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Thread: Impact Wrench. battery or air

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Impact Wrench. battery or air

    I now own a cheap air impact wrench ($19.99 Big Lots 20 years ago) Looking to upgrade to something better but not spend more than needed.
    I don't do anything big automotive. Mostly lawn equipment, trailer tires etc.....
    First like recommendations on a good air powered tool.
    Last night I ran across this. Opinions?
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18...FTnH4wcdTSwNVA
    Interested because I do own other Ryobi One + tools.
    "Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
    - Rick Dale

  2. #2
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    If you already own a compressor I think it's a no brainer. With air if you run into a stubborn nut you can up the air pressure you can't up a battery.

  3. #3
    I considered getting the Makita version impact wrench, but realized I could use a socket adapter and my impact driver for all the purposes I had previously used an air impact wrench. It even takes lug nuts off my car with no trouble.

    Maybe consider this, instead:
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18...P238/301853896

    The big impact wrench is probably more power than you need, but the impact driver would do the job and also drive screws.

  4. #4
    I recently bought the 3/8" Makita impact wrench. No comparison to using an adapter in an impact driver.
    The impact wrench does everything I want it to taking apart and putting equipment together. It's small, light and I am glad I didn't buy a larger 1/2" one.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs View Post
    I considered getting the Makita version impact wrench, but realized I could use a socket adapter and my impact driver for all the purposes I had previously used an air impact wrench. It even takes lug nuts off my car with no trouble.

    Maybe consider this, instead:
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18...P238/301853896

    The big impact wrench is probably more power than you need, but the impact driver would do the job and also drive screws.
    I do the exact same thing, it's amazing how much power those small impact drivers have! One side note, I had cheap Harbor Freight socket adapters and the hex shank was slightly smaller than should have been and it got stuck into the impact driver chuck after working on a stubborn bolt... So I now stick to good quality adapters.

  6. #6
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    One big factor is where you will use it. Close to shop air, out in the middle of the field?
    Another is the air compressor itself.

    I far prefer air tools for in and around the shop and have several pneumatic impact wrenches. The best one I have is Dewalt best 1/2" drive, but it was not exactly cheap. My air compressor is a healthy one and I have air outlets plumbed inside and outside the shop and one long hose on a real by a rollup door so using it is easy. The Dewalt is a dream to use for bigger things such as working on the tractor or bobcat.

    If I needed one for smaller things and away from compressed air AND already had cordless tools that used the same battery I'd be tempted to get one like you showed.

    I use a couple of smaller battery-operated impact drivers for smaller things around and away from the shop. They have only a fraction of the power of an impact wrench but are ok for working on the small fasteners lawnmowers and 4-wheelers and such. (one is a Hitachi and the other a Dewalt but any should be fine.) The advantage of these for me is I use them mostly for what they are made for, screws around the farm, and for drilling holes through construction lumber for wiring. (That's what I did yesterday, wiring in a spider-infested crawl space under the house and in the muddy crawl space under the new sun room and deck. Glad that's done.) They are fine for occasional light-duty nuts and bolts although I generally prefer hand power.

    JKJ

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Lehnert View Post
    I now own a cheap air impact wrench ($19.99 Big Lots 20 years ago) Looking to upgrade to something better but not spend more than needed.
    I don't do anything big automotive. Mostly lawn equipment, trailer tires etc.....
    First like recommendations on a good air powered tool.
    Last night I ran across this. Opinions?
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18...FTnH4wcdTSwNVA
    Interested because I do own other Ryobi One + tools.

  7. #7
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    Feb 2003
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    Dave

    It's actually kind of a tough decision. The battery powered impacts they're making now are very capable devices. Much more so than they were just a few years ago. A lot of the garages around me have switched away from pneumatic and are using battery for many things. I would stay pneumatic simply because you already have the compressor, hoses, regulators, oilers, etc. If you didn't have the air setup already, I'd say go battery powered.
    If the break away torque, as well as torque, spec on the Makita is 300 ft/lbs. That's pretty impressive. That's a lot of torque. Enough to do lugs nuts on a truck. Break away torque, and torque, are not always the same spec due to the clutch mechanisms.
    I personally wouldn't select the impact driver. I have a Makita impact driver and it is really, really, nice. It's not strong enough to do the lug nuts on my truck, or the trailer. It is kind of nice to run the lug nuts back on though. I haven't ever tried it to remove the blades from my mower deck.

    With a battery powered impact wrench you get more portability and flexibility, and no hose to drag around, but we all know that those batteries will need to be replaced, or refurbished, and that won't be inexpensive.

    An air impact wrench is a pretty simple tool and a good one will last your lifetime, if not abused and kept oiled. Dragging around the hose is a pain sometimes though.

