Advice on Impact Wrench Setup

[harriw]

Hey folks,

For a few years now I've been using the impact wrench that came in a kit along with my Craftsman Compressor (also came with an air ratchet and an air hammer as well). That included impact wrench is basically a joke though. It quits on me WAY too early to be of much use. My in-laws gave me a new impact wrench and air ratchet for Christmas (I've got great in-laws), but it's not a whole lot beefier than the one I've got and I'm thinking I might get a different one. Before I do that though, I want to run my setup by you guys and make sure I am indeed addressing the "weakest link," by getting a new impact wrench, and that there's not something else I should address first.

My compressor is a 33gal. Craftsman vertical (about 5 years old - not the same as the one they sell now). Goes up to 150psi, and according to the documentation will deliver 6.4 SCFM @ 90psi. I've got a 1/4" NPT quick connect right on the output of the regulator, then use a 25' 3/8" rubber hose with a second 1/4" NPT quick connect on the end that connects to the tool.

My impact wrench runs at 90psi, but only has an ultimate torque rating of 230 ft-lbs.

The new torque wrenches I'm looking at (trying to stay at or under $150) have ultimate torque ratings in the 500 to 550 ft-lb range, and suck in around 5 SCFM. So - do you think I'd be satisfied with this upgrade? Or would I be better off eliminating the compressor-side NPT connector and/or switching to 1/2" hose first? And finally, think 500-550 ft-lbs for an ultimate torque rating would be enough for most ranger-related tasks (balljoint replacement is on the horizon, as well as possibly some other suspension-related items with big-ol' rusty bolts on them). Is "ultimate torque rating" a number I can actually expect to realize, or is it a lofty, pipe-dream-type number that you'd only see under perfect conditions?

One other quickie - I may need a new drain valve for my compressor. Any ideas where I might be able to find a suitable replacement off the shelf? I'm not terribly thrilled with craftsman's drain-valve design, and would prefer not to get their direct replacement if I can find somethign better (and not have to pay shipping).

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

I don't really know about all of that, sounds alright.

This is what I use and have never had an issue,
IR titanium air tools, 60 gal IR compressor, 1/4" fitting on 3/8" x 50' hose

The tools are rated for 90 or 95 PSIG, but I run them all at 120PSIG, with no problems. I also always oil my tools daily and grease them weekly. The Bluepoint swivels I run on my tools don't seem to effect airflow near as much as other ones I've seen/ tried, and they add so much mobility to the tool and take a lot of stress out of your arm.

I've tried other tools, and cheaper tools with no luck. I believe with air tools you really get what you pay for. Don't let the fact of these all costing around $900 scare you, all of these (besides the 3/8 gun she's new) are 4yrs old and have been used hard daily in a shop, with no problems what so ever.
1/2 impact 2135Ti
3/8 impact 2115TiMAX
1107 air ratchet w/ upgraded 1200 head
3102 die grinder

 

[Dweano]

Biggers not always better. Breaks things way easier. I broke a bolt off in my cylinder head with an air impact (but granted that was my own stupidity and you sound a heck of alot smarter than me haha)

 

[harriw]

LOL - yeah, we gotta learn the hard way sometimes...

I broke the head off a suspension bolt on my old focus a few years back using a 3-foot breaker bar (you should have seen the bend in that bar). Wound up cutting through what was left of the bolt and bushing with a saws-all and replacing the whole control arm (and a new bolt). It was seized to the inside of the bushing so I probably would have wound up cutting through it anyway, but I'll always wonder if a stronger impact gun might have cracked it loose without breaking the bolt...

I'm not too concerned about "too much" power - I'll still have the wimpy gun for smaller stuff, and most of the impact guns I'm looking at have adjustable regulators on them for several different power settings. I usually start low and increase the torque as needed. But as I said, I just run out way too soon with my current gun.

Never even thought to add swivels, but I can see how nice that would be..... I'll have to look into that. I am glad to hear though that the 1/4" NPT's and 3/8" hose don't seem to provide too much restriction?

Thanks!

 

[AllanD]

With impact guns the compressor is only a factor if you are doing a lot of work.

Generally speaking the size of the tank on your air compressor determines
how long you can work with the impact gun, the CFM rating of the compressor determines how quickly the compressor recovers.

