Impact gun! What do you use?

[Cranky]

I have 3 air guns....two IR's and one CP. One IR is from the 90's, the CP is early 80's and the other IR......from the 70's? All are 1/2 drive with the newer IR hitting pretty hard. The older IR came to me from some old shop and I've been using it but so far I've only done tire changes with it and one ball joint job and it did the job. I'll probably be selling all of my tools before very long.

 

[Daves69]

Probably for just that use is fine. I used mine a couple of times to tear core engines down. Probably exceeded it life expectancy

Lol, Occasionally it's used at home, as well as the aluminum floor jack that's also along for trips, but it was bought specifically for draggin' the boat around. Forget that scissors jack and lug wrench or four-way crap out on the interstate!
I use air at home. Old CP impact and a Craftsman air ratchet. But I'm not too proud to do it the old fashioned way, armstrong.

 

[aeon280]

Mac air, Rigid electric. Just upgraded my compressor to 1/2 hose and 3/8 connectors and the Mac almost comes out of my hand now when pulling the trigger. The rigid for the price is great. Has plenty of torque for lug nuts and HD always does BOGO on 4amp hour batteries around Christmas so I now have plenty of batteries. Plus if you register the Rigid tools they have lifetime battery and tool replacement.

 

[65-440]

IR titanium 1/2" , going on 12yrs. Still hammers like day 1 and I use daily ...

 

[NJRR]

My Harbor Freak came apart 6 months after I bought it. Took it back and to my spprise they gave me another. The new one licked up on me 6 months later.

Well, that's why I got the extended warranty.

 

[themechanic]

18V ONE+™ 1/2" IMPACT WRENCH MODEL: #P260 | HOME DEPOT SKU #: 327-031

18 volt motor allows for 0-3,000 RPM, 200 ft. lbs. of torque and 0-3,000 impacts per minute.

If I need more torque I use a 1/2" breaker bar or 3/4" if that doesn't get it done.

 

[Yatzee]

View attachment 540209 Hey guys not sure if anyone here has bought a new air gun recently but I haven't found a decent new air gun anywhere! I might be a bit one sided as I was a heavy equipment/large truck mechanic and my 1/2 air gun was the super duper snap on bad ***. This thing did stuff 3/4 inch guns had issues doing. I've had two in a 8 year time frame. That's decent life out of them especially being used and abused on big stuff like that . So since I've been injured I haven't had to use an impact gun in 5 years . My compressor isn't the issue it's a huge 70 gal 5 HP unit my snap on guns ran on it and did everything I asked my last gun recently blew apart after years of abuse and then nearly 5 years on nothing it quit. So I looked to rebuild it but I guess since it was so old the kits are not available blah blah blah and the snap on dude here is a dick head . So I figured I'll put it aside for now and just grab a new $100-$150 gun should get a decent gun that would be more then enough in the garage doing car stuff . Well first was harbor freight I got there big bad *** they compared to my snap on gun better or the same in every way with only a $130-140 price tag.... got it home couldn't take a leg nut off? So OK maybe a bad gun I took it back got another .... same thing ? Hmm maybe my compressor is having an issue called my father in law asked to borrow his 40+ year old ingersal. It did the job without hesitation! So OK not my equipment. So I went on to Lowe's I then had the argument with my self about buying an elc gun it would be so useful on those tire switching events in the woods when you buy a car with 4 flats and you need to put 4 rollers on it ! We all know what that's like! Anyways after looking around and buying the battery witch wasn't included it was like $500 bucks. I said nope I'll stay with air and a 4 way . Bought there brand it was OK maybe 200-250 tourqe wasn't impressed and figured after awhile some will disappear so I took it back they said it was good for 600 tourqe . Did homedept . My wife said just buy the elc gun so you don't kill your self changing tires or lugging around the air hose . So I looked again same elc gun from Lowe's $350 out the door with an extended warranty came with the battery and charger too. So I decided to bite the bullet and go elc I have a 4 year warranty now it has a light on it and no hose to deal with I would like an extra battery but for now I can atleast change a tire or tourqe down some valve cover bolts(just kidding don't do that!)
I still would like an air gun in the shop so my ? Is what types of guns work anymore that won't break the bank ! Does anyone have a oldy that is still a bad *** they might sell?View attachment 540209 View attachment 540211 View attachment 540212 View attachment 540210

The thing with impact guns is that "one size doesn't fit all". Anyone who believes that is probably over torquing some things and under torquing others. I have a battery powered Makita that is now 7 years old, an Ingersol Rand professional 3/8 air gun and the same brand in 1/2 inch. Great for dismantling but when it comes to tightening you can't beat a proper set of torque wrenches to get the job done right.

