Impact gun / wrench - Recommendations pls

Morning!

I am planning to purchase a useable Impact gun / wrench with 1/2" or quick release chuck. Looking for advice from those that already have them, don't expect it to get a great deal of use (maybe twice a yr) so looking for something at a reasonable price that will cope with wheels nuts and brake disc replacement etc. Either battery or cigarrette plug supply as no 240v mains in my parking area.


Thanks

Rgds

Pete

 

Be wary of the cheap Chinese ones on eBay. I got one for when I swapped alloys round (I suspect you intend the same given the projected use). It was useless as it wouldn't undo the studs, which were done to the correct torque when previously fitted.

I got on to the seller who tried to put me off returning it by saying I would have to pay return postage to China, but since it came from a UK address (drop shipped) that didn't work . Better to pay more for a known brand but in the end I just bought a torque wrench of my own.

 

Hey slim,

Yep exactly what I want it for and yes the reviews I have read echo your comments! So thanks for the info . Next question is what brand to buy that will do the job without breaking the bank

 

I have a makita 18V 1/2 gun I bought for doing wheels etc but it hasnt got enough breakaway torque to do the initial release on the wheel nuts so i have to crack them all off then use it to do the rest of the unwinding. Kind of defeats the object for the most part really. I thought itr was because I only have the smaller 1.3ah battery but i tried it with a friends 3ah and it was the same result. I know some of the snap on ones have enough kick. In air impacts Mac tools ones often knock spots off the snap on for sheer force but i dont know how that translates to battery versions.

 

Exactly really need something that will do the whole job from start to finish, however the better kit is expensive for only once a yr use which is my issue. If I needed it more often then I wouldn't hesitate and would a Milwaukee which is what I use at work as they are excellent. Sadly it can't be removed from site tho

 

To be honest the real purchase was to do my own brake disc change on all 4 wheels but as my mechanic will do it all inc brake fluid change for £192.00 it hardly seems worth the expense or the effort to do them myself on the drive! It will have to go to him for the brake fluid change anyway so I may as well have 3 hrs relaxing rather than being under my car! Wheels nuts I can cope with once a yr.

Thanks anyway

 

With the limits of use for an impact tool, the preference to break free wheel bolts, (especially locking nuts) with a breaker bar. And the final torque up with a torque wrench, I simply use a 1/4" hex to 1/2" square adapter, in a decent battery screwdriver.



Peter

 

do you have any 18V power tools already for diy ?

if so can you get a bare unit of the same brand and use the batteries and chargers that you have already

 

I use a dewalt impact driver
https://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-d...ion-xr-brushless-cordless-impact-driver/489hp

It’s supplied with a Hex and Is used for the household chores though I acquired a cross-over to 1/2”
Think I’ve used it once to remove wheels which it did admirably otherwise used for screwing floorboards

 

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cir18lic-18v-brushless-2ah--impact-wre/

l have one of those and one of the reviews says

it will spin off a wheel nut that is torqued to 120NM but takes a bit of time rattling away before it breaks free but l do tend to break the nut with a bar before using the gun so something that you already had like peter and Sean use may be a better option just for spinning nuts off

 

DIY unless a lawn mower counts then no . Yes have seen the bare units very good idea if you already have other items sadly not & apparenlty my Butler insists he is crap at diy as well

 

just because you don't do DlY doesn't mean you don't need power tools

 

Very true but I have a new build house so can do must DIY jobs with household cutlery & a rolling pin

 

Totally agree with @Peter - Use a good quality breaker bar to initially release the wheel bolts. With an impact wrench, you're far more likely to damage the locking wheel bolt. Plus I always use a torque wrench set to 140 Nm for tightening the bolts.

 

I'm sure my h/ book calls for 120 nm, do they vary across the range and wheel size/style? Must check as I'll be swapping over to Summers soon.

 

@bmwzoom , did you ever pull the trigger (see what I did there? ) on one of these guns?

 

I believe there’s two sizes, 12mm x1.5 or 14mm x 1.5
Though realistically there probably more than 2 sizes

 

Ah, therein probably lies the answer - iirc mine are 17mm .

 

I suspect you're confusing thread size with head size; 17mm thread would be more appropriate on a hgv.