ritzblitz

So I've come to the conclusion that I could use an impact gun right now to loosen the ridiculously tight bolts on my wheels.

I don't have an air compressor that's worth mentioning. Are the electric impact guns worthwhile??

robert944h

I love my snap-on battery powered impact. Not sure how other brands are.

krystar

electric ones are less powerful than air ones. so...if the electric can do the job, then it's fine. but if it can't do all the jobs u need it to do, then you're better off getting a compressor and an air impact.

jpk

Torque = force applied x the length of a lever arm. If you need to generate 300 ft-lbs of torque, you can either apply 600 punds force on a 6 inch long lever arm, or apply 100 pounds force on 3 foot long lever arm. Either one generates the same torque.
Slip a 2 foot long pipe over the end of a 1/2" drive socket wrench. 3/4" conduit works over the handle of my Craftsman socket wrench, but I had to beat it on.
I have an air impact gun, but I never use it. It just ends up stripping things or breaking bolts.

krystar

the handle on a typical craftsman jack after you pull off the plastic cover fits over 1/2" ratchet handle just fine too i used it to tighten up the crank pulley many times already

schwank

Just bought a Milwaukee for 259 on ebay with 2 batteries, charger, and case. 18V LiIon and it will do 240ft-lbs... more than enough to tighten even the crank pulley bolt, and more than enough to break lugnuts loose. The cheaper ones often don't have the high torque but there are plenty of GOOD options like Milwaukee and SnapOn.

I've used a breaker bar and torque wrench for two years on my track car, and am very stoked to finally have a portable gun. I have air and impact at home but you can't easily take the compressor to the track!

ritzblitz

Then it becomes a matter of holding the wheel. That's why i was going to try an impact.

Daily944

I have one of the Snap-on 18volt units. I think it's great. I use it for many things, lug nuts, rusty exhaust bolts etc etc.

It's a bit expensive, but the time savings has more then made up for it.

VOoDOoGTX

you tighten the bolts then drop the car on the ground to tighten them.

i have a electric one and use it alot but i use the air ones the most.

StoogeMoe

I have never found an electric impact wrench to be of any use for really tight stuff. Like jpk said, use a breaker bar.

Clint's 944

I bought one for the hell of it and it does come in handy for odd bolts here and there. I do love it for crossover and exhaust bolts, makes quick work of them!

Potomac-Greg

I have a big, fat DeWalt plug-in electric and love it. It can't get into tight spaces, but it saved my azz on a couple of tough nuts doing my suspension. And for changing/rotating tires, it really speeds up the process. I've gotten pretty good at modulating the trigger so I can get about 50 ft/lbs and then hit it with a manual torque wrench. I think it maxes out at 350 ft/lbs, but you'd really need to hold it on there for a few seconds.

Lemming

I use mine a lot for changing wheels at home and at the track, great tool to have.

Scootin159

I have a real cheap one that i use for changing the wheels at the track. I think it was $60 or something like that @ PepBoys. It's got enough torque to break the lug nuts loose while the car's in the air, and enough battery to survive changing the wheels twice (1 battery charge = 1 event).

I've found that if I just crack the lug nuts loose on the ground (1/8th turn), the battery will easily last 2 or 3 events.

Also - ALWAYS use a torque wrench to do the final torque on the lug nuts. I find the impact gun gets them to about 40ft-lbs on it's own - which is enough to lower the car - but I still get typically 1/4 to 1/2 turn per lug nut before I actually get them to 90 fit-lbs with the torque wrench. I guess if I were to hold the impact gun there a while it may get them tighter, but they definitely wouldn't be torqued evenly in that case.

Jeremy Himsel

I have a Dewalt 18V 1/2" cordless and love it. I rarely fire up the compressor for routine stuff anymore. It removes the lugs from my lincoln @ 150 ft/lbs with ease.