Impact Wrench which one? Help

[deema]

So, I’ve decided I need an impact wrench, and Im staggered by the variety that’s out there. I’ve narrowed it down to being from the Milwaukee stable. Why Milwaukee, well, because it seems to be the workhouse in the mechanics garages I have visited. What do I want it for? I’m after something that will drive 1/2” sockets and be suitable for wheel studs, brake callipers and all the underbody stuff that needs a good bit of umph to get off. In my youth I used to enjoy tinkering with my cars, but was lucky to have company cars for all of my working life and now I’m back to fixing / servicing my own vehicles. The biggest brute in my garage is a Renault Traffic van and I want something up to the task of tackling it.

I’ve looked at the specs of the Milwaukee range and then started to wonder, the force I need to bust off rusted on a nut / stud is a lot higher than the torque required to fasten it properly……but how much is enough? I don’t know and haven’t the experience to know. So far, a good old 6 point spanner and a persuading tool carefully calibrated has busted off the little devils, which doesn’t tell me what force was needed. So, I’d appreciate your thoughts and insights in to what to buy…..what torque range should I be looking in, and well, is Milwaukee the best tool to get? I’m not invested in any real way in battery tools, all my tools are typically machines with a few hand battery operated tools. I buy once cry once, so price is the driving factor.

 

[Jameshow]

Renault traffic I'd suggest a hippo lighter!

Milwaukee will be good. Are you going to get more? As ranges differ?

 

[Dibs-h]

So, I’ve decided I need an impact wrench, and Im staggered by the variety that’s out there. I’ve narrowed it down to being from the Milwaukee stable. Why Milwaukee, well, because it seems to be the workhouse in the mechanics garages I have visited. What do I want it for? I’m after something that will drive 1/2” sockets and be suitable for wheel studs, brake callipers and all the underbody stuff that needs a good bit of umph to get off. In my youth I used to enjoy tinkering with my cars, but was lucky to have company cars for all of my working life and now I’m back to fixing / servicing my own vehicles. The biggest brute in my garage is a Renault Traffic van and I want something up to the task of tackling it.

I’ve looked at the specs of the Milwaukee range and then started to wonder, the force I need to bust off rusted on a nut / stud is a lot higher than the torque required to fasten it properly……but how much is enough? I don’t know and haven’t the experience to know. So far, a good old 6 point spanner and a persuading tool carefully calibrated has busted off the little devils, which doesn’t tell me what force was needed. So, I’d appreciate your thoughts and insights in to what to buy…..what torque range should I be looking in, and well, is Milwaukee the best tool to get? I’m not invested in any real way in battery tools, all my tools are typically machines with a few hand battery operated tools. I buy once cry once, so price is the driving factor.

I work on our cars - in all fairness, even though I have a cordless Bosch 18v impact driver that "says" 200Nm of torque, I've never used it on a car. I've found for 99% of what I need to remove,

- a 3/8" ratchet is ok,
- If it looks like it won't, then the 3 foot 1/2" breaker bar works (and I have a 3 foot length of steel pipe to slide over it if it's a hub bolt or something),
- maybe twice I've got the 240v impact driver out (450Nm), but that's more likely to snap the bolt if it's that stuck.

What's actually on my list of things to buy for the annoying rusted on bolts\nuts is one of those induction heater gadgets that will get the nut\bolt head glowing cherry red in a few mins and then some wax or Plusgas should help it come out without any further issues.

 

[deema]

@Dibs-h @Sideways and I were changing the brakes and anti roll bar links in the van, a 3’ bar wouldn’t fit the wheel well and took more cups of tea and swearing than it should have

 

[HOJ]

and I have a 3 foot length of steel pipe to slide over it if it's a hub bolt or something

Scaffold pole works well, my impact driver is air driven, no idea of its torque, cheap and not tied in to a battery solution, having said that I have used my 18v Makita impact driver as well with 1/4" to 1/2" adapters.

The biggest brute in my garage is a Renault Traffic van

2007 Renault Master, still going strong-ish.. just heading for 95K original miles, its going to see me out.

 

[deema]

@Jameshow a Hippo lighter?? Just in case it’s a tool, what is it? If not the joke is definitely on me
I like to get the tools for the job, so what’s needed is needed.

 

[Flynnwood]

Ring up three Ford or Vauxhall main dealers and ask for the workshop controller.

Ask that person the question.

 

[HOJ]

@deema I think @Jameshow means zippo! cheeky ......

 

[Dibs-h]

@Dibs-h @Sideways and I were changing the brakes and anti roll bar links in the van, a 3’ bar wouldn’t fit the wheel well and took more cups of tea and swearing than it should have

Vans - don't work on them.

The 240v one I bought was this one:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cew1000-electric-impact-wrench
a staggering amount of torque and not particularly unwieldy. Can be had for a lot less than the Machine Mart price.

