sale?

my experience is that "cheap" in this case ends up costing you more.
pay for something that's going to work and that is well supported,
particularly in the battery dept.


>
> I was thinking 19volt 200 ft.lbs claimed but maybe I should assemble
> change for a 36 volt milwakee or a dewalt which I thought would've
> been an massive overkill for an occasional lug nut pull.

lug nuts, particularly if you live in the rust belt, need some grunt.
frankly, i'm less inclined to spend money on a driver for these - i
think a torque wrench is a higher priority.


>
>> finally, remember that lug nuts need to be correctly torqued.
>> particularly so with an impact driver. �you can fit them, but their
>> final torque should be with a proper torque wrench.
>>
>
> I was thinking using the thing for unbolting large nuts only.
>
> I have a smaller non impact 1/4 electric screwdriver for massive
> bolting of all things small
> (think 60 sockets on a 400sq ft of an apartment :---]
> )
>
> I wonder how useful it would've been to get an impact with a 1/4
> driver for smaller nuts

i don't use one on the really small stuff, so no 1/4" for me.


--
fact check required

On 07/12/2012 01:25 AM, AD wrote:
> On Jul 12, 9:08�am, > wrote:
>> On 2012-07-11, jim > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 07/11/2012 03:51 PM, Brent wrote:
>>>> On 2012-07-11, Scott > �wrote:
>>>>> Vic > �wrote:
>>>>>> On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), > �wrote:
>>
>>>>>>> I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>>>>>> wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>>>>>> Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>>>>>> with to justyfy the purchase?
>>
>>>>>> Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
>>>>>> fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
>>>>>> it in. �My opinion.
>>
>>>>> It is, however, an absolute miracle for dealing with corroded fasteners. �If
>>>>> you ever do any suspension or exhaust work or if you ever do anything on an
>>>>> Triumph or MG, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.
>>
>>>> An impact wrench designed for lug nuts and other large fasteners is
>>>> usesless for the vast majority of corroded fasteners. It will break
>>>> them. For that I purchased a corded impact driver.
>>
>>> then you got the wrong driver.
>>
>> No, I have a small electric impact driver for small fasteners. I have
>> air impact wrench for large fasteners. These are the right drivers for
>> what they are used for. Use a full size impact wrench on an M8 or M6 and
>> watch it break the fastener.
>>
>>> the right one will work pretty much
>>> every time. �and you should still use stuff like wd40 with an
>>> appropriate soak-in time if you anticipate problems.
>>
>> WD40 isn't for corroded fasteners. Get a lubricant not a solvent.
>
> mmm, but WD40 is supposed to penetrate the rust to allow easier
> unbolting
> and lessen the chance of pulling heads off on rusted nuts, no?

for normal people, yes. but not much penetrates brent's rusted threads.

and despite his fears, impacts work on rusted exhaust fasteners just
great. i've stripped irredeemably rusty exhaust threads with an impact,
after mucho prolonged hammering, but never broken a bolt.


--
fact check required

I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
with to justyfy the purchase?

I don't steal other people's rims for living hence I ponder if twice a
year 30 something bolts on two car
summer/winter reshoeing are worth the money spent.

I pay about $5 per car where I live to swap the rims. Hence me thinks
10 seasons to recoup the
cost seems like a long long time.

On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), AD > wrote:

>I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>with to justyfy the purchase?
>
>I don't steal other people's rims for living hence I ponder if twice a
>year 30 something bolts on two car
>summer/winter reshoeing are worth the money spent.
>
>I pay about $5 per car where I live to swap the rims. Hence me thinks
>10 seasons to recoup the
>cost seems like a long long time.

Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
it in. My opinion.

--
Vic

Vic Smith > wrote:
>On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), AD > wrote:
>
>>I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>with to justyfy the purchase?
>>
>Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
>fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
>it in. My opinion.

It is, however, an absolute miracle for dealing with corroded fasteners. If
you ever do any suspension or exhaust work or if you ever do anything on an
Triumph or MG, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 2012-07-11, Scott Dorsey > wrote:
> Vic Smith > wrote:
>>On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), AD > wrote:
>>
>>>I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>>wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>>Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>>with to justyfy the purchase?
>>>
>>Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
>>fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
>>it in. My opinion.
>
> It is, however, an absolute miracle for dealing with corroded fasteners. If
> you ever do any suspension or exhaust work or if you ever do anything on an
> Triumph or MG, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.

An impact wrench designed for lug nuts and other large fasteners is
usesless for the vast majority of corroded fasteners. It will break
them. For that I purchased a corded impact driver.

On 2012-07-11, jim beam > wrote:
> On 07/11/2012 03:51 PM, Brent wrote:
>> On 2012-07-11, Scott > wrote:
>>> Vic > wrote:
>>>> On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:27:07 -0700 (PDT), > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I'm toying with an idea of spending $200 on a battery powered impact
>>>>> wrench (at sears.com or whatever).
>>>>> Aside from prying off the wheel bolts any other uses you could come up
>>>>> with to justyfy the purchase?
>>>>>
>>>> Unless you're somehow physically disabled, or dealing with corroded
>>>> fasteners, it ain't worth dealing with the weight of it, and plugging
>>>> it in. My opinion.
>>>
>>> It is, however, an absolute miracle for dealing with corroded fasteners. If
>>> you ever do any suspension or exhaust work or if you ever do anything on an
>>> Triumph or MG, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.
>>
>> An impact wrench designed for lug nuts and other large fasteners is
>> usesless for the vast majority of corroded fasteners. It will break
>> them. For that I purchased a corded impact driver.
>
> then you got the wrong driver.

No, I have a small electric impact driver for small fasteners. I have
air impact wrench for large fasteners. These are the right drivers for
what they are used for. Use a full size impact wrench on an M8 or M6 and
watch it break the fastener.

> the right one will work pretty much
> every time. and you should still use stuff like wd40 with an
> appropriate soak-in time if you anticipate problems.

WD40 isn't for corroded fasteners. Get a lubricant not a solvent.