@JuniorMint…I believe that an impact wrench, when properly used, will allow you to remove a stuck hex head bolt better than a breaker bar. Don’t forget the liberal application of PB Blaster before you attempt the removal of the bolt or nut. In my hands…a breaker bar just becomes a tool to snap off bolts or nuts. When a nut or bolt is in a position to be easily removed…I actually just tighten them until they snap off.
@db4690 that one is 400 fp, the Craftsman is 350 fp. the HF ones are about half that. it is looking like I am forced into getting that one because I’m not going to get an enormous AC, even though I’d love to get a good air IW. this is related to my torch thread - going to skip the torch for the impact wrench.
I have one of those hammer impact drivers. I have used it once on my son’s old Acura brake disc. Don’t know if I’ll ever use it again so if you want to borrow it let me know. It was good for the phillips screw that is easy to strip, and hard to get a good grip on it to get it out. It rotates very very little on each impact so is worthless for anything except about a 10 degree turn to loosen a fastener. Torx, Hex, star, etc. screws do not have the same problem of stripping out as a phillips. Those little battery drivers I think are very popular for general fastener work if you want something easier and faster than manual. Stepping up from that for heavy duty is an air or electric impact gun. Just depends what you need to do. You can have a whole garage full of tools for various uses.
everything I said was in consideration of a 1/2-inch impact wrench (wrench, so, inconsistent with the thread title)… but it seems I might get away with 3/8-inch (with less than 100 fp torque) with the compressor I have…
so for a 19mm bolt, would a 3/8-inch IW at less than 100 fp torque get the job done? I think the corded 1/2-inch IW at 350 fp would be obviously better…
bringing up another fundamental question - what reason is there for IW’s to use air as the driving force instead of an electric motor?
If you are thinking of buying a pneumatic impact wrench, don’t worry so much about the CFM of your compressor. Impact wrenches are used in short spurts, and thus don’t really use that much air. Also, buy a good one. I have an I-R 231C impact wrench, and I can take 2 wheels off a car without draining my 17 gallon tank much. You have to worry about CFM when you use air tools like die grinders that run for longer periods of time.
Electric (corded and cordless) impact wrenches just aren’t practical to use all day long
The batteries will run out of juice after awhile (no problem if you have another fully charged battery ready)
But the real problem, in my opinion, is that a high quality air impact wrench has way more torque
The electric version of a tool – compared to the air version w/equivalent functionality – will generally weigh more too. A factor if you are using it a lot. But the most important issue, electric vs air, the electric version will probably be larger than the air version. The advantage of the air tool is the motor is remotely located. In car repair the key word for tools is “access”.
In real estate: “Location, location, location.”
In Auto Repair: “Access, access, access.”
I-R 231C impact wrench, and I can take 2 wheels off a car without draining my 17 gallon tank much
so what is the cfm matchup here? that model is over 6 pounds, 300-350 fp, and calls for lubrication in-line with the compressor as well.
I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over the in-line lubrication
Squirt some air tool oil in the inlet before each use
Second on db4690. I just put a couple drops of air tool oil in the inlet before I use it. It probably uses about 4 CFM when it is full-throttled, but as I said, it only needs used in short spurts. It will break a wheel nut loose and spin it completely off the stud in about a second. I run it through a regulator at about 95 PSI with a 3/8 ID hose. My compressor (17 gal.) shuts off at about 135 PSI and turns on at 105. I can take two wheels off of my van (10 nuts) without it turning the compressor back on. My kids had cheap little 1 gallon compressors and that wrench would take a wheel of with one of those compressors. Just be careful if you re-install wheels with it. I thread the nuts on with my fingers, use the air wrench to bottom the nuts real quick, and finish up with a torque wrench. The I-R 231 is powerful enough to do damage!
one reason I ask all this : I have a 19mm bolt that hasn’t moved in over 10 years - I already asked this, but is an impact wrench going to work better than a breaker bar? would it be better to try the IW first?
I can see already sitting there trying everything I can get my hands on, but I need to know if the IW is going to be a valuable help in removing stuck fasteners (given penetrating oil or heat)
I don’t know…The percussive nature of the impact wrench might make a big difference, but I’ve found some of the cheap ones don’t do much. An 18 inch breaker bar will supply a heck of a lot of torque if you can give it a good tug. I’d hit it with some penetrating oil and try that first. A good impact wrench was a good investment for me because I do the brakes on my cars, and my free time is scarce enough that I don’t want to spend it spinning wheel nuts off with hand tools.
I have a Chicago Electric corded electric impact wrench and it works better than my 350 ft lb air impact fed by my 4 hp 21 gallon compressor. I have been using it for about 10 years every time I rotate my tires or do a brake job. It wouldn’t do for a pro but it is great for a DIY. I have a 3/8 air socket wrench that I yse for removing multiple small bolts.
For large fasteners that truly won’t move I have found nothing that beats an 18 " breaker bar with a 4 1/2 foot piece of steel pipe over it.
I also have an old Craftsman impact driver that is indispensable when you need it. I would say it isn’t either or, you really need both.
For a large nut such as on a wheel bearing, breaker bar and a five foot pipe always worked for me, plus you need someone stepping on the brake or you’ll just spin the tire. I have cheapo air tools and they seem to work fine for the limited use I have. The biggest thing is that they are far less efficient with air so they take a lot more and empty the tank a lot faster than a quality tool. Just depends what your needs are. A lot of times though, I need to manually break the nut loose, then use the impact for taking it off and putting it on again. The big quality tools will do the whole job but I’m not into spending $500 or more on an impact wrench that gets used once a month.
You need to specify what this 19mm bolt is. For example, if it is a 19mm crankshaft bolt on a Honda or Acura, then, no, your 1/2" drive impact wrench is unlikely to break it loose. As some have already mentioned, a breaker bar with a cheater pipe is the way to go. You would also need the balancer holding tool as well.
I wouldn’t spend $500 on an impact wrench, either. My Ingersoll-Rand was about $150. Well worth it IMO.
@AlanY brake caliper-to-trailing arm (I think) bolt. … “balancer holding tool”… what’s that?
@doubleclutch - huh - so it is less than $200… interesting… 'course they want you to get a high-performance IR air compressor though.
another general question I was trying to come up with: so the breaker bar is going to have effects e.g. turning the wheel, or pushing whatever the bolt is attached to. does the impact wrench design avoid this, I think by the - as was pointed out - acceleration?
so in practical terms, I am imagining I can simply pull the trigger and magic happens right in front of me, but a breaker bar has you pushing and pushing while the car is shifting around. I know with the breaker, I am always concerned that - especially with stuck bolts - I’ll knock/push the car off the jackstands.
I do all sorts of side jobs at my house, using jackstands
I’ve never knocked a vehicle off the jackstands, even when using a breaker bar
Use common sense and everything will be fine
Thanks @db4690, however the question is about whether I have it correct that where a breaker bar can shove the whole car, the impact wrench focuses all the energy so just the bolt moves.