    I have two pneumatic impact wrenches. One is a Kobalt, the other a Husky. They're,, "OK". They do what I need them to do, so I can't complain. The Husky is a better tool than the Kobalt, which has a finicky torque selector switch. If mine were both to poop out tomorrow, Id probably replace them with an Ingersoll Rand. IR sells rebuild kits for the air tools which is why I would go IR. Husky and Kobalt, to the best of my knowledge, do not sell rebuild kits.
    I have heard good things about the Earthquake line of air impact wrenches at Harbor Freight, but I haven't used one, and have always been a little dubious of HF's products for longevity.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  8. #8
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    300 ft-lbs is not much for an impact wrench. I have a P-C pneumatic that I bought for about $120 a dozen years ago, and it's rated at 500 ft-lbs or so. That's cheap for an impact wrench. Mechanics will often spend 3-4x that for an I-R and get double the torque or more. There have been a couple times where I could have used more...
    Jason

    "Don't get stuck on stupid." --Lt. Gen. Russel Honore


  9. #9
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    I have an IR 1/2" pneumatic gun rated at 600 ft-lbs. But they don't state at what pressure. My compressor cycles between 80-100 psi. With 5 cfm running through a 50' 3/8" line, I may only have 50-70-psi at the gun once I start rattling on a stubborn fastener once the compressor is on its low pressure cycle. That is why I have a 24" breaker bar., the gun just doesn't always loosen a stubborn nut. Not willing to upgrade my compressor as my 30 YO 1 hp Craftsman just keeps running. Darn it. Sure would like one of those 135 psi IR home 3 hp vertical tank compressors though.https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com...hoCRk0QAvD_BwE While I have my air plumbed to the garage (shop and compressor is in the basement next to the garage) with a regulator/filter and hose reel, it is a pain dragging the hose around one car to work on the other one.

    If it weren't for the expense, I would upgrade all of my battery tools to Milwaukee M18 Fuel and add their 1/2" rattle gun to my arsenal. I see a lot of shops use that gun. Looking it up, it is rated at 1100 ft-lbs of "nut busting" torque. https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Produc...enches/2763-20
    Last edited by Ole Anderson; 06-09-2018 at 8:52 AM.
    NOW you tell me...

  10. #10
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    Apr 2016
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    Dave, in our production engineering shop, we changed the fitters and concept machinists to using cordless impact wrenches instead of air about 5 years ago. It was a good decision. The original were dewalt which have finally worn out and only just been replaced. The flexibility of the cordless ones increased productivity by about 5%. They mostly work with 5/8 bolts and nuts that are critical to tighten correctly. We used to service air tools and had good stuff but they don't match up for your common work. However we do keep 1 inch drive air tools for the big stuff. Cheers

  11. #11
    I've had the Dewalt 20v for a couple of years now. I'm very happy with it. I actually keep it charged and in my trunk for roadside situations and regular maintenance. I'm always surprised how long it goes on one battery. Plenty of torque , I have yet to have to reach for a breaker bar. It easily gets me through a four wheel break job. FWIW, I drove a larger car that's got all the expected larger bolts and such.

  12. #12
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    My suggestion is to go with air and here is why. I have a perfectly good Milwaukee 1/2" that has maybe an hours use, and now the batteries are both dead. Was handy a couple of times but I just don't use it enough to keep the batteries up. Air is cheap, you can buy a ratchet, and a 1/2" for less than a cordless and no matter how long they sit on a shelf they are ready to go at a moments notice. I do use my 1/4" electric for light assembly but tighten the final time with a hand/torque wrench as needed.

  13. #13
    had to get the alternator rebuilt the other day in the wally. Took stuff apart and there were two stupid Torx bolts. Heated and quenched a few times nothing with a ratchet and pipe over the end for more leverage I was just going to make mush. Tried the Makita impact driver and they laughed at it nothing but noise. Guess I was thinking id be cutting them off with a die grinder

    Got the mechanic size air impact and they both came loose instantly, it was almost disappointing it was so easy. . Whatever happened to using manly bolts to hold things together, did they get a discount at a bargain store??

    There are bigger impacts than my Makita I cant comment on them but it was useless for this. I think the garage door installer guys have some Dewalt with big honking batteries.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Edgerton View Post
    My suggestion is to go with air and here is why. I have a perfectly good Milwaukee 1/2" that has maybe an hours use, and now the batteries are both dead. Was handy a couple of times but I just don't use it enough to keep the batteries up. Air is cheap, you can buy a ratchet, and a 1/2" for less than a cordless and no matter how long they sit on a shelf they are ready to go at a moments notice. I do use my 1/4" electric for light assembly but tighten the final time with a hand/torque wrench as needed.
    Batteries aren't an issue if you go with the same system as the rest of your cordless tools. I do think air is better in a specific situation. But I think cordless is more convenient and flexible across a wider swath of situations.

  15. #15
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    The light automotive industry has gone away from air tools and largely uses cordless impact guns, they do the same job as air without the hassles for most purposes. I have a IR Titanium pneumatic gun for what the cordless can't occasionally move and nothing stops that....yet. For Home use it is cordless for just about everything. Air tools require big air lines as pointed out above, 3/8" is marginal for a pneumatic tool and 1/2'' preferable. You can have all the pressure in the world but if the air does not get to the tool it is pointless.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

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