Cordless impact wrenches

[Stratman]

Like this one. Are they any good? Are they a waste of money? Does a battery charge last long enough to remove and refit a wheel? (I would, of course, use a torque wrench for final tightening before the rattle gun police pile in )

520 Nm or 380 ft.lbs for forty five quid seems quite a bargain, especially as the kit includes impact sockets. Anyone got actual experience of them?

 

[Swotty]

Not the same as your model but I remember reading about these on Car & Classic:

You searched for impact wrench - Car & Classic Magazine

www.carandclassic.com

 

[KennyN]

I have a Wolf 18v impact wrench , which wont free off an 140nm tight wheel bolt , regardless of what the numbers on the box say.

It is also quite bulky and it would probably be a nuisance to use it in confined spaces.

When removing wheels i just break the bolts free with a breaker bar and us a Dewalt impact driver to run the bolts out , and in again followed by a torque wrench.

K

 

[Supernoodle]

45 quid seems too much of a bargin. You take off the profits and delivery costs, 20 quid unit cost? No way can anyone make that with any quality for that price.

In the past I would see a tool and think it's only a saw/drill/router and think, well it's only a motor and a few gears, it can't be that bad.. They are trust me, wasted so much money on them.

Put it towards something decent. I have the Dewalt DCF899N. It's a beast, so not great with accessing tight spots, but can be useful under a car when no room to get a breaker in.

 

[Stratman]

^^^That's what I was thinking, hence the question. I'll have to see what our local fence Cash Convertors has.

 

[Chrishazle]

Avoid Parkside 12v, I bought one as it claims to offer 400Nm breakout but only 100Nm make-up torque. Tried it a few times, would not loosen wheel nuts that had been properly torqued to 130Nm. Buy cheap buy twice! Like above, if I have to remove a wheel I use a normal socket and my torque wrench (longest lever I have) to break the bolts, then use the Parkside to spin them off then back on (and the torque wrench to fully tighten them!).

 

[Wolfie1]

Well i have 2 battery impact guns, i have a ryobi 1 for home and sure it works good but quite often i have to crack a bolt with a breaker bar so it will come undone but it was something like £80 and £50 for a battery but at work i have a snap on gun and will pretty much undo anything but was around the £500 price for the gun and battery, so price def makes a difference, some of my workmates have the miwakee gun and that is def more powerful but its at the same price as the snap on gun, i bet that cheap 1 will be in the same category as the ryobi 1 and will work for the weekend mechanic

 

[daveenty]

My main impact wrenches are air powered, as anything I use them for tends to get done in my garage. I do however have a little (3/8" drive) Sealey battery powered gun. This just tends to get used as a nut runner as it's light and easy to access tight areas though lacking in power for anything tight.

If I were going to get a battery one for regular use then in would have to be something like a Milwaukee. I know that they're not cheap but there's a reason that most professionals tend to go for them and you won't need to hand break bolts with one of these.

 

[alabbasi]

Makita, Milwaukee or DeWalt. Buy once cry once

 

[m80]

Same opinion for the Ryobi, there are 2 types I've the R181W3 (supposedly the better type). 400Nm not a chance.
As others I crack with a good bar and then spin out with the Ryobi.

to put back I spin in with the Ryobi set on 2nd setting. That then needs the torque wrench to finish.

 

[DSM10000]

Put it towards something decent. I have the Dewalt DCF899N. It's a beast, so not great with accessing tight spots, but can be useful under a car when no room to get a breaker in.

I have this one, yes it is heavy but it is extremely powerful, has variable speed and excellent build quality and battery life.

 

[Stratman]

Right. Thanks to everyone for your most helpful replies.. Based on these I've decided not to waste money on a cheap one, and because I 'want' rather than 'need' one I shall do without as two hundred quid is better spent in a golf shop

 

[Swotty]

Right. Thanks to everyone for your most helpful replies.. Based on these I've decided not to waste money on a cheap one, and because I 'want' rather than 'need' one I shall do without as two hundred quid is better spent in a golf shop

Are you sure .... are you really sure?

Do you need more than one stick?

 

[toolman1954]

I bought a cheapie Chinese one of these for circa £25. The reason for buying this particular one was that it ran off of Makita 18 Volt lxt batteries, and I have a Makita cordless drill that uses these batteries.
In use, really tight bolts need a breaker bar to crack them, but then the Impact gun is very useful in spinning off wheel nuts etc.
I also have an Angle Grinder that was of a similar price, and again runs off of Makita 18 volt batteries. The Angle grinder, used with a brush on it has been my favourite tool for some time now, for cleaning up the rust off of used tools.
I keep looking at the battery powered ratchets, but the cheapie ones of these do not seem to be very well made, and I can not find one that uses the 18 volt Makita batteries.

Steve.

 

[Piff]

I bought a cheapie Chinese one of these for circa £25. The reason for buying this particular one was that it ran off of Makita 18 Volt lxt batteries, and I have a Makita cordless drill that uses these batteries.
In use, really tight bolts need a breaker bar to crack them, but then the Impact gun is very useful in spinning off wheel nuts etc.
I also have an Angle Grinder that was of a similar price, and again runs off of Makita 18 volt batteries. The Angle grinder, used with a brush on it has been my favourite tool for some time now, for cleaning up the rust off of used tools.
I keep looking at the battery powered ratchets, but the cheapie ones of these do not seem to be very well made, and I can not find one that uses the 18 volt Makita batteries.

Steve.

You can get adaptor plates which allow batteries in different tools, I Have a ryobi angle drill and my ryobi batteries died years ago. Bought a ryobi to makita adaptor so I can now use the ryobi with makita batteries

I have a makita DTW285, bought after doing a but of research. Most use it gets is for altering scaffolding and it's the ideal tool for that.
Also works on wheel nuts though.

 

[LTD]

Just asked my daughter’s fiancé as he is mechanic who started his journey as a tyre fitter.

His weapon of choice is a 1/2 inch 20v Ingersoll Rand gun