View Full Version : SOT: Cordless impact wrench issues
Jay 535i
10-04-2006, 04:23 PM
A while back I bought a cordless impact wrench on ebay. It's my first one, and it's 19.2V, which I understood was enough for just about anything you'd find on a car.
My first time trying to use it was to change the wheels, and it wouldn't budge the wheel nuts, which I know were torqued properly. It seemed to be working hard, making lots of noise and stuff, but would not move any of the wheel nuts. That's primarily what I bought it for.
So what gives? Is 19.2V not enough, or is this thing porked for some reason? Could it be a worn-out battery?
Thanks in advance.
Jr ///M5
10-04-2006, 04:41 PM
The cordless models are ok for light work and can save your wrist if there is room to use them, they will work for taking the top nut off the strut where a regular ratchet won't work. But even a corded impact will have trouble with wheels torqued down to 80 ft. lbs. but they will work. The drawback is that they are heavy, unlike the pneumatic counterpart. Save up and get a good compressor that will run an impact or a paint sprayer without cycling too often to keep up. Over time you will aquire the tools you need and within the next 10 years, you'll be looking at lifts....=)
fkong777
10-04-2006, 04:52 PM
Even corded electric impact wrench it doesnt work well with heavy torque situation.. Like wheels and suspension bolts.
nizmainiac
10-04-2006, 05:07 PM
24v no less , and brand name only , ie snap on or mack, but they are only good for light work as fkong777 said
Bill R.
10-04-2006, 11:15 PM
19.2 volt 1/2 cordless impact day in and day out for over a year now. It will produce 240 ft.lbs of torque, I can take off about 80 lug nuts on a charge, Tight lug nuts like a ford f350 8 lug wheel , with the wimpy little bolts and low torque that a bmw uses i can remove at least 120 on a charge, The only nuts i haven't been able to loosen with it are the 36mm nuts that honda uses on the cv axles and some harmonic dampers such as bmw. For anything up to 150ft lbs its a breeze.
I take it with me on stuck customers cars and it works great. Its a cheapy that i got from harbor freight for about 150 if i recall. I have a post on here somewhere from about 2 years ago when i got it, still on the original battery pack and i haven't broken it yet.
The snap on i had was 3 times the price and it was junk compared to this cheap chinese one. Milwaukee also makes a fairly light weight 28volt lithium ion impact that puts out 325 ft lbs of torque but you'll pay accordingly for it.
Even corded electric impact wrench it doesnt work well with heavy torque situation.. Like wheels and suspension bolts.
kyleN20
10-04-2006, 11:33 PM
air guns have never let me down
Bill R.
10-04-2006, 11:39 PM
bottom drawer of one of my rollarounds, I don't think i've had any of them out once since i got the cordless, its that much more convenient. If they had had
cordless impacts like this 30 years ago i probably wouldn't be wearing a hearing aid now.
air guns have never let me down
kyleN20
10-04-2006, 11:42 PM
the only cordless i used was a brand new snap on and i wasent impressed
shadowpuck
10-05-2006, 07:24 AM
I've got the Harbor Freight one and it works well sometimes and poorly others. I have no idea why.
I have friends with the previous gen Milwaukee and it works flawlessly. We use it at track events all weekend, 5 or 6 of us and it never runs out.
Tiger
10-05-2006, 08:30 AM
Wow... I never realized they are good enough. Yeah, I remember all about those freaking loud air guns... My friend has the Snap-On air impact... WHOA!... super loud.
I got the cheap Harbor Freight Earthquake Impact gun... they works great but super heavy... don't oil too much or otherwise, they can't get a lugnut off... once excess oil are blown out... it is super powerful.
The quietest and lightest one I have seen and used is the Ingersol Rand one... about $200 or so.
Jay 535i
10-06-2006, 12:32 PM
Okay, so Bill says it should work, but it doesn't. Is there anything I can do? Is it normal for these things to lose power when they're old?
Like I said, it makes a lot of noise and looks/sounds like it should work, but no joy.
Corded and pneumatic tools are both out of the question until I buy a house and have my own private garage.
nizmainiac
10-06-2006, 12:41 PM
perhaps the battery has had it
Vanguard
10-06-2006, 01:16 PM
I didn't think the cordless units go anywhere near what an airpowered unit will do. My HF Earthquake 1/2" will generate 625 ft-lbs. It's matched only by the Ingersoll Rand its copied on or 3/4" units.
Bill R.
10-06-2006, 01:46 PM
mine. On the cordless tools i've had in the past, they don't get weaker, they just don't hold a charge very long iwhen the battery gets old. Mine strangely enough seems to work as well now as it did when i first got it.
