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| Savor the limelight |
That's what I did, bought one that matched the batteries I already have. I bought a 1/2 drive though because I already own 1/2 drive impact sockets and extensions, plus I'm looking at axle nuts. | |||
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Member |
Impact wrench for me is more about removal than installation so mine's a 1/2" Milwaukee high torque. I think it's 1500lbft of removal torque. I usually use a torque wrench for installation after using the impact to spin nuts on. | |||
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Member |
Right now I’m working on a 2013 Gravely mower. It’s mid grade, got it from a friend, $500, so far minor issues. I’m also somewhat old school with tools. I was having fits taking the blades off. I was replacing one spindle then sharpening the 3 blades. My breaker bar with a 3’ cheater pipe wasn’t enough. I ended up buying a Milwaukee 1/2” impact, $350 Home Depot, one battery. It was night & day difference removing the blades. I’ll also use it for lug nuts & other things. It was still totally worth it just for the mower blades. | |||
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A Grateful American |
Mower blade bolts tighten the same direction as the torque applied by the drive. They are affected by the operating torque and get "tighter" over time. I use heat, Kroil, and impact to remove them. Just be mindful of the spindle's properties so you do not damage bearing seals from the heat. (I have a Gravely 52" deck. BTDT) "the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" ✡ Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא עוד | |||
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| Member |
After I sharpened the blades I put them back on with my hand tools. I wanted to be sure of the torque since the impact was new to me. | |||
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| If you see me running try to keep up  |
I keep a 1/2” in each of my 4Runners to take off lugs and to lower my spare tire. Home Depot has their Rigid brand on sale multiple times throughout the year. I bought a Milwaukee several years ago when I could not get the corroded axle nuts off my ATV. At the time it was their high torque version, around 1400 foot pounds if i recall correctly. That and some heat solved my issue. I would guess I have about a half dozen different battery powered impact tools of varying torque for different uses. Most are 1/2 but I have some smaller ones that are 3/8 that I use in lower torque applications. | |||
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| Leftists, what more needs to be said? |
I have an 18 V Makita 3/8” that I use for most projects. It’s almost 20 years old. It’s rated at just over 100 ft lbs. If it gave up the ghost I’d replace it with a new Makita 3/8”. I’d rather have that to do the hundreds of chores I want it to, as opposed to a much heavier 1/2” torque monster that I don’t feel like dragging around. For the few times I require that kind of torque, I’ll use leverage. That 3/8 Makita is a work horse that has turned thousands of screws and nuts. I’d never give that up so I could possibly back off the four remaining axle nuts that my garage might ever see. | |||
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| Savor the limelight |
Hopefully not too much of a thread drift, but what brands of sockets? | |||
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| Technically Adaptive |
Williams, USA made, McMaster Carr sells them, as well other places, big bucks, for constant use. As far as occasional use, prolly doesn't matter much as long as the selling store warranty is good. | |||
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| If you see me running try to keep up |
For occasional use the ones off Spamazon work well enough and I have yet to break one. If I do they are cheap enough to replace. | |||
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| Member |
This! I'd rather have a 1/4" for it's compactiveness and lightweight for most things, and 1/2" when you really need ooomph | |||
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Member |
I have noticed over time battery impact wrenches and angle drivers get more powerful compared to their size. I imagine you would do well to get a mid-size unit of any major brand and you will do very good, up to and including removing lug nuts from your trailer. Last time I checked I noticed the max torque on the mid size units are higher than one might think. Another idea is to size your wrench for MOST of your uses, and when you run into some lug nuts on your trailer that exceed the ability of the wrench, go to harbor freight and get a 1/2 or 3/4 in breaker bar, put a pipe on it to break them, then finish the job of removing them with your impact wrench. Otherwise you may buy a large unit that's too large for most of your applications. I have a premium 25 inch 1/2 breaker bar (Proto) that I use for breaking stuck things that I don't want to accidentally damage with my big (oversized) 1/2 impact, and it works every time. Same idea for anything else like that, or bigger, use a 3/4 inch breaker bar. The reason I mention this is if you needed a 3/4 bar, that would be expensive for a tool truck brand, but not for occasional use if you picked one up a Harbor Freight. Just a thot. Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster | |||
