Got Me an Air Impact Wrench Today!

[bmoha2]

I bought mine when I did the clutch on the Talon!

 

[the_mork]

Heh, I might have to do that sort of thing to my jeep, same engine but the air conditioning was ripped out before I bought it, maybe I'll pick up a compressor for $35 and make something.

 

[97 4G63]

So are you guys saying I don't need to get the huge compressors to use an impact wrench say to remove manifold bolts on our DSMs as long as I wait 30 seconds after each bolt or burst?

So I can get those small 5-7gallon one and will do fine for an impact wrench to remove those hard bolts on our car?

Yeah a small compressor will work just fine for air tools but you just have to wait for it to fill up.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Heh, I might have to do that sort of thing to my jeep, same engine but the air conditioning was ripped out before I bought it, maybe I'll pick up a compressor for $35 and make something.

If you don't already have the compressor and you need to buy one...Look up the YORK air compressor. It fits into the stock location but its a REAL air compressor with built in lubrication!

You will need a Tank, a one way valve(check valve) and a pressure switch. I got the bendix Check valve and the pressure switch off ebay for under 15 bucks.

 

[project_tsi]

Being a technician, air tools are my ticket to actually making money.

 

[DSMunknown]

I've got about four of these lying around the garage. Probably just me, but I like to stick with the ol' fashion ratchets, sockets, adapters, wrenches, breaker bars, torque bars and extensions. I like doing things the hard way. I resort to the air wrench as a 2nd or 3rd option.

 

[turboglenn]

You're trying to tell me you've actually worked on your 10 year old DSM in the past without an impact wrench? WTF



You'll have a pile of air tools in no time.

HA, i would be so very lost without my air tools, once you've bought one, then after the second you won't stop, then you'll be searching for a larger compressor to run cutt-off wheels and die grinders for longer periods shortly there after

If it weren't for air tools, I'd probably still be back in the stone age of wrenching and just paying to have some things done for me.

I like the jeep compressor, but I'll never get to do that because i love my AC too much

And a few words of advice like others have said. Don't use your impact to tighten bolts, you can run long ones in with it to save time, but let off the trigger before the bolt bottoms out. I've seen so many pieces of cars ruined from people impacting bolts or lug nuts on. Always do the final tighten by hand so you can feel where the bolt is at, better yet a torque wrench can be had for 30 bucks at a auto parts store and will help you even more. You can feel a lot of bolts between 10 - 14 mm heads with your hand strength but on anything bigger i like to use a torque wrench. Put your lug nuts anywhere from 70 - 90 ft/lbs and check them often if you have aluminum rims. Can't count how many aluminum rims and brake rotors I've seen ruined by people using an impact set on high to run the nuts on all the way. I set my impact on "2" @ 90psi for running my lug nuts on, this leaves them at right around 70 ft/lbs as long as i don't sit there and let the impact hammer them on, then i final torque them to 90 with a torque wrench. The reason to torque lugs to save brakes is that when all your lugs are different torque settings, there's different amounts of pressure on the rotors while they heat and cool, this makes them warp even faster if you drive hard into corners, brake hard often, etc..

When i'm working pit crew on porsche club cars we torque all the lugs EVERYTIME the driver comes in from the track.

 

[Locke]

I set my impact on "2" @ 90psi for running my lug nuts on, this leaves them at right around 70 ft/lbs as long as i don't sit there and let the impact hammer them on, then i final torque them to 90 with a torque wrench.

I don't put lug buts on without a torque stick. Safer as it limits torque transmission, and faster as it allows me to zip the nut closer to spec. It only takes a couple of seconds with the torque wrench on each wheel to finish up.

 

[awdrst]

Is that a 1/2" drive though? I like the 3/8" drive cause its REALLY small and fits into tight spots. Plus I use mostly 3/8" sockets

Snap on has a 3/8 cordless impact that is amazing. I've got tons and tons of airtools but that is always the first impact tool I reach for. It takes off wheels, head studs and pretty much anything else on the car.