Impact wrench and compressor

[dirtyfingernails]

A bit of a peripheral question. I have a deuce coming soon and wanted to move up to a compressor and impact wrench set up--1/4 to 3/4-ton trucks didn't require it. Anyway, I spent nearly all my scratch getting th truck. Can someone recommend a compressor and impact wrench brand and capactiies that could do the job of working on my truck? I know that air rate and tank holding capacity are important and someone said recently (here) that 3/4 inch drive is a must. Could I just run down to Lowe's or Sears and pick something up? I don't want bottom of the line crap, but can't afford Matco either. Please advise.
Thanks!
Steve

 

[clinto]

Try to buy an Ingersol-Rand air compressor. They are good units and I have had very good luck with their stuff. Buy a unit with an iron block.

If you ever plan on using air tools that have a heavy volume requirement (like a sand blaster, glass bead cabinet, dual action sander) try to buy a 2 stage compressor.

Harbor Freight pccassionally runs a 1" impact for $99 or $119, keep your eye open. For a home hobbyist, it is fine.

 

[mangus580]

Steve, I can say, I just bought a 1/2" Earthquake from harbor freight for about $80. Running from the glad hand on the back of my deuce, it removes the lugnuts....

My suggestion, start there, and work your way up as $ allows...

 

[sermis]

Spend the extra $$$ and get one with enough CFM’s to run your tools and have air left over. I have a stand up from Tractor Supply and it want keep up. I think it’s about 10 cfm @ 90 psi. Hay it was free. I was running my ½” impact last weekend breaking down some combat rims. Hooked an air line from the deuce and an air line from a 4 gallon small compressor into my air lines in the shop and it helped but still could not keep up. However the impack is almost worn out.
I agree with Ingersol-Rand

 

[jasonjc]

Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

Steve, I can say, I just bought a 1/2" Earthquake from harbor freight for about $80. Running from the glad hand on the back of my deuce, it removes the lugnuts....

My suggestion, start there, and work your way up as $ allows...

They have air compressors to.
I have a portable 3hp30gal too small then a sears 6hp 60gal(11scfm@90) it works fine for most tools like paint guns impacts(even my 1")cuttoff wheels. It works for my small blastcabint but just baerly. It gets REAL hot, the tank gets to110. Have one on order from www.eatoncompressor.com Its a 71/2hp 80 gal 26scfm@175 should to every thing I want or need to do. this is only my

 

[bigmike]

I tried to go cheap and returned my compressor (3) times. That means disconnecting, hauling back into the truck, unloading, re-loading replacement compressor etc. I gave up and bought an ingersol-rand. Paid about $1K with the synthetic start up kit. No problems at all. I paint, run air tools, sand blast. Take it from me, it's not worth the aggrevation.

 

[WillWagner]

I run a CP 7XX off of the gladhand at the rear of the truck. Works OK, but you gotta let the system recharge between nuts. On the other hand, I have a Craftsman 220 volt, 30 gallon for home use, if I use 1/2 inch line, blows the lugs right off with little effort. I've painted, overhauled engines, inflated rafts, sanded, air hammered, drilled and more with it, it's 25 years old, ind it still works great!

 

[SierraHotel]

While in theory all of this is nice, I understand the issue about short funds. My lug nuts were welded on…broke my Roboimpact. Was pretty down in the dumps. Roboimpact broke (bye bye investment); air impact with a short ½ inch line was doing nothing…a 3/4 “ Chinese breaker bar sheared off (ok, a 10’ conduit sort of helped its demise). Took a $15.00 ¾” breaker bar from Harbor Freight and started bouncing my ample butt on it and after awhile…presto, the nuts came off. Worked with all of them and is still working well with me. Now, I could have gone out and spent some serious bucks that I really do not have on more air stuff than I already have. Fortunately, we tried the breaker bar and that worked…and was quite economical. I agree with the general opinion that Harbor Freight stuff is typically disposable, but every once in awhile…

 

[gimpyrobb]

While I do have a 2 stage air comp, it is not needed for lots of cfm, just high pressure. Look at ebay, I have a champion brand comp. I have seen the pump and an 80 gal. tank go for 250 very often. Also, I know a few guys who run two medium duty pumps. One takes care of everyday use and the second kicks in for extra volume.

 

[rizzo]

I have a 11gal air tank from TSC with a 1/2 T installed so i can run a 1/2 inch airline from it that goes to my 3/4 earthquake from harbor freight.

