impact wrenches 1/2 or 3/4

gsont · Post by **gsont** » Mon May 14, 2012 3:06 pm

What are the opinions on impact wrenches? Will a 3/4 snap off bolts, or is a 1/2 to light. I don't do too much on old heavy machinery, everything I usually work on I can get with a breaker bar. I must be getting old or lazy to think of a impact. Any thoughts on the matter would be helpful and appericated. gsont

Willyr · Post by **Willyr** » Mon May 14, 2012 3:42 pm

This also depends on your air pressure.

When I worked in a tire shop in Ellsworth Maine. We used 1/2" guns on everything. Only time we grabbed the 3/4 or 1 inch gun were for tires with a 1-1/2 - 2 inch lug nut. Putting them back on we would stick with the 3/4, the 1 inch would break stuff.

A 3/4" gun is heavy! A 1/2" gun will be easier for you to wield over a long time.

The question about air pressure. Most home compressors will only go to 100 to 120 psi. At work we had 180 psi. Mind you, using a gun at 180 psi, you will destroy that gun in 6 months of every day use.

Lu47Dan · Post by **Lu47Dan** » Mon May 14, 2012 10:14 pm

Spend the money on a good 1/2" impact, I-R, C-P or a Craftsman.
I have an I-R that is heavy to use but it will usually remove all but the most stubborn bolts. I do own a 1" impact but it has only been used here once. I lent it to a friend and could get it back anytime I need it but it is too big a pig for what I do, I bought it and a set of sockets in a box of junk at an auction sale for $25 about twenty years ago. He uses it about once a month. I was buying the box of junk for the rebar ties and the tools that were thrown in to sweeten the deal. The impact was a bonus.

Buy one of these and a Milwaukee Driver set.

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-c3-1 ... ockType=L1
I have two of them and they are very good for the light stuff.
I also own one of these,

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-3-8- ... ockType=L7
It is a handy little impact for the stuff the cordless one won't handle but is too small for my I-R 1/2" impact.
Dan.

whiteclipse16 · Post by **whiteclipse16** » Tue May 15, 2012 6:09 am

I don't know exactly what you're using it one but I'd say a 1/2" would be sufficient. I think one of the other issues with the 3/4" is the fact that it's too big to get into some places. There's times I can't get a 1/2" into places where I'd like to.
My dad has the craftsman pistol grip one mentioned above and it works great. Not an I-R but it's still shocked me.
I got a kobalt one in a set and it looks pretty good. I haven't used it much to see just what it will do. I know it doesn't have quite the torque that the craftsman one does.

Post by **Lavoy** » Tue May 15, 2012 7:56 am

Breaking the bolt depends on the size of the bolt, and the torque of the gun. If you are careful on the trigger, you won't break much with either one.
My answer to the question however would be both, plus add a 3/8" to the mix, but I probably use my stuff more than the average guy.
For 1/2", I would look at the IR2135, for 3/4", an IR Titanium, that is what I have, and it is just a little heavier than a 1/2" wrench, but with gobs of torque. This is the only 3/4" I have owned that will take 5/8" track pad bolts off. I personally use a Snap On Shockwave for a 1/2", but had the IR2135 been out when I bought it, I probably would not have.
Lavoy

Scottyb · Post by **Scottyb** » Tue May 15, 2012 10:41 pm

If I could only keep one of my impact wrenches it would be without question my 1/2 in. electric plug in, and my 100' cord. It travels everywhere with me (as well as my cordless impact, that gets used the most of all of them, with all the adapters for all my sockets 1/4 up to 3/4 inch drives)
My air impacts are helpless without the compressor. I spend very little time working on anything in one place, my equipment is spread out in several locations and often I will take a small generator with me when needed. My 110 volt impact is 20 years old and still goes strong whenever it is used.

If you are mobile like me, electric works well.

Scott

Willyr · Post by **Willyr** » Wed May 16, 2012 12:26 am

Scott? Why not use a inverter and run it off the power of your vehicle?

Scottyb · Post by **Scottyb** » Wed May 16, 2012 12:55 am

Willyr, I did not know that a converter would have the power to run more than radios etc. I would use one for sure if it will work. I never tried one.

Scott

Willyr · Post by **Willyr** » Wed May 16, 2012 4:58 am

You can get inverters to huge. But you also need battery to run larger.

