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Cordless Impact Guns

A

ABC

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Joined
Feb 23, 2011
Location
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Moto(s)
WR250X
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AMA #:2770635
talk to me... Im in the market for one... $200 is the most i want to spend. LI Ion would be awesome. Something that does 200ftlbs is a must. It will be used to work on my hypermotard and bust off the lug nuts on my truck every now and then and maybe some other random jobs. I say maybe 30 times a year give or take. I was looking at the harbor freight one its only 100 bucks. and it got rated pretty high in a head to head. Whats the best gun to get for the money.
 
Lug nuts are a 50/50 shot depending on how they were installed and how long they've been on. With the guns I've tried (dewalt, craftsman, Milwaukee) I usually have to bust them loose with a bar first on large trucks.
 
Get a $60 Harbor Freight corded electric. It will take anything off and you can replace it every five years.
 
I guess you can't argue with the price, but I've never used the HF one so I can't give much input other than it's probably not that strong and won't stand the test of time.

For truck lug nuts, you're gonna want a 1/2" gun. But you don't want any of the "compact" models. Yes they're lightweight, but it's at a great cost of power. Most of the ones in that size only put out around 150ft.lbs.

If you can come up another hundred bucks, I think this will do just fine...

http://www.amazon.com/Bare-Tool-Mil...573103&sr=1-8&keywords=cordless+impact+wrench

Add the single battery and charger and you're done for around $300. Which is not bad at all for what you get. I've almost bought that exact one myself since I already have a Milwaukee 18v drill that uses the same batteries and charger. And on paper, that out powers Snap-On's newest best gun by 25ft.lbs. I've used the new Snap-On and it handles lug nuts pretty well.
 
TheRobSJ said:
I guess you can't argue with the price, but I've never used the HF one so I can't give much input other than it's probably not that strong and won't stand the test of time.

For truck lug nuts, you're gonna want a 1/2" gun. But you don't want any of the "compact" models. Yes they're lightweight, but it's at a great cost of power. Most of the ones in that size only put out around 150ft.lbs.

If you can come up another hundred bucks, I think this will do just fine...

http://www.amazon.com/Bare-Tool-Mil...573103&sr=1-8&keywords=cordless+impact+wrench

Add the single battery and charger and you're done for around $300. Which is not bad at all for what you get. I've almost bought that exact one myself since I already have a Milwaukee 18v drill that uses the same batteries and charger. And on paper, that out powers Snap-On's newest best gun by 25ft.lbs. I've used the new Snap-On and it handles lug nuts pretty well.
Click to expand...

It's a tool for hobbyists. I buy snap on wrenches, sockets and hand tools, but I only use the HF impact wrench ten times a year. That's the metric for me. If I was working full time in a busy shop, I wouldn't consider it, but for the level of work I do, it's more than satisfactory.
 
I prefer "with-cord" impact guns. Always full power.

The battery power units barely have enough juice to do the job when fully charged. And if you encounter a tough nut that takes time to loosen the battery is down on power within 5 seconds of use and it only gets worse from there.

Some of the newer Ducati bikes that I've come across with that big 55mm rear wheel nut were torqued down crazy tight from the factory where even a 30inch breaker bar couldn't budge it. I went out and bought this Dewalt Corded Impact Wrench and have enjoyed smooth sailing since. http://www.lowes.com/pd_51056-70-DW292K_0__?productId=1091533

Sometimes I've had to leave the impact gun running for 10 seconds or more to loosen tight nuts but it works every time.

028877465234lg.jpg
 
mototireguy said:
I prefer "with-cord" impact guns. Always full power.

The battery power units barely have enough juice to do the job when fully charged. And if you encounter a tough nut that takes time to loosen the battery is down on power within 5 seconds of use and it only gets worse from there.
Click to expand...

Have you tried the newest Li-Ion models? I know what you're talking about with the output weakening as the pack voltage goes down. But on the newest lithium pack guns, they work full power and then just stop. No getting weaker or slower. It's all or nothing. One of my guys at the shop has the new Snap-On 1/2" and that how it works. And I have a shitload of the all the other new 14.4/7.2v Snap-On stuff and it's the same thing.
 
