I'm looking for a decent impact wrench under 80 that I would use rarely...in other words, when I'm too weak to get stuff off by hand.


Only tools I have now are a $20 set I bought years ago where the only thing I really use is the 3/8" ratchet & screw drivers...upgraded to some hex sockets (normal & deep) from Home Depot only recently (3/8" drive). I also have 2' breaker (1/2" drive). These have gotten me by and I think when I did my struts was the most stress I've had to put on these tools.

Since I'm about to do my control arms, I think I should invest in an electric impact wrench since I'm gonna have to mess with the axle. Also need to do my shocks soon & when I did my struts' spring compression by hand, my palm was red for 2 days - definitely wanna go electric for the springs. 2 hour jobs usually turn into all-day jobs with me...since I lack experience & good tools.

I read the thread in the FAQ but didn't get a consensus on a decent <$80 tool that could work. I don't wanna go too cheap & have it not work, but also don't wanna spend more money than needed on something I probably will only use once or twice a month and maybe on the lug-nuts. Not a mechanic, just a noob DIYer. In the future I wanna upgrade my tools 'cause the more I work on my car, the more I learn the right tools are a necessity.

Questions:
- How much torque do I need for a typical axle nut?
- How much torque for a typical lug nut?
- How much torque is excessive in an automotive environment?
- What brands should I avoid?
- Do they make adapters to help get the gun in tight spots?

I'm tempted to just go on eBay and buy the cheapest one I see, but I know that's not smart.

So, for a noob DIYer who will probably only use the impact wrench to only break loose tight nuts & bolts on rare occasions, what's a good economical choice?

 

Pep Boys sells a 24V cordless impact for $80 that's gotten positive reviews on garagejournal.com. Other than that one, I only know of Harbor Freight and Northern Tool house brands that go for less than $100, and they are to be avoided. I really doubt there's a <$80 (new) electric impact wrench capable of removing an axle nut. If you can spend a little more, I own this model, which goes for about $175 new. I used it to take the axle nuts off my 97 Maxima. You might be able to find a used one on ebay for less.

Axle nut torque depends on the make and model. The spec for a 4th gen Maxima is 175-230 ftlbs. Typical lug nut torque is 75-110 ftlbs. There is no cheap 1/2" drive electric impact wrench capable of producing "excessive" torque, but it pays to avoid letting an impact wrench hammer for more than a couple of seconds before checking to see if something's wrong. You can find impact universal joints or impact swivel sockets to get into tight spots.

If you don't want to spend more than $80 you're better off buying a 2' Harbor Freight breaker bar for $15 and a 6' length of steel pipe from Home Depot to use as a cheater.

 

Thanks for the response ATTappman, I appreciate you taking the time to elaborate. When I asked about excessive torque, I meant something like, "buying a 500 ft-lbs torque gun is pointless since the hardest bolts on the Maxima are only 50 ft-lbs). I've never really torqued anything down to spec...I've always screwed stuff in by "feel" which might explain some problems I have. This means I don't really know how much "tighter" 50 lbs of torque is as compared to 10 lbs of torque. I just don't wanna waste an extra 100 ft-lbs of torque potential when I'll never use it - cause that means wasting money.

I think I'm gonna go with the Pep Boys gun. Not looking for the end-all gun, just something that could help me out from time to time and/or help me save some time (like tightening/untightening spring compressors!)

 

Just picked up the $80 Great Neck gun from Pep Boys...there's even a $20 rebate, so excluding taxes and the $10 extended warranty I paid for, it only costs 60 bucks!

Only thing is it doesn't have a dial on it that lets you set the torque...it's based on how hard you press the trigger. Are all guns like that?

 

Look at your local pawn shop for a cheap snap on or Matco. Crack heads like to steal tools and sell them at pawn shops, also you might get lucky on an unlucky (laid off)mechanics gun. Don't waste your time with Craftsman impact guns. I did and am sorry.

 

Some have four settings, or a dial, but this is pretty much useless. It's best not to tighten with an impact wrench, just use it to spin the nut on and stop immediately when the hammer kicks on. Then tighten to spec with a torque wrench.

 

Cool, thanks for all your help - think I'm set. I hate when I got to a shop & they tighten my lug nuts with their air impact & the next week I'm struggling trying to get them off!

 

The shop probably didn't put on anti-seize on the wheel studs, that's why it was hard to get them off. 425 to 500 ft pounds is a good amount to have to handle most bolts on the maxima. Breaking torque is much higher than the stated torques in the manual. Don't go by the stated torques to decide the maximum for your gun. For the control arm hex nut (and most fasteners) make sure you heat it up first then drench it in penetrant, or your impact wrench might not get it off or worse off you could snap something. The 15 dollar propane Bernzomatic blue torch from Walmart is fine. The rear parallel link hex nuts I couldn't get off with my 425 ft-lbs wrench even after torching. If your dealing with a Canadian like environment, the axle nut (in un-antiseized) will take a long time with the 425 ft-lbs to get off, I had to heat and impact over and over for about 30 minutes per side or more. I had to hold down the trigger for 1-2 min at a time holding it there. Then finally they came off. I applied anti-seize on reassembly and now they come off in an instant with the wheel in the air too.