If you have a diesel pickup with dual batteries you could run a 5k
inverter with the engine running. You didnt specify how much your
generator was rated at.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200422354

Item# 4575000
Was $649.99
Sale $529.99
This high-efficiency NPower portable inverter converts virtually all of the
battery's available power to AC current. Suitable for contractors who
operate power tools near their vehicle. Features high surge capacity for
devices that require more power to start.

Power Supply 12V lead-acid battery
Continuous Watts 4,000–5,000
AC Outlets (qty.) 4
USB Ports (qty.) 1
LED Indicators Digital
Low Battery Protection Yes
High Temperature Protection Yes
Overload Protection Yes
Low Voltage Protection Yes
Cables Included No
Battery Included No
Manufacturer Warranty 12 months parts / 12 months labor
Ship Weight 32.0 lbs

*USB support is for computer users. The USB will notify a computer that
in 5 minutes it will shut down, so the computer will warn you that you
need to shut down before you lose power.

Pammark · Post by **Pammark** » Thu May 17, 2012 8:07 am

Inverters work real nice. Our church cemetery has a small sistern near the shack with a hand pump on it. The old ladies trying to water their flowers could not pump the ole pump enough to get any water. So I rigged up a solar cell to a car battery inside the shack in a box. I have a solenoid operated from a door bell push switch. This is connected to an inverter that convers the 12V to 110V for the sump pump in the sistern. The pump is plumbed to a utility sink. Hold button in and water blows out the faucet.

Inverters are rated in watts of power. To calculate the watts from your hand tool, look on the label for watts or amps. Probably amps will be listed. To convert amps to watts use the following equation; watts = volts X amps. So lets put some numbers in. Lets say the hand tool pulls 5 amps. Insert the numbers and you have watts = 110 volts X 5 amps. The answer is 550 watts. Pick a converter that is a little above the watts. You can get a nice inverter for 700 watts at Harbor Freight for $50.00 or so.

Mark

waterman28 · Post by **waterman28** » Thu May 17, 2012 9:06 am

1/2 is plenty for almost everything but big lug nuts. They sell some with high torque but they cost a little more. I bought a 18 volt cordless impact wrench from sears and love it I take it everywhere. It doesn't have the power of my air powered impact but it doesn't need a compressor and a hose either. lots of options out there.

Scottyb · Post by **Scottyb** » Thu May 17, 2012 11:45 am

I am thinking I will be buying a inverter.
My impact wrench uses 7.5 amps or 840 watts but I also use a skill saw and metal cut off saw that each draw 15 a or 1800 watts. So I think 1800 watts plus another 500 more for lights etc., for working in the dark, I need minimum 2300.

So I will use that as a base and see what is available locally first and compare to the website Willyr attached to his recent post (by the way, thanks Willyr for the info).

I have been using a smaller 1500 watt Honda generator when I needed portable power but, It really works hard when running a saw. I also have a 4500 watt 220v gas unit but it is really heavy to load on and off so it gets used mostly for back up when we have power outages at home or work.

Scott

Willyr · Post by **Willyr** » Thu May 17, 2012 4:29 pm

With the inverter there is a on off switch you can hook up remotely. Put the on off in the cab and the inverter some where the water wont get to it. Toggle on when you need power. Toggle off when your done. A easy install would be to hook it up to the accessory of your ignition. Then and only when you turn to accessory will the inverter turn on. It may be a fuse in your vehicles fuse box, there are piggy back connectors that you can attach on the fuse.

Your welcome for the link. Google 2500 watt Cobra inverter. They tend to be around $200 or less.

whiteclipse16 · Post by **whiteclipse16** » Fri May 18, 2012 7:28 am

Just a note on the inverters. I know it doesn't matter for this discussion but it's worth noting.
Cheaper inverters do not put out a very "clean" 60Hz for the 110V. This can be a problem if your running things that have sensitive circuit boards and such in them.

Willyr · Post by **Willyr** » Fri May 18, 2012 1:43 pm

Cobra inverters are widely used in the trucking industry. They are inexpensive, yet that has not detracted from the quality. To the best of my knowledge, I have yet to see a thread begin on thetruckersreport forum about failed inverters.

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impact wrenches 1/2 or 3/4

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