impact wrench, to buy or not to buy
 

In article ,
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!

Still, I appreciated views on;

The general usefulness of impact wrenches Any recommendation as to
make/model (£100 limit for me) 1/2 or 3/8?

I've got an unbranded 1/2" drive one bought ages ago for about 25 quid as
it seemed like a good idea. It works ok. But really does little a breaker
bar at less cost can't. Trouble is that for things like removing a
crankshaft pulley bolt where impact would be great it won't fit - whereas
the breaker bar hit with a hammer does.

--
*See no evil, Hear no evil, Date no evil.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

impact wrench, to buy or not to buy
 

In article ,
dave wrote:
Actually there are two items I'd have like to have to hand for those
occasional (*&*($%^^* nuts 'n bolts. The impact wrench (just be to able
to try it) and a small say, mouse sized, angle grinder type thing
(specific enough :) ? ) Does such a thing even exist I wonder?

Dremmel? Although it's not something I've tried for this.

A great use for the latter would have a been a very weeks ago trying to
get some exhaust nuts off. I could get at them ok but with rounded edges
etc no way to turn them - and in any case the bolt sections were heavily
corroded. I ended up slicing them with a junior hacksaw, small chisel,
bendy screwdriver, swearing and yes - the hammer treatment.

Have you got a nut splitter? And if you intend keeping the car brass
replacement nuts can make sense for some uses around the exhaust.

--
*Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

impact wrench, to buy or not to buy
 

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 09:25:28 GMT, dave wrote:


Actually there are two items I'd have like to have to hand for those occasional
(*&*($%^^* nuts 'n bolts. The impact wrench (just be to able to try it) and a
small say, mouse sized, angle grinder type thing (specific enough :) ? ) Does
such a thing even exist I wonder?

I have a nut splitter thing for removing stubborn nuts:

http://www.northerntool.com/images/p.../150244_lg.gif

It works well on brass nuts that are generally used on exhaust
systems.

With steel nuts it generally distorts them enough to allow them to be
removed.

sponix

impact wrench, to buy or not to buy
 

In article ,
Sponix wrote:
It works well on brass nuts that are generally used on exhaust
systems.

Are they using these again? However, I've never had a brass nut seize -
it's far more likely it has been over tightened and the threads stripped.

With steel nuts it generally distorts them enough to allow them to be
removed.

Assuming you can get it on square it should split those too.

As well as the type you show, I've got one with open jaws - looks a bit
like a micrometer. Can be useful where space is limited to have the choice.

--
*Modulation in all things *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.