Anyone have a recommendation for a decent impact wrench at a reasonable price? I have a cheapo one that I got in a set of tools with an air compressor I bought a while back. Now it's getting weak. ON my lug-nuts today I found that it would put the nuts on but wouldn't take them off. I went back over them with my lug-nut tools and I found it wasn't making them tight at all. These are BIG nuts on a one ton Dually so they need more torque than my wrench delivers.

 

I'll be honest, I haven't used my air impact in years.
I LOVE my Milwaukee cordless impact wrenches. I first got the lighter duty one which I use mostly and then later I also bought the heavier duty one which takes off most dually lug nuts no problem.
I take them on road trips, trips to the junkyard to scrounge parts, ETC. Heck I brought that impact along with my Milwaukee cordless saw-z-all to my buddies house today to look at his old '82 Ramcharger in the woods for some parts my buddy and I need for our RC projects.
Best $290 or so I have spent in years. That was for the tool, two batteries, charger and case.

My air impact I bought four years ago from Northern Tool, it is an Ingersoll Rand and works fine. The cord and the noisy air compressor that you can't always lug around just gets old.

 

IR2235
Snap on 727
Milwaukee FUEL impact

All of these have over 1200ft lbs of breakaway torque and it is worth it. We are able to take the lugs off our Peterbilt with the Milwaukee at work FYI. You definitely get what you pay for.

 

Oliver, I sent you a message on the parts.

 

Milwaukee FUEL is amazing, hardly ever use air anymore.

For the original question though, AirCat makes some darn good impacts for a very affordable price tag.

But seriously, ditch the air and go electric.

 

When I install mine to the recommended torque using the lug wrench and long breaker bar even the tire shop has a problem removing them unless they use their 1" impact.

I have an old Ingersoll Rand from the 70's and a newer 2131QT that I got several years ago for my birthday that I use for general mechanical work.

When I went on road calls for work I would either tap into the air system or I would carry a small nitrogen bottle with me to power the impact.

When I had an opportunity to drive a Sprint car a few years ago I felt a bit uneasy when they replaced my tire using a battery powered impact, if it was on tight enough especially at 150 mph.

 

Edwin, I use a dewalt 1/2" drive electric impact driver. Look up the specs on it. Pretty good torque rating on it. I believe it's like at least 300 lbs. foot. Don't quote me on it, as it's been awhile since I looked it up. Removes my lug nuts easily.

 

I have a IR 2235TI that I hardly ever use. Mainly use my dewalt cordless, it has 1200lbs of torque and was enough to remove the drive wheel bolts on a cat crawler tractor. They are 1" bolts with a 1.5" head.

The Mac tools impact is a dewalt with red paint, so save yourself some money if you are looking at that.

 

I use my Milwaukee fuel at work, but also have a back up Matco air gun (1600lbft?) just in case. Cordless is great, but for a budget, my buddy has the harbor freight earthquake gun and it is phenomenal for the price. And they have great reviews. For under 100 bucks with a coupon, it's hard to beat.

Check out Www.hfqpdb.com for coupons.

 

I got a 1/2" Earthquake from HF for about $100. It knocks the 400 ft/lb lug nuts off the 1 ton with ease. Don't dare use it to install the lug nuts. I use a lighter air wrench and hand torque them.

 

Do you use an actual torque wrench or estimate it using a breaker bar and body weight?

 

160 lbs. (me) on the end of 2.5' of breaker bar and pipe.

 

I have a cheapo Chicago Pneumatic I bought in the early 90's. Works great on a good air compressor, not so great on my cheapo craig's list air compressor.

 

I have a 1 foot long lug socket with a 36 inch bar stock to tighten mine. I'm about 240 pounds but of course I can't stand on the bar. I'd guess about 200 lbft on 8 lug nuts. As long as they don't loosen up on me. I have 2 cone nuts to center the wheels first then the rest of the nuts get tightened. WHen it's done I have to rest for a few minutes.

 

Another vote for the cheap Harbor Freight Earthquake....I use it a couple times a year and does what it claims to do for me, but not using it on a daily basis.