Any recommendations on my first set of impact tools for working on my car? Where’s the value vs quality midpoint? Rigid, Sears, Harbor Freight?
I cannot afford Mac and Snap-on. I tend to like Rigid when it comes with lifetime “service” warranty.
Clayton,
Any recommendations on my first set of impact tools for working on my car?
Are you talking about compressed air powered, cordless lithium or corded 120 VAC? How many tools and which ones?
For example, 3/8" ratchet / 1/2" impact gun / cutoff tool, etc. And do you do any suspension, heavy line or exhaust work?
JAG “Right Hand Tool Consultant” MAN
Great questions. Let’s go with air tools, light auto work (breaking bolts on staters and alternators). No heavy engine or exhaust work, but I may want to dabble in suspension work…both my cars are unhappy when I hit bumps in the road.
We can leave air compressors out of the conversation. After I choose tools, if mine can’t keep up, I’ll upgrade it.
Clayton,
Harbor Freight - you might luck out, but their air tools are too hit and miss and are not discounted enough to be worth it.
Rigid - They do make some good stuff (I have some of their tools) but for air tools I think it is Husky that you are referring to for Home Depot’s brand. Overall decent, but you can do better.
Sears - I am a bit dismayed in the alleged drop in Craftsman quality from when it was made in the USA to now. Probably on par with the Lowes air tools described below.
Lowes - Kobalt makes some excellent hand tools, but their air tools are just okay from what I can tell. Better bang for the buck with IR. (below)
Hard to go wrong with Ingersoll Rand - here is a pair from Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ingersoll-Rand-Impact-and-Ratchet-Kit-2317G/202885441
Northern Tool - They do have some great stuff including IR, but cost varies from pricey to really good deals. Also the Klutch brand is worth looking at.
In general, study the reviews, specs and cross reference with Amazon reviews to help zero in.
Personally, I have moved away from air tools because I find the compressor / air hose entanglement very irritating at close quarters (particularly in modern FWD cars) and I use cordless for my ratchets and I have a corded Hitachi for a 1/2" impact - neither has failed me yet.
Also, I find electrics have better control and are less likely to strip nuts / break bolts / crossthread, etc.
JAG “Neanderthal with Torque Wrench” MAN
Thanks. Let’s go ahead and open the thread up to suggestions on electrics
- Favorite Electric Impact
- Favorite Electric Ratchet
Clayton,
For corded or cordless impact, I am very attracted to the Milwaukee line, but they are pricey. A lot of people like Makita, but I never got over their what I considered their undeserved overpricing plus that stupid reverse switch from back in the day. (very inconvenient to change direction, but it looks like they fixed that now)
On the lower end, (home use only) Black and Decker does make some impressive 20 V lithium tools for the inexpensive price point (I like the Max and Matrix lines) but I don’t see that they make a 3/8" ratchet or 1/2" impact - just impact drivers. (half driver / half drill)
I also really like the Dewalts, but again no ratchet (except air) and they can be as expensive as Milwaukee and Makita.
Not too experienced with Bosch - others can comment on that.
JAG “Extra Batteries Included” MAN
I have both the IR 1/2" Ti Quiet and the 3/8" Ti Quiet air impact wrenches and love them.
I agree that electric impacts have a place in my toolbox for driving screws and other light-weight stuff, but nothing beats a 1/2" air tool and some liquid wrench for removing rusted-on automotive parts on the truck.
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the forums on garagejournal.com usually has pretty good reviews and feedback for this kinda stuff
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@zmetzing my electric impact can snap off lug studs with one pull of the trigger, it delivers 500 ft lbs of torque and I have a bigger one that hits at 1200. Technology has caught up to pneumatic tools and surpassed it. I currently have a Dewalt that does 200 ft lbs and then my Milwuakees that do 500 and 1200. Very rarely do I have to use a breaker bar unless the situation calls for delicacy I cannot deliver with the electric impact. The only situation I use pneumatic now days is when I run into a a lot of heavy torquing on one vehicle or piece of equipment above 500 ft lbs for 30 mins or more if I am able to be in a shop.
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@ke5bud Thanks for the reviews. Would you mind tell me which electrics you’re using?
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Maybe be a different model but pretty close on the Milwuakee.
Price jumped a little on these though.
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Hey Justin,
Thanks for the tip on the DeWALT Impact Driver - guess I missed that because it is not normally carried in the Home Depot stores. Nice to know it is there but I am surprised it uses NiCad batteries. Almost everything has gone lithium / lithium - ion or NiMH.
JAG “More Brightly Colored Tools To Play With” MAN
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They last forever but remember that one is only rated to 250 ft lbs and can have a hard time with lug nuts that are not torqued correctly.
Follow up questions, guys: I heard a seasoned wrench say he does not use the very high torque impacts on regular bolts because the huge torque damages them - true?
It looks like you have to make an investment in the battery system, so you’d want your impact/drill/dremell/etc all to use the same battery, right? Is a corded electric (110 V) even an option? Back from the NiCad battery days, I’ve avoided the battery operated units, since the damn thing is never charged when I need to use them.
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True, it does & can stretch them if your not careful. I may use an impact to take it in to maybe snug. After that I will tighten then torque it by hand. They do make various torque rating extension/ sockets to prevent over torquing.
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FYI we have a drawer of torque limiting extensions in dms toolbox that probably never get used
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If you care about the equipment, you’ll put your power tools away during assembly. Disassemble all you want with them, but on MY equipment, I don’t use power to assemble.
Always remember, fasteners should be:
- all installed before any are tightened
- tightened in sequence, if given or discernible
- from the center outward unless sequence is otherwise
- in 3 steps, at least, more is better than fewer
- hand tighten is first step
- and last step except torque wrench, stretch gauge, and/or torque/angle gauge
Be VERY careful with these, especially on anything held down by multiple fasteners; these are frequently abused at tire shops on lug nuts. (See above re: assembly for your own stuff, be careful if you’re doing it for $$$).
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