I'm looking for recommendations for a mid-priced air impact. All I have now is a cheapo set of air tools from Kragen, and the impact is fairly worthless. I want something usable!

Please, don't suggest the top-dollar stuff. Not gonna happen.;) There must be some decent stuff between Harbor Freight and Snap-on. :p

I have a Campbell Hausfield that I got from Tractor Supply that has served me quite well. If I remember correctly, it cost about $90 and has 300+ ft-lbs of torque.

My father in law uses Campbell Hausfield, they don't seem too expensive, and the few times I've used it, it works fine, he's had 2 of them for a few years. Look at the blows per second and torque.

I use an Ingersoll Rand I was given a few years back, I think it cost $100-150, but it works really well. I don't know that mines any better than his, but I'm used to it so I'm partial I guess.

Ck out Chicago Pneumatic
affordable, 400+ TQ

I was checking brands, prices, and torque ratings online. There's a good variety for under $200, which is my limit.

Question on the torque: how much do I need to NOT have problems breaking stuff loose on the truck?

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I'm talking 1/2" wrench.

Spindle, is that brand from Harbor Freight???

I was checking brands, prices, and torque ratings online. There's a good variety for under $200, which is my limit.

Question on the torque: how much do I need to NOT have problems breaking stuff loose on the truck?

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I'm talking 1/2" wrench.

Spindle, is that brand from Harbor Freight???
Have had my CP for 25 yrs, don't know about the HF brand.
The main key to keeping your airtools in proper working order is IMO.
Use the proper airtool oil, everytime it is used, without question have a water separator inline, drain your comp tank frequantly.
For what you have to spend you should be able to get a killer tool

well, 300-400 or so is probably enough, you'll need penetrating lube for anything more "too" stuck to keep you from twisting heads off anyway. thats my opinion.. if you get too much torque on some things you'll spend alot of time fixing broken bolts (like my shock mount)

I make two recommendations:

1) The Sears Professional 1/2" air impact (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00919905000) - it's a IR231 clone. I've got one, and it's broken loose things I never thought possible.
2) For dirt cheap, the Earthquake Impact (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2623) from HarborFreight. Users on Pirate4x4 have reported good things abouth this impact.

is your air compressor adequate,,,

well, 300-400 or so is probably enough, you'll need penetrating lube for anything more "too" stuck to keep you from twisting heads off anyway. thats my opinion.. if you get too much torque on some things you'll spend alot of time fixing broken bolts (like my shock mount)
Agreed
Airtools are great things, but way overhyped for DIY, home mechanics.
Great for production work.
I think a better investment long term is a high end socket set, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive, a couple ratchets, a couple braker bars, a good TQ wrench and your good to go

I think a better investment long term is a high end socket set, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive, a couple ratchets, a couple braker bars, a good TQ wrench and your good to go
Got all that. :cool:

I work at an offroad shop. I use a Mac ??4300 1/2 impact. It does 600 ft/lbs and I paid A little over 200$ for it on ebay. Great gun and has alot of balls. I just bought a Ingersol rand Titatium 3/8 drive impact for 250$ off the snap on truck and its 1/2 the size of my mac but puts out 400 ft/lbs. I rarely break out my 1/2 unless its on some stuck lug nuts or the like.

I would recommend at least 400 pounds if you can find it in your price range. Good luck.

I use air tools for almost everything I do.

I would recommend at least 400 pounds if you can find it in your price range. Good luck.

I use air tools for almost everything I do.
Such as Al?
In a post you made awhile back, you needed an impact wrench to remove a throttle body, what else do you use such tools for?

Agreed
Airtools are great things, but way overhyped for DIY, home mechanics.
Great for production work.
I think a better investment long term is a high end socket set, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive, a couple ratchets, a couple braker bars, a good TQ wrench and your good to go

heck yah, Craftsman is in my box, I got the compressor for some assembly fab and an air ratchet. The impact was a present. I don't use it much, but if I work the breaker a few trys and feel like I'm spinning tires, I go fire up the compressor and go get a soda. about 90% of the time I would never use the impact, except for taking off tires (not putting them on)

I have found with the s-10 in the garage being cut up, i've been using it more. but thats just me being lazy ;) if it doesn't come off fast, it gets the sawzall!

