| Author | Message | ||
     Randall Smith (Mr_smith) Member Username: Mr_smith Post Number: 155 Registered: 04-2003 |
Finnally got myself an impact wrench, and it is money well spent. There have been several instances lately where I couldn't do what I had planned because of stubborn bolts. You can just remove fasteners like crazy with an impact wrench, and all you have to do is pull a trigger. Picked up a Wel-Built 450ft/lb wrench, Ingersoll-Rand inch and metric sockets from Northern Hydrolics for about $140. Now I need some 12 point sockets(which are hard to find). Also looking at a 3/8" air wrench. Still reassembling things with manual tools though. Randall | ||
| Jaime Crusellas (Jaime) Member Username: Jaime Post Number: 180 Registered: 05-2003 |
I bought a cheap set of Husky air tools :impact wrench, ratchet, chisel, paintsprayer, coiled hose, connectors, some sockets, and a bunch of other air doodads in a nice case for $99. I realize this is not quality stuff, but the impact wrench makes changing to my mud tires every time I hit the trail (2x/month) a breeze. (And I love the sound!) I tried using the air ratchet to remove driveshaft flange bolts, and disk brake caliper bolts, but apparently the ratchet does not have enough torque to get past the thread sticky. | ||
| Eugene (Eugene) Member Username: Eugene Post Number: 151 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jaime, What are you using as an air source? Thanks! | ||
| David Seger (Croakus) Member Username: Croakus Post Number: 77 Registered: 06-2003 |
I got the Husky set at Home Depot for $299. Includes a 22 gallon compressor, impact wrench, air hammer, ratchet, and some misc. items. Best thing I ever bought. I got a Husky cut-off tool for Christmas. Big fun! You're right, Jaime, it's not top quality. But it sure works great for the two weekends a month I spend working on my D2 and my girlfriend's SVX. | ||
| Jaime Crusellas (Jaime) Member Username: Jaime Post Number: 183 Registered: 05-2003 |
Hey Eugene! I have a Campbell hausfeld cmpressor I think 11 gallon tank and it does around 5 or 6 scfm at 90 lbs. I got a little husky cutoff tool also, I'm just trying to work up the nerve to hack into the ARB for a winch mount | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 880 Registered: 08-2002 |
Same $299 will lget a craftsman with slightly better SCFM than the husky I believe. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&pid=00916731000&bidsite= &BV_UseBVCookie=Yes | ||
| Bill Bettridge (Billb) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Billb Post Number: 1354 Registered: 02-2002 |
Word to the wise - never buy a compressor like the one in that Sears link above that is "oil free" - they aren't worth a shit and will not last. Try to find something with a good cast iron pump with an oil sump. You can chnage the oil just like in anything else and it will last forever if taken care of. Bill | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 886 Registered: 08-2002 |
I will agree to some extent Bill, but it really does matter how much you use it and my use will be minimal. It may not last a life time but in my case, I really don't care. If is fizzles out in a less than two years I'll let you know, because then I may be disappointed. i am about 99% sure the one at Home Depot for $299 is not aoiled either, and that was my point of comparison. One should however be quite aware of what you are buying and the trade-offs. I am. I have had it about 2 months now an I bet that the motor has run all of an hour or so. I suspect it will last me quite a while as they have with many of my aquaintences. Certainly if you are going to be using it daily and/or for extended periods, definitely, go oil. However expect to spend quite a bit more for a 30 gallon of equal SCFM. This one is guaranteed to last me 3 years, minimum. I just talked to the manager and he cut me a deal on a service agreement. I bought this compressor for a number of reasons. Price, performance and size. It will easily get me through my life at my current residence, fix my truck for that time and help be build out the basement. At that point it will have "paid for itself" and I will be looking for something large and oiled to fit in my larger workshop. | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 705 Registered: 02-2003 |
Agreed. I was looking at compressors for a long time before I finally decided to get one last year. I settled on an Ingersoll Rand 2340L5, which set me back about a grand. At the time it was more compressor than I really needed, but I also knew that once I got it,it would just be a matter of time before I would want to run airtools that require more air, such as a sander, air saw or cut off wheel. The 2340 runs all of these fine without constantly cycling the pump. As long as I drain the tank after every use and change the oil in the pump once a year, I expect this compressor to be the first and last I have to buy. - Axel | ||
| Randall Smith (Mr_smith) Member Username: Mr_smith Post Number: 156 Registered: 04-2003 |