 

[Dibs-h]

Scaffold pole works well

I couldn't get hold of any so had to buy and there's a local place that sells it by the metre, so bought something with a smaller (inner & outer) diameter that "fit" over the breaker bar better.

 

[Spectric]

The biggest brute in my garage is a Renault Traffic van and I want something up to the task of tackling it.

Vans today are nothing more than large cars and nothing much more demanding to repair either. Vans used to use heavier components like beam axles and king pins, designed independant of the car lines but then to save money they realised that sharing components would be a good idea and then they also thought that they could be as comfortable as a car and so you get a similar look.

 

[Gerry]

I have one of these Amazon.co.uk it has 1650nm of loosening torque and the only thing I couldn't get loose with it required a 4' scaffold pole on the end of a breaker bar to shift. No problems with crank bolts, rusty suspension etc.

Gerry

 

[Jameshow]

@deema I think @Jameshow means zippo! cheeky ......

Correct never smoked!!

I had a 2.2 Renault master that cost me £1000s for a duff replacement engine!

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Correct never smoked!!

I had a 2.2 Renault master that cost me £1000s for a duff replacement engine!

That's what you get for buying 2.2 engined one!

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

So, I’ve decided I need an impact wrench, and Im staggered by the variety that’s out there. I’ve narrowed it down to being from the Milwaukee stable. Why Milwaukee, well, because it seems to be the workhouse in the mechanics garages I have visited. What do I want it for? I’m after something that will drive 1/2” sockets and be suitable for wheel studs, brake callipers and all the underbody stuff that needs a good bit of umph to get off. In my youth I used to enjoy tinkering with my cars, but was lucky to have company cars for all of my working life and now I’m back to fixing / servicing my own vehicles. The biggest brute in my garage is a Renault Traffic van and I want something up to the task of tackling it.

I’ve looked at the specs of the Milwaukee range and then started to wonder, the force I need to bust off rusted on a nut / stud is a lot higher than the torque required to fasten it properly……but how much is enough? I don’t know and haven’t the experience to know. So far, a good old 6 point spanner and a persuading tool carefully calibrated has busted off the little devils, which doesn’t tell me what force was needed. So, I’d appreciate your thoughts and insights in to what to buy…..what torque range should I be looking in, and well, is Milwaukee the best tool to get? I’m not invested in any real way in battery tools, all my tools are typically machines with a few hand battery operated tools. I buy once cry once, so price is the driving factor.

Milwaukee seems to Float many's boat's mind newer stuff seems to have gone off the boil a tad.
you want something 250 plus as need more headroom/sudden grunt to make non-cooperative jiggle! plus a big battery as 5ah plus have more reserve to provide nut buster and constant rattle as none of the cordless gear is current controlled so higher amps give more speed and grunt/current drive.
(Take recip saws 2ah say 1min to cut 4x4 5ah does it in 30sec funny though dealt and mil do a huge battery which is slower as blade is travelling to fast to find new wood to cut!)
Better tools like bosch blue/Makita/Metabo and so on have gearing held in metal casing while DIY gear is often nylon/plastic.
There are now converts so can use Battery A in tool B rather than just with A and A.

Ive an Impact driver which gives plenty of rattle and an impact wrench for heavier mind think it's dung as someone stole some of the Mn's! (macky 18v 285 thing returned it they changed parts as seems a dung batch? still think lacking grunt.

 

[Ollie78]

Vans today are nothing more than large cars and nothing much more demanding to repair either. Vans used to use heavier components like beam axles and king pins, designed independant of the car lines but then to save money they realised that sharing components would be a good idea and then they also thought that they could be as comfortable as a car and so you get a similar look.

This is why my Renault master needs a gearbox rebuild every 5 minutes, its the same one they put in all the tiny cars.
Next time I am getting a Mk 8 Transit or an Iveco.

Ollie

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A not long deceased friend worked on heavy goods and old farm machinery told me he'd never used anything so awesome as the Milwaukee.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

This is why my Renault master needs a gearbox rebuild every 5 minutes, its the same one they put in all the tiny cars.
Next time I am getting a Mk 8 Transit or an Iveco.

Ollie

Maybe why Renault are not in a good place financially.

 

[Spectric]

You could look at pneumatic ones, I had a lovely inch drive chicago pneumatic one many years ago, all aluminium and no plastic that was great on stubborn fasteners. I think now it would be a beast to use and probably spin me round but age gets us all one day.

 

[undergroundhunter]

As someone who works on cars for a living I use Milwaukee gear, if you only want to buy one tool to cover it all then go big, this gun is the highest torque they do currently, and honestly I can't remember a time it didn't undo something. It's also on offer this weekend so grab it while it's discounted.

Matt