I make two recommendations:


2) For dirt cheap, the Earthquake Impact (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2623) from HarborFreight. Users on Pirate4x4 have reported good things abouth this impact.

I have this one and it works well. I have used it to take the nut off of pinions as well as the nut on the rear output of t cases. Used it for ball joints as well as lug nuts. Had it about 7 months now and didnt find any nuts or bolts on my ranger that I couldnt take off with it. It is a bit on the heavy side if you needed to use it everyday for a living but for the backyard guy like you and me I think it is a good bang for the buck gun. You can use the $125 you save by getting this one to get that doubler in. :D

I have the Matco composite body 1/2 inch impact. Which I believe is made by IR.
It has worked flawlessly for years of professional use.

As far as sockets allow me to reccomend Sunnex. I have NEVER broken one. I have NEVER rounded a fastiner with one. The kicker ? The price. One hundred and change for a 10mm to 19mm set. Guarnteed too. It amazes me how affordable Sunnex sockets are for how well they are made. I have Sunnex 1/2 inch shallow, and deep, metric and standard, and swivel. 3/8 shallow, deep, and swivel. I swear by them.

Ive had the Mac 4400 for about 3 years now and its worked great
Dave

I was checking brands, prices, and torque ratings online. There's a good variety for under $200, which is my limit.

Question on the torque: How much do I need to NOT have problems breaking stuff loose on the truck?

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I'm talking 1/2" wrench.

Spindle, is that brand from Harbor Freight???
Chicago Pneumatic is Harbor Freight's brand. I once burned up an Ingersol Rand electric impact wrench by using it too long without giving it a rest. The parts were almost as much as the whole tool. Some tools are made to be used constant duty, while others are not. I don't know if air powered tools have intermittent, and constant duty ratings, but should be checked into before purchasing one. One thing that I've found out from using an impact wrench is that you will lose most of your power if you use a long extension bar, because the impacts change into vibrations on the extension bar. When you have to use a very long extension bar, you would be better off with a breaker bar, unless you are using a very powerful impact wrench.

Good info, all. I'll look into the Earthquake, with two recommendations. :thumbsup:

Harbor Freight brand is also called Central Pneumatic - "made in China" duplicates of common tools that have expired patents. They are cheap, but for ten extra bucks you get a lifetime no-questions-asked warranty. A flooring crew I'm working with now was faced with having to replace their $500+ namebrand flooring nailers at Home Depot or Lowes, or buying Harbor Freight's $199 ones that were on sale for $149 brand new (the cost for rebuilding their used nailers was about the same price). They are nailing the heck outta those things daily laying flooring and haven't worn one out yet and who cares when they do - they'll just take it back to Harbor Freight and get a new one for free.

Harbor Freight tools are dirt cheap, but that's not necessarily a bad thing sometimes. I've bought several from them... so far out of all of my purchases I've gotten just one bad item (floorjack that I replaced for free) but the rest of the tools are going strong, and if they ever break, I don't care because I'll get them replaced for free.

Ill vouch for the Campbell Hausfield products. The ($80) kit I got came with a 3/8 drive air ratchet, and a 1/2 impact. The impact puts out a burst torque of ~440, constant torque around 300

IMO, you don’t need anything with more then 400 ft-lb of burst torque, unless you plan on setting up rear-ends with it. I can’t see anywhere else where you would possibly need more.

My Campbell can get the pinion nuts off, but it isn’t crushing any crush sleeves. haha

One thing that I've found out from using an impact wrench is that you will lose most of your power if you use a long extension bar, because the impacts change into vibrations on the extension bar. When you have to use a very long extension bar, you would be better off with a breaker bar, unless you are using a very powerful impact wrench.