I have bought at least half a dozen air compressors for work. Let's just say I will never buy another Sears, and will stick with Graingers for any future compressors. But this is for manufacturing. Occasional home use: anything will probably work fine. One nice thing about compressed air is that you can get a 100ft hose; that opens a lot of possibilities. I can run the hose outside to sand blast parts, or use my impact wrench on the RR. Also have a Power Tank. It's somewhat time consumming to get it refilled, so I will only operate the air tools in an emergency using the tank. Anybody know how quickly an air wrench will consume a tank of CO2?? Randall | ||
| Steve Cooper (Scrover) Senior Member Username: Scrover Post Number: 628 Registered: 09-2002 |
http://www.powertank.com/chart.htm Scroll down, there's an air tool run time chart. SC | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 706 Registered: 02-2003 |
I guess it depends on the air tools used, but on the way back from Moab last year, we had to swap out the rear diff in a D90. My 15lbs Powertank had enough CO2 in it to get the job done, i.e remove rear wheels and axles, drop the rear driveshaft, open the rear third member, close it up after the new diff was in, and put everything else back together. The tank ran out when we were putting the rear wheels back on. I had also aired up 8 tires prior to the diff swap. - Axel | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 686 Registered: 05-2003 |
Tomorrow afternoon I will hook up with the snap on guy to buy breaker bar and socket for tire removal. I've been looking in the catalog trying to figure out what in the world you guys use impact wrenches for. Now I understand why you spend the money for them. I didn't get it until I looked at the impact driver sets. I'm laughing because I have most of those attachments and use them with my cheapy $20 ROBI drill from home depot. Most of the time I use my blue point tips inside of this drill part that is supposed to make recessed drill holes. Whatever the part is, it usually keeps the bits from falling out sideways. I have even manage to get sockets rigged on them by combining several attachment parts on my drill. Sometimes it takes 6 parts rigged in a line - this works except for sometimes it is very hard to get them off of my drill (and the parts separated again) Is an impact wrench easier and faster than using drill hook ups? If it is, I can totally understand why an impact wrench would be so handy. Do you carry them on the trail with you when you go places where breaking things is a probablility? Hypothetical question: if you were on the trail where you needed to use it, and were faced with circumstances where depleting your (power tank) air would be unwise - could you use it with a power inverter? Thanks, Jamie | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1257 Registered: 02-2002 |
Jamie - use what with the power inverter? | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 923 Registered: 08-2002 |
The impact wrench will behave just like a socket no. Typical beginer size is 1/2" and ratchet is 3/8 or 1/2. They will run off either air or elecricity, am not aware of both. Power tank will run them, but ARB compressor will not. Some of the other on board compressors will (I believe). It must be faster than using 6 adaptors in line. It certainly has much more power. In fact I just use it to get the nut on there fast, not to hammer it on. Then I tighten by hand with a standard driver or torque wrench. If you are getting something specific for you wheels and you are going to spend the $$ on snap on, get that slick speeder so that you can break the lugs and speed them off. John Lee posted a picture in his infamous thread. Brian | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 712 Registered: 02-2003 |
Ummmm, no. Pneumatic tools does not run on electricity. Vice versa, you would not hook your flashlight up to your powertank when the batteries run out, right? - Axel | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1260 Registered: 02-2002 |
I was kinda thinking that was a joke question, but I'm not entirely sure. You could potentially run a compressor off the inverter, and then use that, but then you wouldn't need a power tank! Maybe the reference was to the new DeWalt electropneumatic series? | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 687 Registered: 05-2003 |
I was asking if the impact wrench could be powered by "electricity" if no air was available. I guess I thought that all tools were powered by electricity or batteries - and guessed that using air instead of other power sources made them work better (or that as one became more "expert" one graduated to usng them with air) So it sounds like you get either and electrical impact wrench OR an air impact wrench. I think "if" I were to get one I would be better with an electrical one because I don't have an air compressor and it is a long trip to get my power tank filled. As far as carrying it on the trail goes, I wondered because I have taken my drill along with me when I have been pretty sure that I would break something. I don't use it to drill out on the trail obviously - but I use it on things that would take a long time to loosen or tighten by hand. I have a large marine power inverter for emergencies that has been fitted with battery clamps (and they marked my batteries as positive or negative so I won't fry myself when I hook it up). So, far I have not had to use it -- but, I would like to continue purchasing tools/equipment that can run or be used with my set up (as goofy as it may be). I think I've watched the Rubicon DVD 3 times (I keep reversing it to watch manuevers over and over). That sure is giving me a better idea of how much stuff one "could" break stuff on the trail  and why it would be important to have tools onboard for repairs I'm gonna go look up what a "slick speeder" is, I think I know what thread you are talking about, but I didn't read much of it because I didn't understand much about the tools -- but, I'm learning... Thanks SO MUCH!! Jamie | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 688 Registered: 05-2003 |