TheRobSJ said:
Have you tried the newest Li-Ion models?
Click to expand...

Can't say I've had the chance to try the newest Li-Ion stuff. I have no doubt they can be nice.

Battery powered stuff is awesome when you're not within reach of the power grid. For those times when 110v is nearby, which is 99% of the time for me, I prefer cords over batteries.
 
Hahaha, when I couldn't get the flywheel nut off a 20 year old Rotary motor after a few days of trying I went and bought the biggest, baddest mother fucking impact gun on the face of the planet. IT. WAS. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. So satisfying. :laughing

Steve
 
MtnRacer said:
Hahaha, when I couldn't get the flywheel nut off a 20 year old Rotary motor after a few days of trying I went and bought the biggest, baddest mother fucking impact gun on the face of the planet. IT. WAS. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. So satisfying. :laughing

Steve
Click to expand...

Did you get the dildo attachment?
 
ok the reason I want battery is because I work on my bike/truck outside in the street. I have no electricity within about 150 feet or so. Im prety such dependent on battery powered at this point. My primary use will be to take the hypermotards rear wheel off and on with ease. I also need to open up the left side case on it so thats my main reason for wanting one. I guess il just get the harbor freight one for 100 bucks.
 
ABC said:
ok the reason I want battery is because I work on my bike/truck outside in the street. I have no electricity within about 150 feet or so. Im prety such dependent on battery powered at this point. My primary use will be to take the hypermotards rear wheel off and on with ease. I also need to open up the left side case on it so thats my main reason for wanting one. I guess il just get the harbor freight one for 100 bucks.
Click to expand...

My advice would be to get an extension cord. The $100 HF battery gun will prove to be a bitter disappointment. The $50 corded gun won't.
 
ABC said:
My primary use will be to take the hypermotards rear wheel off and on with ease.
Click to expand...

Use caution re-installing items with the impact gun (or don't use at all) as you can't control the torque setting and thus create an oh-shyte situation.
 
mototireguy said:
Use caution re-installing items with the impact gun (or don't use at all) as you can't control the torque setting and thus create an oh-shyte situation.
Click to expand...

Yup. There's a reason they make torque wrenches. :laughing
 
TheRobSJ said:
Have you tried the newest Li-Ion models? I know what you're talking about with the output weakening as the pack voltage goes down. But on the newest lithium pack guns, they work full power and then just stop. No getting weaker or slower. It's all or nothing. One of my guys at the shop has the new Snap-On 1/2" and that how it works. And I have a shitload of the all the other new 14.4/7.2v Snap-On stuff and it's the same thing.
Click to expand...

Rob preaches the truf!:thumbup

To OP... I've had few, and even modified a few air guns I've used for pit stops changing tires at many NASCAR races in the past. I have tried the best (Brunnhoetzl snap your wrist off) to crap (older battery or AC powered guns) and kind of can kind of tell by feel now. I have never been impressed with any electric guns of any kind. They always felt the initial hammer hits were not there and fell off quickly with the excitement of running down a battery or rounding off some lugs if they even had the strength.

Segue to recent cage track days and I felt lazy and asked my friend to try his newer Craftsman 1/2" C3 LiION impact. Oh my was I surprised. Small, lightweight, and didn't even blink about taking off any lugs. Keep in mind these are lugs I tightened and I often don't use torque wrench and trust me, they are on there. The thing said it was only 200ftlb but you could have fooled me. It is absolutely on my "must buy" list for my track box. We used for back to back days between 2 cars and it didn't miss a beat.
 
Imagine how powerful the heavy full sized ones are!

When it comes to these impact tools be it air or electric powered, really there's only so light they can make them. IR uses composite/titanium bodies, Snap-On with magnesium...but that's the only place to make them lighter. The guts inside still are heavy. And when it comes to those guts (the impact hammers), the heavier the more powerful it will be.This is why a 1/2" gun in the same body as a 3/8" gun has the same output.
 
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