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| Savor the limelight |
For 10 years I've been using a $9.99 breaker bar from Harbor Freight. Works great for lugnuts on my truck, 5th wheel, boat trailers etc. With two jacks, a breaker bar and a torque wrench I can rotate the tires on my truck in 30 minutes. There's plenty of room for a breaker bar so gravity does most of the work loosening the nuts. An impact wrench might save a few minutes; I'll find out this week. I bought an impact wrench for working in tight spaces where there isn't room to swing a breaker bar and I'm the one pulling on it at some awkward angle while trying not to smash my knuckles. | |||
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| Member |
Just remember, no job is finished until you draw blood.  | |||
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| Member |
Favor battery compatibility above all for brand. When it comes to choosing a 3/8 square drive impact or a 1/4 driver I find the 1/4 driver far more universal and powerful enough for 3/8 bolts. Also buy a battery compatible 1/2 square drive for lug nuts and suspension work. “That’s what.” - She | |||
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| Member |
I’m more of a casual user, yes I often go for made in the USA. With impact sockets I went with Quinn at Harbor Freight. On the lower end is Pittsburg, above is Icon. https://www.harborfreight.com/...ets-socket-sets.html | |||
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| Member |
I have a small collection of Milwaukee Impact wrenches. Have the M12 mini that is rated for IIRC 140 ft.lbs. but won't actually deliver 90 ft.lbs. I have the extended right angle one that is supposed to loosen 220 ft.lbs. but it won't budge the lug nuts on my Fiesta ST which are hand torqued to 100 ft.lbs with the threads and contact surfaces greased every time. Have the Mid Torque model That is suposed to do 450 ft.lbs tighting and 600 ft.lbs nut busting and that won't budge the lug nuts. Then I have the Big one the 2767-20. Set that one on high and it has those lugnuts off in a snap. It claims tightening to 1000 ft.lbs and loosening to 1400 ft.lbs. but I suspect it's a bit over rated like most of what I have purchased. My advice is you spend the money for a 1000 ft.lbs torque wrench. Because as I said my experience that all of them are over rated. PS; the deal I got on the High Torque model was darned near theft. The store was closing that model out and had it listed for 145.00 dollars. Sometimes a blind squirrel does fine a nut. I've stopped counting. | |||
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Shall Not Be Infringed |
After quite a bit of research, I went with/use Grey Pneumatic Impact Hex Sockets & Accessories. I like their socket designs, and prefer their socket sets (and cases!) compared to the competition. I also prefer their socket markings as well. They are made in Taiwan and the quality is excellent! I've purchased all of mine from JB Tools, though they are also available from Amazon. Check them out...Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!  I also have Bit Sockets (Triple Square) from Tekton Tools and can highly recommend them if you have a need for those as well.  ____________________________________________________________ If Some is Good, and More is Better.....then Too Much, is Just Enough !! Trump 47....Making America Great Again! "May Almighty God bless the United States of America" - parabellum 7/26/20 Live Free or Die! | |||
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| When you fall, I will be there to catch you -With love, the floor |
Great. when you finish, come over to Epping and get my dam mower blades off. I have a great mechanic but he install on using the power tools to install the blades. | |||
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| Slayer of Agapanthus |
If I may piggyback on the topic... regarding changing the sacrificial anode of a Smith hot water heater. Will a Ryobi 18V impact wrench with 300 ft-lb of torque do the job? Or buy the 600 ft-lb tool? I own the battery. Or something else? EDIT: I got the Ryobi 375 ft-lb torque. The bolt head is a hex. The ratchet is a twelve 'star'. It is slipping, not gripping. Do I need a different ratchet? Edit: hex, back to O'Reilly. Edit: fuck me. The six point also slips. Edit: I guess that either Jesus or Buddha likes me coz now it comes out with the 12" hand bar. Thank you sir!This message has been edited. Last edited by: mr kablammo, "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye". The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, pilot and author, lost on mission, July 1944, Med Theatre. | |||
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