Electric impact wrench (gun)

[e34musician]

I'm thinking of buying one of these. Any thought? Is 3/4" (rated 345 ft-lb) is too big ? (harder to find sockets?). The 1/2" is $15 cheaper with the same torque rate. I want to use it for suspension job... Will this be strong enough?

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/dewalt/DW294/

[Vanguard]

I think 3/4" will be too big. You'd be better off with the 1/2" drive. Since the gun your looking at is not a cordless unit, it should have enough ompff to get the job done.

[Tiger]

No electric impact drive is strong enough... I can't even get lugbolt out with electric impact wrench. Buy air impact gun... and small 3gal compressor is 10 times better than electric..

[Ross]

There was a thread about this a while back. Sorry I don't know how to link it.
Dewalt is a decent brand and the corded 3/4" ought to have the balls as advertised. You can get a reducer for the sockets, 3/4 drive are expensive.
I ended up with a Milwaukee cordless that zipped the headbolts out of a motor, will remove most lugnuts and today drove 3/8" x 5' lag screws into my fenceposts.
Keep us posted please of your choice and it's performance.

[Dave M]

No electric impact drive is strong enough... I can't even get lugbolt out with electric impact wrench. Buy air impact gun... and small 3gal compressor is 10 times better than electric..

I have a relatively cheap corded impact (I paid $70- Can. on sale) that easily removes lug nuts/bolts and all suspension fittings. It surpriseed me yesterday by torquing a hub nut on my chevy pick-up to over 160 ft/lb.

Dave

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

I have a deWalt that plugs into the cigar lighter, has some sort of spin-up system that will take a chev and Range-Rover lug nut off, cost $65,will not torque a Bm front hub but has done two wheels several times,worth it .

[Vanguard]

The only concern about a plugged electric that I might have, would be the size of the gun itself. It might make it difficult in tight spots, since I recall them being significantly larger than their pneumatic cousins.

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Dead right, but when it comes to changing a wheel in Belgrade speed is a really good idea, for doing tight jobs it`s no use but for front suspension it will reach all bolts and the `rattle` set up shakes off tapers a treat.Draper also sell them but demand a test first.

[icesoft]

I bought my 1/2" Ingersol titanium off ebay for $165 and the 3/8" Ingersol for $150, brand new. The 3/8" will make 280 ft/lb, the 1/2" will do 700 ft/lb and max out at 1000 ft/lb in reverse. The are the best guns I could find for the size and torque capacity.

I bought the 3/8" just for removing the exhaust manifolds in the car since I broke one of the studs initially trying to use a breaker bar. The impact easily fits between the block and body on my 535i, and took all of the remaining nuts/studs out with ease, and didn't break a single one.

There are so many uses for these guns, I'd be lost without them anymore... One of the best tool purchases I've ever made.

[632 Regal]

cordless or corded?

I bought my 1/2" Ingersol titanium off ebay for $165 and the 3/8" Ingersol for $150, brand new. The 3/8" will make 280 ft/lb, the 1/2" will do 700 ft/lb and max out at 1000 ft/lb in reverse. The are the best guns I could find for the size and torque capacity.

I bought the 3/8" just for removing the exhaust manifolds in the car since I broke one of the studs initially trying to use a breaker bar. The impact easily fits between the block and body on my 535i, and took all of the remaining nuts/studs out with ease, and didn't break a single one.

There are so many uses for these guns, I'd be lost without them anymore... One of the best tool purchases I've ever made.