I think I found the thread, is this what a slick speeder is? That funky-shaped ratchet is a speeder ratchet: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/snap-on/DSC06497.jpg Thanks, Jamie p.s. you guys are much better help than anyone at hardware stores, I think to get hired they have to practice saying "nope, you can't do that" | ||
| John Lee (Johnlee) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 748 Registered: 03-2003 |
Jaime, That speeder ratchet is nice, but I don't think you need it. It is for convenience on some types of long fasteners but for lug nuts I think it has limited utility. It might be decent as your only ratchet in your kit, but I still prefer to use the 3/8" locking flex ratchet for general work and a 1/2" breaker bar for really tight fastners. You can always straighten out a breaker bar so that the socket, anvil, and breaker bar are in a single axis and then speeed off the lug nuts that way. Snap-on also has a new soft-grip 24" long 1/2" drive breaker bar. This breaker bar is very comfortable to use because of the rubber grip, and the rubber grip will be nicer than the chrome handle when you speed off fasteners. If you prefer a cordless impact wrench to a pneumatic one, this one is an option: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&tool=power&item_ID=64144&grou p_ID=16217&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog I've tested this impact and I must admit that I was shocked when I saw how much power it had. Wheel lug nuts were no problem. I don't know how it would do on very tight suspension fasteners, but for smaller jobs it was plenty. Our pneumatic impacts aren't enough for many of the very tight suspension fasteners anyway, so I see this cordless impact as a viable option. If you have an inverter on board, you can run the charger off your vehicle power. If you have a spare 18v battery, you can probably do a lot of wrenching without running out of juice and you can charge one battery while using the other. If you can afford it, this drill will also run off the same battery as that cordless impact: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&tool=power&item_ID=61468&grou p_ID=16218&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog If you get both the cordless drill and cordless impact, you can buy one without the charger or battery and this will save you some money. This is getting into serious money though for both of these tools. I still prefer the IM3100 or a Rand 1/2" drive Ti impact as a trail impact, powered by your Power Tank. If the prices on these impacts are scaring you away, check out eBay. You can get a brand new IM3100 for like $200 on eBay. You can also buy a used impact. This is our IM5100: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/air/DSC08779.jpg We got that used on eBay for $80, and it runs like a champ. Caveat emptor though on anything on eBay, especially something used. | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 936 Registered: 08-2002 |
I still like the speeder, but I guess my ownm rationalization to have one should not be used as advice. ;-) Maybe it isn't long enough to easily remove/install wheels. I am sure between you, john and the snap-on guy you'll be able to figure out something good. A 18" flex would certainly give some power as well. Frankly for tire removal on the trail I simply use the standard issue rover lug wrench with the jack handle breaker bar. Works fine by me. I also torque the lugs with a torque wrench to finish them off. At home I use impact. Get that marine inverter permanently mounted with a fuse and switch. That is a good idea, just where to put it? | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 689 Registered: 05-2003 |
John Lee, Thanks! Those look great!! Glad to hear about the rubber grip. I like those much better - they don't hurt when I use them . I will go over those things with the snap on guy tomorrow. It is his day at the dealership - so I will look at tools while the techs fix my odometer light. I'm anxious to see what he will have tomorrow. He is always running a few "specials" and I have gotten most of mine that way, sometimes at 1/3rd the price (I don't expect power tools to be that slashed though In any case, I've got some Christmas money to spend on a few more tools I don't think those tool prices are too high now that I know what they do. I'd be lost without my rinky dink drill and as I said I have to rig it up with creativity for it to work. Brian, there is a significantly empty corner under my hood from stock stuff that I took out. That is where I will probably have inverter and winch cut off switch installed. For now, I carry my big inverter, my drink cup inverter, and a 10ft outdoor extension cord in a Pelican 1400 case (sometimes I squish my Haynes electrical book for dummies in it too) As long as I put them in just right, they all just barely fit. John Lee has gotten me absolutely hooked on those!! It makes it so easy because I keep all my equipment divided up in them, and then just grab the case(s) that I need and throw them onboard (and vice versa - I throw out the cases that I won't need for where I'm going. I really like it this way, it has cut down on my effort expended plus I don't have to worry about reorganizing all the time or wonder if I have left something behind. Greatest thing about them is that they are waterproof!! Thanks again! Jamie | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 714 Registered: 02-2003 |