Mine will easily take off lug bolts, control arm bolts, just about anything you would normally do with the exception of harmonic damper bolts, unless its a toyota.
Okay, so Bill says it should work, but it doesn't. Is there anything I can do? Is it normal for these things to lose power when they're old?
Like I said, it makes a lot of noise and looks/sounds like it should work, but no joy.
Corded and pneumatic tools are both out of the question until I buy a house and have my own private garage.
Tiger
10-06-2006, 05:51 PM
IR match that on their 1/2" drive too...Just cost twice or triple more than HF... but a whole lot lighter!
625 is reverse only...
Tiger
10-06-2006, 05:52 PM
mmm... possibility that you have to oil it.
Jay 535i
10-08-2006, 11:22 AM
mmm... possibility that you have to oil it.
Please explain.
BigKriss
10-08-2006, 09:44 PM
Wow, thanks for the recommendation Bill.
19.2 volt 1/2 cordless impact day in and day out for over a year now. It will produce 240 ft.lbs of torque, I can take off about 80 lug nuts on a charge, Tight lug nuts like a ford f350 8 lug wheel , with the wimpy little bolts and low torque that a bmw uses i can remove at least 120 on a charge, The only nuts i haven't been able to loosen with it are the 36mm nuts that honda uses on the cv axles and some harmonic dampers such as bmw. For anything up to 150ft lbs its a breeze.
I take it with me on stuck customers cars and it works great. Its a cheapy that i got from harbor freight for about 150 if i recall. I have a post on here somewhere from about 2 years ago when i got it, still on the original battery pack and i haven't broken it yet.
The snap on i had was 3 times the price and it was junk compared to this cheap chinese one. Milwaukee also makes a fairly light weight 28volt lithium ion impact that puts out 325 ft lbs of torque but you'll pay accordingly for it.
Tiger
10-09-2006, 08:33 AM
Just like any impact gun. you have to lubricate it... instruction manual will tell you how. I don't own a battery operated one... so I don't know. Without the right amount of lubricant. the hammers can't spin up to proper speed to have the torque.
Bill,
Please share with us which model impact you have. I'm currently in the market for one and was about to purchase a DeWalt that claims 300lb/ft.
There is a Harbor freight store a few miles from my home and I would prefer the prices they have to the three hundred or so the DeWalt will cost.
Your testimony is good enough for me.
632 Regal
10-09-2006, 09:55 AM
agreed, I looked at the HF site and the closest one was 200lb not the 220 Bill mentions.
Bill,
Please share with us which model impact you have. I'm currently in the market for one and was about to purchase a DeWalt that claims 300lb/ft.
There is a Harbor freight store a few miles from my home and I would prefer the prices they have to the three hundred or so the DeWalt will cost.
Your testimony is good enough for me.
Bill R.
10-09-2006, 11:25 AM
one that i bought from them. Mine was listed at 240ft.lbs of torque, they currently state 220, i don't know if its different or they decided to have truth in advertising. Mine has the battery pack fasten in a different way also. They may have redesigned it because of problems. I don't know. This current one is so cheap that i may go get one just to have for a spare 69.99 right now. Here's a link to it on harbor freights site (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92798)
I also have the blue 3/8 impact that goes on sale all the time for 19.99. For 20 bucks it won't break loose anything of any size but its great for tedious stuff like removing 12 valve cover bolts on a mercedes or the allen bolts for the coil covers.. or the oil pan bolts. ITs only good for removing stuff thats very low torque though or for running down bolts and then doing the final torque with a torque wrench. Back when i first bought my 1/2 inch impact i posted it on here with some pics. I can't find that post anymore though. Here's some current pics, it doesn't look as pretty as it did but it does get used almost every day on the dirtiest of stuff and hasn't failed me yet.
Bill,
Please share with us which model impact you have. I'm currently in the market for one and was about to purchase a DeWalt that claims 300lb/ft.
There is a Harbor freight store a few miles from my home and I would prefer the prices they have to the three hundred or so the DeWalt will cost.
Your testimony is good enough for me.
632 Regal
10-09-2006, 11:40 AM
Thanks Bill, I'll be shopping for Christmas early.
632 Regal
10-09-2006, 11:52 AM
cordless drills are cool too :D
mikell
10-09-2006, 01:01 PM
We have a Makita cordless that works for just about everything and, like Bill R says, it'll make you forget about the air tools - but, I still like to use the Ingersol air gun when doing suspension work when things get stubborn. If I'd known the Harbor Freight units were worth a flip, I'd have probably bought one instead of the Makita, which was way more money than Bill paid.
632 Regal
10-09-2006, 01:15 PM
mine should be in by next week sometime. I'm actually excited because I thought they were all wimpy useless toys... the work barn seems farther and farther away from the house garage lol
Bill R.
