"." [email protected] wrote in message
...
dave wrote:
I've been toying with the idea of getting an impact wrench. (battery
elect. driven). I do the (all too) occasional work on the car etc and
have heard how useful these thing are supposed to be (eg getting
rusted nuts off etc). From what I can see though, it'd be tricky to
get something the size of the wrenches I've seen anywhere near an
exhaust nut!

go easy on the exhaust nuts if they are into the manifold. it's all too
easy to shear the stud off resulting in a right nightmare job.

in garages, I used to use a 1/2" air driven driver with what we used to
call a 'squiggle'. like a universal joint for impact wrenches but not to
be confused with the crappy angle socket adaptors found in socket
sets. can't remember the /real/ name for them, ask any snap-on man
for an exhaust nut squiggle, he'll know what you're on about.

natch, you'll need some extension bars.

hth


The wiggle sockets are called universal sockets (snap-on) each one is about
thirty pounds, they consist of an impact socket with a sort of limited arc
cv joint in the middle, but money well spent as you can do many jobs that
would otherwise require dismantling. For instance the bolt that secures the
ball joint on an escort suspension arm can be undone with a universal and an
air wrench without removing the wheel. Many crank pulley bolts and cam
wheel bolts can be got with a universal too. Propshaft bolts, exhaust
bolts, gearbox bolts etc.

mrcheerful