35 for the tank, 189 I think for the gun. then whatever the hose and a couple brass fittings cost. you will also have to get a hose to go from the gladhand on the truck to the tank.

works good for now

 

[rizzo]

kenny has pic of the tank I copied his design (good thing he didn't have time to patent it)

 

[houdel]

Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

...a 3/4 “ Chinese breaker bar sheared off (ok, a 10’ conduit sort of helped its demise). Took a $15.00 ¾” breaker bar from Harbor Freight and started bouncing my ample butt on it and after awhile…presto, the nuts came off.

I also broke TWO elcheapo Chinese breaker bars on my truck. My suggestion - Get a GOOD US made 3/4" breaker bar (one that will be replaced if it breaks) and the Harbor Freight 1/2" Earthquake impact wrench. Use the breaker bar with a pipe extension to bust the bolts loose, then drive them back on with impact wrench. That way you know the impact wrench will be able to get them back off again. Wrap your breaker bar with duct tape so the extension does not mark up the breaker bar handle so you can still exchange it if it breaks!

No need to use brute force to get the lug nuts off either - there was a neat trick on a much earlier posting on how to use the breaker bar and extension to get the lug nuts off without breaking your back. Put the lug wrench, breaker bar and extension on the nut so the end of the extension is on the ground. Then drive the truck forward or backward as appropriate to bust the nut loose. I can't find the original thread, but here is a photo of me doing the same thing to bust my pinion nut loose to replace a leaking pinion seal. I put the socket on the pinion nut and C clamped the breaker bar with extension to my leaf spring, then drove the truck forward. Nicely loosened the nut, and I didn't break a sweat doing it!

 

[Tomtsled]

RE: Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

Upon the recommendation of some of the fellows here, I recently ordered an 1/2 inch earthquake gun on eBay, however I only paid about $ 20 for mine. If you go to the search on eBay and type in earthquake gun it will go right to them. They have more for sale. I also got a 13 piece 1/2" Craftsman deep socket set for 10 bucks on eBay.

 

[dirtyfingernails]

RE: Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

As excpected, a wide range of opinions and suggestions. I've never had much luck with Harbor Freight crap myself. You know what they say, "cheap man pays the most." I will try to get the Ingersol-rand compressor--and probably a 1/2 inch drive wrench. Is there a limit on the amount of torque delivered by an impact wrench? Also, what's more important, capacity or cfm? I don't quite understand. What cfm and capacity would be needed for a 1/2 inch drive set up? Thanks again!
Steve

 

[DMgunn]

RE: Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

I've tried most of the mid- to high-end impacts out there, and for the money, the old-standby Chicago Pneumatic CP-734 (H?) is hands down the best for the money. Less than $100 on sale, and 425 ft.-lbs. of torque in reverse. The Snappy's are fine, but not worth the money IMO, and I would avoid the IR impacts altogether, although I do agree that they make fine compressors. DO NOT go cheap on couplers and nipples. You will lose noticeable RPM's (i.e. power) with the crap like Monkey Grip and all the other asian garbage. I use Milton everywhere. Good quality and about the same price...

I've added a coupler to my top air tank in place of the plug. Haven't used it yet, but don't foresee any problems with this setup. I will be able to use any air hose with the Milton M fittings.

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

I would go with a higher cfm over capacity anyday. Your tools should have a cfm "need" posted some where. If you can't feed them the required cfm, you will not get the rated performance. I hate to wait for an air system to catch-up. More reserve is just a bandaid in my opinion. CFM is everything.

 

[dirtyfingernails]

RE: Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

Cool, thanks. I'll start looking today. High CFM! Thanks for the explanations.
Steve

 

[nf6x]

RE: Re: RE: Impact wrench and compressor

I agree with others on getting the biggest and best air compressor you can afford. I'd stay away from the "oilless" ones. I have a 5HP Campbell-Hausfeld with a 26 gallon tank. It runs things like impact wrenches just fine, but has trouble keeping up with extended die grinding or sandblasting.

My 3/4" impact wrench and sockets are imports from TP Tools, and they've worked well for me. I don't see the imported 3/4" wrench on their web site now, though. In general, I think the cheap imported air tools and bottle jacks are fine for hobbyist use if you don't have the funds to buy the good stuff at 5x-10x the cost.

Buy US-made air hoses, though... the Chinese ones are disturbingly stretchy, the rubber decomposes quickly, and the rubber stinks powerful bad!

Also, I would not skimp on breaker bars, hand wrenches, sockets, etc. You can gash yourself badly when a cheap one breaks.