10-09-2006, 05:19 PM
a lug bolt loose that had been torqued to 96ft.lbs. I torqued it first to verify the torque. The pictures a little shaky cause i had to hold the camera with one hand while using the impact with the other. Here's the link (http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images2/CIMG0233.AVI)
Dave M
10-09-2006, 05:35 PM
a lug bolt loose that had been torqued to 96ft.lbs. I torqued it first to verify the torque. The pictures a little shaky cause i had to hold the camera with one hand while using the impact with the other. Here's the link (http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images2/CIMG0233.AVI)
OK Bill, you send me that one from AZ and I'll order you another from HF ;) Seriously, I looked at your HF link and if I was confident the 'new' one would work as well as yours I'd buy it now. Does anyone know if HF ships to Canada? They don't state on the website.
Dave M
shadowpuck
10-09-2006, 05:44 PM
That's exactly how my friend's Milwaukee works. Just squeeze the trigger and go....
Earlier I said mine was from HF - it's actually from Cummins. A while back, I tried to order the one linked in Bill's post and it was on backorder. HF was very easy to deal with and cancelled the order when they told me it wasn't known for sure when it would be in stock...
My Cummins model works great sometimes, and others it won't budge the bolt at all...Very odd....In every instance, I can break the bolt by hand so I know it isn't torqued down too tightly....
632 Regal
10-09-2006, 05:53 PM
sounds like your at a Raceway... the video doesnt give it as much justice as your word does. Hope the new color model works as good as yours does, a portable impact still sounds crazy.
What made you buy one in the first place? Did you see someone elses? How'd this shindig come about?
Bill R.
10-09-2006, 06:51 PM
in a shop environment with many air tools going, i suspect the noise levels greatly contributed to my now severe hearing loss...So i try to not use them any more than i have to. Of course some of the new ingersoll rand units are supposed to meet osha requirements and actually be much quieter.
I had a snap on 3/8 drive when they first came out and it wasn't that good, so a couple of years later i got curious when a number of manufacturers started coming out with various 1/2 drive ones. I took a chance on the harbor freight when it was on sale for 150, I think it was normally 199 , but all the reputable brands were over 300 at the time. Its worked fine every since. I'm still looking at the 28v milwaukee also, but i waited too long and missed out on a really good rebate deal on one so i'm waiting to see if they come down in price eventually. I work out of my house so i try to keep noise to a minimum so as not to upset any neighbors.
I have the quietest air compressor i could find and i don't use it much for the same reason. Most of my work is done with hand tools whenever possible. I only use the 1/2 impact for the grunt work like lugnuts and higher torque bolts. The 3/8 is quiet and doesn't bother anybody.
sounds like your at a Raceway... the video doesnt give it as much justice as your word does. Hope the new color model works as good as yours does, a portable impact still sounds crazy.
What made you buy one in the first place? Did you see someone elses? How'd this shindig come about?
RIPN RAY
10-09-2006, 10:11 PM
i own 3 different cordless dewalt impact wrenches and my 14.4 1/2 driver takes off those lug nuts with out a problem. although i find that with the older batteries that it's a little sluggish.
i swear by dewalt. i beat the crap out of them and drop them all the time...and they still work faster then my co workers...
Bill, Thanks, for 70 bucks it's a no brainer!
I bought some brad nailers from there two years ago for under twenty bucks that turned out to be EXACTLY the same as one a friend had from Sears with the Craftsman name. He paid $70. Sears sucks
Bought mine yesterday, battery now charged up. I will give a test today. This thing looks cheesy(it's even orange) and sounds same,I'll let everyone know how the current model performs.
632 Regal
10-13-2006, 09:23 AM
damn, I ordered mine before you and still didnt get it.
Bought mine yesterday, battery now charged up. I will give a test today. This thing looks cheesy(it's even orange) and sounds same,I'll let everyone know how the current model performs.
They have a store fifteen minutes from my house.
Dave M
10-13-2006, 09:37 AM
Bought mine yesterday, battery now charged up. I will give a test today. This thing looks cheesy(it's even orange) and sounds same,I'll let everyone know how the current model performs.
Ross, I'm very interested in this thing and will be awaiting your appraisal. I've been on the website and it doesn't specify whether they'll ship to Canada. If this thing is worth its weight, could I possibly bother you to:
1) Ask them whether they'll ship me one.
2) Given a NO answer to #1, purchase one for me and ship it.
Of course, you would be compensated for your effort. Canadian beer? Beaver pelts? Softwood lumber?
Anyhow, let us nkow what thing can do.
Dave M
632 Regal
10-13-2006, 09:46 AM
heh...