I think your right to an extent, but I think you can manipulate those vibrations into torque if you put enough pressure in the right spot. I got my exhaust flanges off at the manifolds using about 2 1/2 feet of extensions and swivel on my impact, there was no way I could budge them with even a 3" breaker bar (with out breaking tools at least). My impact is only an $80 one from Lowes.

The ball joint swivel adapters might also cause those impact blows to get lost. Anything other than a socket that is directly connected to an impact gun will decrease its efficiency. It wouldn't be as noticeable on the high powered guns as on the ones with only 200 Ft/LBS.

...I sell used air tools.

Just a heads up, you must be an approved vendor to pimp your stuff here. Contact Rick or a moderator will point you in the right direction. Otherwise expect any of your posts with the E-bay link to disappear.

Good info, all. I'll look into the Earthquake, with two recommendations. :thumbsup:

On sale now for $69.99

So Let me get this straight. I can part out my truck on this site, but I can't sell you the tools to do it. I meant no harm, I will gladly go back to selling my used tools on ebay.

Thanks for the heads up.

That's not what he said. You can sell stuff here, but if you're doing it as a business, you have to get the permission of the site owner (Rick) to do it. From the looks of the stuff you have on e-bay, it's a business, so just ask for Rick's permission. If you're selling stuff off your truck or not as a business, go for it.

Central Pneumatic is Harbor Freight's house brand. Yes, they're cheap, and they do a decent job, but they're also disposable.

As someone who has worked in Air Tool Repair in a Ford assembly plant, there are only a handful of brands I'll use:

Chicago Pneumatic has been around forever and still has parts available for guns made 30 years ago. In an industrial setting, they occasionally wear out. but for home use, they'll last forever! My dad has one that's 35 years old that saw him through 30 years as an industrial truck mechanic at Ford. He's still using it around the house now. It's finally starting to act its age, but as soon as he says the word, it'll be in for a couple new parts and be good as new!

Ingersoll-Rand. By far, one of the best-made guns I've ever worked on. Simple, robust design. I've even resurrected them after a total immersion (guy's boat sank at the dock and it was in the bilge). Again, parts are readily available, but for light use, you'll probably never need them.

Atlas-Copco. Heavy-duty, industrial-use. Major money, but will last FOREVER!! (their entry-level guns are way out of your price range)

-Joe

As above
all my airtools are Chicago pnuematic, all older tools, all were american made, maybe still are, the offshore stuff is crap.
Only problem I have ever had was loaning my 3/8s speed wrench to my son, he used WD 40 as a lube, all the seals were history within 15 mins.
Use the proper oil, use a water trap, drain your tank frequantly.
Good airtools will last you a liftime of home mech use

Heheh i actually pour a lil SAE 30 in my air tools, i doubt it's what your supposed to use, but it hasnt let me down.

Marvel Air Tool Oil

best stuff.

Marvel Air Tool Oil

best stuff.
Agreed 100%, as is a product called spot oil, you need pnuematic oils, those that are specific to air tools.
Your air tools are like your engine and tranny, they require specific oils

I have an Earthquake and find it decently made and often on sale very reasonably priced. I use it and my CP about equally.

The Ingersol Rand 2135TI is the best and the lightest gun I have ever used. The body is composite made and weighs a full pound less than anything close to it. I am a mechanic, I do alot of front end, rear end, engine r&r and found this gun very well suited for my needs.

Air gun (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ingersoll-Rand-1-2-Drive-Titanium-Air-Impact-2135Ti_W0QQitemZ4429846077QQcategoryZ75676QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Eric

So this may be quid pro quo, but I bought some Ingersoll Rand impact wrench from sears online ebay storefront. It was a gimmicky one called like Street thunder or something with a yellow boot, but by damn it must just be a rebadged one of their better ones, because I leave it at a friends garage where he has a very nice air setup, and we work the hell out of it. I have never once had a problem with it, does everything I need, and it was really quite nicely cheap.

