Air ratchet

Vanes are starting to go?

What brand?

Gunner, who has (4) 1/2" impact guns, only one of which works worth a shit.

"First Law of Leftist Debate The more you present a leftist with factual evidence that is counter to his preconceived world view and the more difficult it becomes for him to refute it without losing face the chance of him calling you a racist, bigot, homophobe approaches infinity.

This is despite the thread you are in having not mentioned race or sexual preference in any way that is relevant to the subject." Grey Ghost

I've never seen an impact gun that could break lug nuts loose. Now I am sure there are some big bucks units that could do it. Not in my tax bracket however.

--Winston

"Gunner Asch" wrote

It's a new Chicago Pneumatic. And I mean used twice.

Steve

We had some hydraulic ones that we used offshore on 3/4" shaft drilling derrick bolts. One inch head IIRC. It worked awesome, but you had to be careful because it would hurt you.

So, maybe I'm just expecting something from the tool it can't do. Why is it that I think (keyword: think) I saw the guys at the tire store take them off from the get go with an impact? Maybe a 3/4" with more air? I know they use that long clicking torque wrench to cinch them down.

Steve

I have two 1/2 impacts, a Harbor Freight one and a US made one. I use the HF one, on the theory that I want the lesser one to fail first. Even the HF one can loosen my lug nuts.

Could Steve B have a inadequate air hose (too long and too thin)? Some filter clogged?

i

Most 1/2 impacts give you at least 400 ft-lbs of torque. This would be

200 lbs of force on the end of a 24 inch breaker bar. See McMaster-Carr and search for impact wrench. I had no problems removing lug nuts with my Harbor Freight impact. i

The pressure is 110# at the regulator coming off the tank. The hose is 1/2" and about fifty feet long. I can test the psi at the end of the hose.

Steve

If it's that new it probably isn't even broke in. The vanes really need some time to seat before they seal real well. Also check what torque setting you have it on. Most have settings for both directions.

Also it is OK to remove lug nuts with a gun. BUT DO NOT put them back on with one. Not a good idea as it can damage the wheel and even distort the brake rotors enough to cause brake pulsing.

I use two OLD CP 1/2" guns, a CP butterfly and a couple zip guns and ratchets. Other than a yearly flushing and making sure they get oiled and new vanes as needed they just keep going. Which is good as most of the current CP line are imports.

Ive got 2 of the HF electric guns as well..and they both work very well.

Gunner

"First Law of Leftist Debate The more you present a leftist with factual evidence that is counter to his preconceived world view and the more difficult it becomes for him to refute it without losing face the chance of him calling you a racist, bigot, homophobe approaches infinity.

This is despite the thread you are in having not mentioned race or sexual preference in any way that is relevant to the subject." Grey Ghost

Yes on break in. When I got a cheapo IR it seemed pretty wimpy when I first tried it out, but after a few minutes of use it got considerably better.

It's ok to spin the nuts back on with an IR *if* you only spin them down to contact and then finish with a torque wrench to final torque in at least two passes around the lugs.

The ~$200 Ingersol Rand 1/2" gun has no problem breaking loose the single lug NUT on the Porsche after it has been torqued to the required

340 foot pounds.

What CFM does your compressor put out? I've only ever had problems with my impacts when I used small, low (4-6) cfm, compressors.

-- Smitty

You do have it on the maximum power setting? Mine has 4 settings on the knob at the bottom of the handle.

Mine (an 1/2" I-R) has such a knob, marked I, II, III and IV. However, the very skimpy instruction book failed to mention any correspondence to actual torque values; Is I the highest or lowest torque, how does one translate that to F-P?

thanks,

scott

On 4/22/2010 9:05 PM, Steve B wrote: (...)

Must be the big bucks tool with the mucho cajones option, as you say.

--Winston

I get what I pay for? Where have I heard *that* before?

:)

--Winston

Remember pressure isn't all what it cracks up to be.

There is static pressure - can be anything bleeding through a pin hole and building up to the pressure of the line. There is dynamic pressure - measured when the normal or extreme flow is occurring.

On my plasma machine - it is plain to see - static at 100 psi while dynamic is down to 85. I have multiple filters in line and a chiller. The line is ok - should be larger but I don't use more. Any pressure drop from static to dynamic is small enough that I get enough and then some for me.

Martin

Steve B wrote:

I actually have the manual with it. I shall have to refer to it tomorrow. I've been in LA for the last couple of days, as Gunner would say. Will check the CFM rating of the compressor, and if there is a variable power adjustment on this particular gun.

Steve