I wouldn't mount he inverter in the engine compartment, even if it is a marine unit. Too much exposure to dirt and moisture under there, which could lead to shorts and other problems over time.. Underneath one of your seats would be better. That way it will be protected, and you could run things off it while driving, too. (Battery charger for your cordless tools, for example) If you do insist on mounting it in the engine compartment, at least mount it inside a sealed box to protect it when not in use. - Axel | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Senior Member Username: Ron Post Number: 666 Registered: 04-2001 |
Jamie, There are four types of impact wrenches (aka impact guns), air, 12v, cordless and 110v. Air are the strongest by far. Cordless are ok if quality but they are heavy, 12v are basically crap, and 110 are again ok like cordless but you are tied to 110 power. A drill is direct torque, an impact wrench uses an internal hammer to hit blows on the bolt. a drill can twist your wrist and is quite UNpowerful compared to an impact. I can take the IR2135Ti I have an put it on full power and still hold the socket in my hand, but it will remove ANYTHING (including the 2 3/8" crank nut off of a 1951 Land Rover). If you have the 110 power available through your inverter I would buy the sears or Milwakee (sp) 1/2in drive 110v powered impact. $180-250 should buy it and then get some sockets to go with it. If you want air, anything Ingersol is fine, the top of the line being the best of course (~$250). The cordless one snap on sells is nice but it is just a rebadged version of someone else's, i want to say Milwake but I am not sure. It will take of lug nuts but it is cumbersome to use. The bottom line is anything will probably be fine. For me, the reason to have an impact is to get off easily what otherwise would be difficult or impossible, with that in mind I went for the best I could find and got the IR2125Ti. It is about twice as powerfull as anything that runs on electricty or battery. I bought a good compressor but some cheap $20 sockets (porter cable at lowes) and one nice 1 1/16th socket for lug nuts and some cheap giant ones (R380 big nut, 30mm 32mm etc) and that has served me well. Ron | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 691 Registered: 05-2003 |
Thanks Axel, I like that! For sure then I will leave it in the pelican case. I like it that way anyway b/c then it is more mobile and "sharable" - if someone else needs it or if someone else can get closer to the area (where it is needed) than I can. I am wanting an impact wrench really bad now. When I add up the cost of breaker bar, socket, and torch wrench -- the impact wrench is not that much more than their total. That is, if I will not need to get the other 3 tools if I purchase impact wrench. Glad to hear feedback on cordless, I was wondering about power on those. In my experience, cordless stuff eventually dies off forever. If I had my druthers, I would get one that woulod run with either an AC cord or a DC cord. I'm probably dreaming big on such a thing being available though! Air too!! Geez, now I'm wanting an air compressor too... Thanks, Jamie | ||
| Eugene (Eugene) Member Username: Eugene Post Number: 157 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jamie, Even with an impact wrench, you will still need sockets to put on the impact wrench. The torque wrench is also necessary as you should avoid using an impact wrench to tighten bolts. | ||
| Eugene (Eugene) Member Username: Eugene Post Number: 158 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jamie, I should probably clarify my statement above a bit: "The torque wrench is also necessary as you should avoid using an impact wrench to tighten bolts." If you are tightening bolts for rock sliders, then an impact wrench is fine. But I would not tighten drain plugs, fill plugs, lug nuts, etc. with an impact wrench. For those purposes, I would use something more precise like a torque wrench. Ever wonder why those darned lug nuts are so hard to remove? It's because most tire shops use an impact gun to tighten the lug nuts. I would rather use a torque wrench and set it to Land Rover's recommended setting than use an impact wrench on it. | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 938 Registered: 08-2002 |
I am going to get one of those marine inverters when I do the dual battery thing. I only have a lighter one now and about the only thing I will use it for is charging my laptop or tool battery. Its a bit of a long run, but likely I will place all the way in the back, in the cubby on the passenger side. I already have some "conduit" running back there for the freezer fridge. |