 

[Cranky]

The thing with impact guns is that "one size doesn't fit all". Anyone who believes that is probably over torquing some things and under torquing others. I have a battery powered Makita that is now 7 years old, an Ingersol Rand professional 3/8 air gun and the same brand in 1/2 inch. Great for dismantling but when it comes to tightening you can't beat a proper set of torque wrenches to get the job done right.

Both of my IR's have adjusters for hit but I never rely on it for torque values.....

 

[Bladecutter]

Milwaukee M18. Two settings, max 700 ft lbs. Does not have the monster 1200lbs like the harbor freight but it works for me in my home garage. View attachment 540224

Yep, Milwaukee is the way I'd go.

 

[Bb70charger500]

The thing with impact guns is that "one size doesn't fit all". Anyone who believes that is probably over torquing some things and under torquing others. I have a battery powered Makita that is now 7 years old, an Ingersol Rand professional 3/8 air gun and the same brand in 1/2 inch. Great for dismantling but when it comes to tightening you can't beat a proper set of torque wrenches to get the job done right.

Yes and no ! You just got to be smarter then what your working with in all my years of turning wrenches hobby and professionally I've never broke a bolt on accident or over torqued anything guns have power settings for a reason but if your good enough and you know your equipment you can tell by the sound! I used to make wagers on zapping lugs on trucks the drivers say arnt you going to torque them I said nope already did it with the gun they lay a $20 out and say I bet there not 120# I say here's the wrench have at it I'm always within 5 #'s now two-thirds this new gun I won't play that game for awhile I've never had an elc one so not sure if sound will work on this !
But to each his own I've never had a comeback or a wheel fly off nor broken bolts guess I'm just good at playing with nuts!!!! Hehehe

 

[toolmanmike]

I sold MAC Tools for 28 years. The old Mac guns made by Ingersoll or Ingersoll guns are hard to beat. Many 20+ year old guns still working great.

 

[Bb70charger500]

Mac air, Rigid electric. Just upgraded my compressor to 1/2 hose and 3/8 connectors and the Mac almost comes out of my hand now when pulling the trigger. The rigid for the price is great. Has plenty of torque for lug nuts and HD always does BOGO on 4amp hour batteries around Christmas so I now have plenty of batteries. Plus if you register the Rigid tools they have lifetime battery and tool replacement.

I didn't know riged did lifetime on there battery's I wish I knew that I'll have to ask dewalt what's up! I'm still in the market for a decent air gun as not to burn up the new one beating on rusty bolts all day my buddy has the "snap on" elc gun and he does everything with it and it's about 7 years old it's a bad *** but at $650+ little to much

 

[steve from staten island]

I have a AirCat 1150 its extremely powerful, but i dont use it every day either so i have no idea how it would hold up under everyday use.

 

[Bb70charger500]

That's the brand I was trying not remember my Co worker bought an air cat when I bought my snap on years ago it kept up for awhile but after a year or two did loose a little bit but for the price compared to what I bought I considered buying one after my snap on gave up . I'll look them up thanks

 

[steve from staten island]

I mechanic at my old job had a Snap on air chisel, another had a older well used impact gun. These tools were incredible. I dont know about now or were there made but Snap on was defitnely the air tool to have and when you use it all the time its a good choice. BTW BP70 i had a pair of Red Wings years ago and wasn't planning on buying another pair but listening to your post were i wrote about my tired old feet hurting, i bought another pair. They are well insulated have a composite safety toe and a toe called King toe which is really wide. With a pair of good heavier socks there is a improvement in my feet. So heres a "Thanks" right back at ya!

 

[BeeKool]

Milwaukee M18. Two settings, max 700 ft lbs. Does not have the monster 1200lbs like the harbor freight but it works for me in my home garage. View attachment 540224

I use the same gun. It will twist smaller stuff off if your not careful.
It works great though even on large tractor lugs. I still double check tightness with a large breaker bar or if on passenger vehicles a torque wrench.
They also make a 3/4 impact. That is a torque monster

 

[WileE]

My air gun is so old, I don't even remember what brand it is. I 'll have to take a look later.

 

[BBishere2]

I've got a Ryobi and it works fine for what I've done with it so far. I like this one because the battery pack is interchangeable with so many different tools of theirs.

 

[Ironbuilt]

I prefer Ingersoll Rand over Snap-On. Great quality at half the price.

 

[mopwrd340]

I like my Ingersol rand for air tools I have bought a couple of 1/2 snap on guns the best they had and will never buy one again .I was a heavy truck mechanic and i used them everyday my first impact gun i still have it says mac on it but it is a Ingersol ultra duty bright green i remember when i bought it you got the gun and a cutoff tool for $200 dollars .