But the simple truth is an impact gun is probably the air tool that
uses the least ammount of air of common air tools.

Grinders, sanders and such use much more air, impacts are actually
pretty efficient.

As for what impact gun?

I still have my original IR-231, I actually own three of them.

But if I were going to buy a new one I'd be looking at an IR-2131 or
it's replacement the IR-2135 or similar.

But the "classic" IR-231 is THE most popular air tool ever made except for
a Schrader Tire chuck....

AD

 

[harriw]

Thanks AD - can always count on you.

That does make a lot more sense... So the compressor has no problem running a tool with a higher CFM rating than the compressor - it just means that you're draining air faster than the pump can replace it, meaning you will have to take breaks occasionally for the tank to refill? I was thinking that the compressor's CFM rating was a limitation on the air volume the compressor could provide at any given moment...

And as you said, an impact has an extremely low duty cycle (you zip off a bolt or two, then put the tool down for 10 minutes) vs. a sander that you run continuously for those ten minutes...

Thanks again.

-Bill

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

But the "classic" IR-231 is THE most popular air tool ever made except for
a Schrader Tire chuck....

AD

That's also one of the most reliable guns I've ever seen. 600ft/lb isn't bad, but the 6lbs of the gun wears out your arm.
I've only seen one break, it had 9-10 yrs of shop use and was never oiled.

And as for that bit about using CFM. I can sit and hammer on a stuck bolt with my 1/2" impact, say 60 seconds before the compressor kicks on. While my little die grinder will kick on the compressor in say 20 seconds.

 

[warrior24]

I have the IR-2135 its a really good gun I have used it off of a pumpkin porter cable compressor and it did pretty damn good.

 

[notfastenuf4me]

i have a 232gstl ir the thunder gun have it for seven yrs now havent found anything it wont take off if i recall its smethin like 600 or 650ftlbs to tq

 

[TheBeast]

I have a michelin impact, with 3 speeds and all. Worked great, I also use an old military war time 80 something gallon stand up and it goes all the way up into the 200's+ psi. Never run out of air. The michelin did great but it started giving out after a while.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I picked up a Stanley impact gun from wal-mart a couple years back. Supposed to require something like 5.5 cfm @ 90 psi and have like 550 ft/lbs or so. Got a lil 10 gallon oiled compressor and a 10 gallon spare tank and linked the two, figured with 20 gallons of air I'd be good enough... nope. I can put more torque into a breaker bar and 3' cheater pipe than that lil impact... a lot more. I had thought that maybe it was the impact (and granted, maybe if I had an IR gun it might be enough). But then I got to run my impact off of an 80 gallon compressor in a shop, and it was night-and-day difference.

I still keep my 10 gallon compressor, it's fine for running nailguns an stuff, but I'm looking for an 80 gallon compressor and I don't think I'd want to run an impact off of anything smaller than a 60 gallon (unless it was one of those gas-powered ones that really crank out the air).

 

[adsm08]

I run an IR-231G. I run it on my dad's 15 gal craftsman, I run it on my grandpa's 100 gal shop compressor, I run it at the dealership shop off the 1K gal shop air tank. I run it anywhere from 80 to 150 PSI. It has yet to disappoint me. The only time I ever have trouble getting something off with it is on the 15 gal if its a really rusty bolt that I have to sit there hammering on for 5 minutes, only because I drain the tank.

I think I paid $110 w/ tax at Lowes. Got a nice air ratchet and a couple impact sockets and a 3/8 tool to 1/2 socket adapter with it.

Love that gun, that, my power probe III, and my Air Lift kit are my 3 favorite tools. Guess which one I use the most.

 

[Potatoflinger]

I don't know a lot about quality air tools, but for the new drain valve you would probably be fine with just a small ball valve, maybe add an elbow fitting if you need to.

 

[trail B2]

I had the same woes that you did with a cheap air gun I was breaking bolts loose by hand before I put the gun on them.I bought one of those 80.00 dollar 600 ft lb torque at harbor frieght and it works real good.I am a hobbiest and can't justify an expensive gun and i'm trying to make my money work for me.The gun i really like is those IR Titanium ones like redneckkid has are awesome wanted one really really bad but at around 350 dollars just couldn't do it, weighs about half what mine does much nicer oh well.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

IR 2131,best impact I ever had.