You cannot go wrong with IR. I threw my CP in the garbage can.

You cannot go wrong with IR. I threw my CP in the garbage can.

By CP do you mean Central Pneumatic or Chicago Pneumatic? Chicago Pneumatic is a pretty good brand.... Central is Japanese junk.

-Joe

The Ingersol Rand 2135TI is the best and the lightest gun I have ever used. The body is composite made and weighs a full pound less than anything close to it. I am a mechanic, I do alot of front end, rear end, engine r&r and found this gun very well suited for my needs.

Air gun (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ingersoll-Rand-1-2-Drive-Titanium-Air-Impact-2135Ti_W0QQitemZ4429846077QQcategoryZ75676QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

EricAgreed :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I used to have a crappy Sears 350 ft/lb model that I thought would be adequate :rolleyes: It sucked and embarrassed me a few time when it could remove some car lugnuts. :mad: I picked up the IR 2135 and couldn't be more happy... It is very powerful, lightweight, and a pleasure to use... I would highly recommend it..

Agreed :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I used to have a crappy Sears 350 ft/lb model that I thought would be adequate :rolleyes: It sucked and embarrassed me a few time when it could remove some car lugnuts. :mad: I picked up the IR 2135 and couldn't be more happy... It is very powerful, lightweight, and a pleasure to use... I would highly recommend it..



that is a $259.99 dollar wrench wow... 1000 ft. lb

that is a $259.99 dollar wrench wow... 1000 ft. lb

It's like any tool: You get what you pay for. :)

It's like any tool: You get what you pay for. :)

Amen.

i meant that lol you can not get much over 1000 ft lbs can you.
i think the ones i have are not even 400..
that is why i love th electric dewalt and rigid one that i have

By CP do you mean Central Pneumatic or Chicago Pneumatic? Chicago Pneumatic is a pretty good brand.... Central is Japanese junk.


Chinese junk :D

Chinese junk :D


come on lol even the chinese have to remove bolts,,,

I think you would be better using a 1/4 shorty hand ratchet than using the Chinese junk.

gijoecam, by CP I mean Chicago, However my guess would be that the Chineese from HF would be no better, plus it is made overseas. More jobs gone. However I do use my tools as my profession not a homeowner. Greg

I have a CH that is 12 years old and is finally starting to wear out. Ive used the hell out of it (hobbiest, not for a living mind you). A buddy of mine just bought a Snap On out of a pawn shop for $40, i think thats what im going to do.

I saw a 1/2 or 3/8 impact at either sears or home depot for 100 bucks that was 380 ft/lbs

then i saw similar one at wall world for 70 that was 380 ft/lbs that looked pretty heavy duty

I am going to echo what GIJoeCam stated about his preferred brands. I used to work in a heavy equipment mechanic shop (motorgraders, back hoes, excavators, dozers, etc.) and everyone used either Chicago Pnuematic or Ingersoll. The majority of the mechanics used Ingersolls while all the shop furnished were Chicago. At that time, I used my dad's Chicago (a late 70's model). I currently have two Chicagos, a 1970's model, my grandad's, that will do about 400 lb-ft (they still sell a similar model for about $150) and a new one that does 800 lb-ft in reverse (bought it on a Sears Hardware going out of business sale for $140!!! What a steal!! Retails for $240!!). Anything from Ingersoll or Chicago is rebuildable and, with proper care, last a home owner 30 years, if not a lifetime. Both are very reliable brands.

I beleive you can get ingersoll at walmart, which makes for an easy return if you don't like it

Now that we have discussed and brought up inline filter for debris and water, plus the correct oil for your tool, lemme turn you guys on to another lil device that's very inexpensive and worth it:

Booties, covers, protectors, tool condoms, whatever you want to call them.