 

Thanks for your input 1993-VG, I guess for really torqued down stuff I'm still gonna have to use some elbow grease. I guess I more wanted an impact more as a time-saver and for medium-torqued (100 lb/lbs?) nuts/bolts. I've only recently dealt with PB and have learned how necessary it is. A torch...eh...not really confident that I'd use it correctly (scared I might burn or ignite something).

Environment-wise, I'm not that far off....Chicago...so I have to deal with salt & rust. Here's a pic of my rotors that are only 4 months old...as well as my inner/outer tie rods which are about a month old....already rusting! Struts 2 weeks old.

 

Very typical in our environment. Those areas that rusted on you, I coat them with grease, a synthetic high temp grease that won't run and the rust stopped. I even put it on my caliper bodies and they didn't run either and the rust doesn't seem to be increasing. I coated the tie rods in them and they are fine too. Those struts are brand new, your probably going to want to rust proof them to preserve them in that condition. This is only if you are obsessed with rust like I am - you probably can just leave it as it's mostly cosmetic...but over time you may lose metal or it could infiltrate into other areas.

I would say the impact wrench is a must if your going to be adventuring into car repair and want stuff to go smoothly. There's many instances where I just don't think I could of gotten through with a breaker bar, or it would be REALLY clumsy and inefficient. If I were you I would Just spend 100 bucks and get a CP 734H, it's a budget one and is available all over Amazon.com. You'll never need to buy another impact wrench again and i doesn't suck alot of air (CFM) so you can use it with a modest compressor. Save up for a compressor and don't bother with the electric tools. It's much cheaper in the end to go air...and you can run like 8 dollar die grinders to do anything on the Maxima, as I've cut my drive axles out with an 8 dollar grinder beleive it or not. As well I cut out those parallel link hex bolts with the 8 buck grinder too.

The torch is nothing and you'd be fine with it, just don't stick it on a fuel hose and you'll be fine and cover areas with something that you don't want heated. The control arm hex nuts you speak of may be the Nylock type on yours, so you probably will have to heat them up if they won't break loose.

You can try Loctite Maxi-Coat on those struts too - that's what I used on my new KYB GR-2's a few months ago.

 

great info. thanks guys

 

My thoughts after grabbing that wrench: it's worked for what it was purchased for. It's a little weak and strong nuts/bolts have required a breaker. But it cut down the time on removing/reinstalling my lugnuts, and spring compression went from about an hour to about 10 minutes; so, exactly what I purchased for: as a time saver. Even for the strong stuff it can't loosen, the "impact" may be helping (along with PB Blaster), even if it can't loosen the bolt all the way. Happy with my $60 purchase.

 

In my experience, a cheap impact gun is virtually useless. I have a 1/2" drive Craftsman that often will not budge a bolt, but I also have a 1/2" drive Matco that will break bolts loose everytime. What good is an impact gun if you just have to get out a breaker bar?

 

After burning out my impact lithium-ion powered gun torque was 1050 ft-lb on the advice of a Maxima.org member when I was trying to undo a seize strut bolt, was told "to keep at it".

I got this Ryobi Impact/drill kit 18v lithium-ion 1,500 ft-lb torque for $99 at home Depot.

http://www.shoptoit.ca/brand-ryobi-l...-and/29264915/

Is this a good deal? Other posts here say an air compressor at least 30 gal and preferably 60 gal do the job around car work.

But generally you're looking at 100's of dollars.

 

^that's uh, 1,500 INCH-pounds; about 125 ft-lbs.

 

That's right.

I'm getting a refund right now.

Thanks!

 

I have a Chicago Tools electic impact gun (not cordless) and it had no problem breaking the lug nuts loose in a second on my 03 max. So far I'm happy with it and it was 50 bucks. If it lasts a year, I'd say it was more than worth it. Most harbor freight stuff with motors is suspect but for occasional use, this thing may not be a bad buy.

 

Harbor Freight 1/2" air impact wrench $69.99 (EARTH QUAKE)..700 Ft lbs torque!

 

I bought a harbor freight corded impact for $40 (the cheaper one, that was with a $10 coupon) that's rated at 230lb/ft of torque and so far it takes off lugs with ease. It comes with a 3 month warranty and a 2 year warranty for an extra $10. I expected to break within the 2 years so I paid the extra $10 and I'll be trading it out for a new one when it breaks.

 

Do you mind sending me a link of the one that you have?

 

Think he is talking about this one....

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-elec...nch-68099.html

 

Don't forget to check out local pawn shops for great deals on name brand impact guns too. I would also check craigslist.

 

Anyone interesting in inexpensive used toolboxes (cabinet, mid box, chest)?