Beaver pelts? ever see a bald beaver?
Speaking of weight, I put this hog on the bathroom scale. Nine puonds worth, so I won't be clipping it on my belt.
How about you ask them to ship and if no I will be pleased to help.
Beaver pelts, Huh?
Dave M
10-13-2006, 09:53 AM
Speaking of weight, I put this hog on the bathroom scale. Nine puonds worth, so I won't be clipping it on my belt.
How about you ask them to ship and if no I will be pleased to help.
Beaver pelts, Huh?
I'll try conacting them, just being lazy and not wanting to phone :)
I'll let you know.
Dave M
Dave M
10-13-2006, 09:54 AM
heh... ever see a bald beaver?
Yep, they're everywhere during mating season. RRRrrrrrrrr.
Dave M
10-13-2006, 12:16 PM
Called HF, had to be dirested to "International Sales", very fancy. Apparently, after providing them with the item #, and all the shipping info, it takes 72 working hours to calculate and reply to me with a shipping quote.
I'm guessing after all that work, shippings gonna cost ~ $1,000,000 ;)
shogun
10-13-2006, 06:52 PM
Very expensive. I checked with their International department the last 2 weeks. Yes, they ship international, but ONLY FedEx.
Among the parts I wanted to buy also 2 electric impact wrenches, # 31877-6VGA, , total price was about 250 $ ex warehouse, and PLUS FedEx 175$ to Japan.
So I gave up, usually when I buy from Autohaus Arizona, they also accept USPS which is much cheaper.
But very friendly lady there.
Here is what you need to order international:
PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION BELOW.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS
1. All items must be in stock. (orders are done manually no
backorders)
2. All items must be stocked in our warehouse (no drop ships)
3. No single item weighing 150 pounds or truck items can be shipped
out of the country.
(A freight forwarder is suggested)
Method of Shipping:
1. FedEx
The weight or overall dimensions determine shipping costs which ever is
greater.
These charges do not include any brokerage, taxes or duties that may be
applicable on your end.
Normal delivery time:
7-10 working days
Normal payment type:
Payment may be received by credit card, check or money order.
The shipping charge for orders that have been processed is
non-refundable.
The following information is needed to be able to give our international
customers a fast and accurate response.
It does take approx. 48 hours for the customer to receive a shipping
quote.
Name
Address
City
Country
Postal Code (if they have one)
Phone #, Fax # and e-mail address (if available)
List of all item numbers
All requests can be given to Meghan for quotes and processing.
Msherman@harborfreight.com
805/388-3000
ext 5659
Bill R.
10-15-2006, 11:58 AM
refrigerant scale which is accurate to less than a 1/4 ounce. Also mine seems to have a longer cast nosepiece and i didn't get spare brushes or any sockets. After seeing the torque you get from yours i wish i had bought two of mine when i got it.
Speaking of weight, I put this hog on the bathroom scale. Nine puonds worth, so I won't be clipping it on my belt.
How about you ask them to ship and if no I will be pleased to help.
Beaver pelts, Huh?
rob101
10-15-2006, 06:22 PM
is this one you guys are talking about from Harbour freight the milwaukee tools one? I think I have found similar from a place in AU. I think its this one (http://www.milwaukee-et.com/int/int_products.nsf/vwToolsLink/7192C460D43DBBF2C12572080065BB87?OpenDocument&nav1=pro)
The HF one for $70 looks to be either a knockoff of the Milw. or the Milw. is the same one rebranded. Sears if famous for this.
I purchased the HF and am not pleased, not even for $70. If I can make it work better by reshaping the motors brushes I'll keep it otherwise HF gets it back.
Waych the cordless impact update post I'll offer my opinion there after mods.
Also 632 Regal was going to order one, perhaps I got a dud.
Bill R.
10-16-2006, 09:53 AM
nothing they carry now though. When i bought it i'm pretty sure i paid around 150 on sale so this price sounds about right for it now. Also the current model here looks like it has a 2.0 ah battery and i only had a 1.7 ah. Motor city tools looks like the importer now instead of harbor.
Here (http://www.freedomgold.com/catalog/product_info.php?pName=192v-12in-dr-cordless-impact-wrench&cName=cordless-tools-192-volt-impact-wrench-and-kits&osCsid=b06dc6a20951644655021a5f15612251)
The HF one for $70 looks to be either a knockoff of the Milw. or the Milw. is the same one rebranded. Sears if famous for this.
I purchased the HF and am not pleased, not even for $70. If I can make it work better by reshaping the motors brushes I'll keep it otherwise HF gets it back.
Waych the cordless impact update post I'll offer my opinion there after mods.
Also 632 Regal was going to order one, perhaps I got a dud.
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