Yellow covered gun IM6100, the silver covered gun IM6500

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/16937tool_1.jpg

These are great, they keep your tools looking nice, protect the edges, and provide some impact resistance, if you drop it, slide/drag it across the floor, bang it on something, drop it in something, you get the idea.

Both of these guns have been in heavy service for quite a few years, both were bought new when they first hit the tool truck, they have been the most reliable guns, they have been properly mantained and used like cheap whores, and still deliver the kick they did when new.

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/16937tool_2.jpg


Just thought I would add that in there for FYI.




Jeff - :navajo:

Now that we have discussed and brought up inline filter for debris and water, plus the correct oil for your tool, lemme turn you guys on to another lil device that's very inexpensive and worth it:

Booties, covers, protectors, tool condoms, whatever you want to call them.

Yellow covered gun IM6100, the silver covered gun IM6500

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/16937tool_1.jpg

These are great, they keep your tools looking nice, protect the edges, and provide some impact resistance, if you drop it, slide/drag it across the floor, bang it on something, drop it in something, you get the idea.

Both of these guns have been in heavy service for quite a few years, both were bought new when they first hit the tool truck, they have been the most reliable guns, they have been properly mantained and used like cheap whores, and still deliver the kick they did when new.

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/2/16937tool_2.jpg


Just thought I would add that in there for FYI.




Jeff - :navajo:

Nice addition to have for your impacts. But the main thing that I want to bring attention too in the last pic. Is something that I was going to add to the tool list. Now I don't have to take a pic of it. It is that box behind the left impact tool. I do not know the exact name, but their used to find the center of a hole. Lets say you got a bracket that has a 1/2" hole and you have another piece of metal behind that bracket. You just find the 1/2" centering dowl and hit it and it will leave a center punch mark right in the middle. I have a set like that. Jeff might know the real name and add more.

You just find the 1/2" centering dowl and hit it and it will leave a center punch mark right in the middle. I have a set like that. Jeff might know the real name and add more.



It is called a transfer punch for locating a dimple for your drill bit to center up on while keeping the holes that your transfering correct in relation to what your drilling.
There cheap in cost and will save you a world of head aches.

Funny you mention that I keep for getting to take them to work with me :confused:

Guess I'll run out and put those in my truck for tomorrow, Thanx! ;)

IM6500 :D Thats what I use.

But seriously though. A few points. Ebay is your friend. You can even buy some used snap ons for your price range (you dont need to though) And FYI. not all pro tools will do well in a home situation. The IM6100 that is pictured for instance needs LOTS of air. This makes it a poor choice for smaller home compressors. Ofcourse If you have some 3phase monster in your garage it doesnt matter.

Anyway Perhaps you should look at used. The 2135TI from ingersoll is definately kick ass. The torque rating is a bit of a stretch but it does have lots of power. The only thing that comes to mind that it wont do is some body mount bolts. There are times they can be nasty. It WILL break off lug studs if you want it to. for your price range ingersoll is probably going to be your best bet. Even if you dont get a TI series gun they are well made and will hold up to home use for many many years.

go with chicago pnuematic there affordable and extremely good theres some cheaper but dont buy cheap tools it will cost more in the long run

The Ingersol Rand 2135TI is the best and the lightest gun I have ever used. The body is composite made and weighs a full pound less than anything close to it. I am a mechanic, I do alot of front end, rear end, engine r&r and found this gun very well suited for my needs.

Air gun (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ingersoll-Rand-1-2-Drive-Titanium-Air-Impact-2135Ti_W0QQitemZ4429846077QQcategoryZ75676QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Eric

I wasted my time and money buying the cheap CH from Walmart. I returned it when it wouldn't touch the lug nuts and immediately bought the IR 2135TI.

You cannot go wrong with it and it will quickly become your best friend. There is nothing better than taking a tire off in 10 seconds (at most) and doing it without having to break the nuts free with a breaker bar when the truck is on the ground. You'll spend a little more up front but you'll be happier in the long run.