Electric Impact Wrench - Any Good?

[Skip_Rat]

After struggling replacing the rear springs on my kit car I was thinking I could really do with an impact wrench.

Thing is I don't have a compressor, but I have noticed that 12v impact wrenches are available.

So are they any good and if so are any particular brands best avoided? I just get the feeling that a little electric motor is going to be too weedy to shift stubborn bolts.

[v8ian]

I blagged a dewalt 14.2v impact battery gun from work when the batteries were lost, undoes most, but I still have a 24" breaker bar for those tough ones

[eightsix]

I bought one of the Clarke 18v battery powered ones and wasn’t impressed. Took it back shortly after buying it and got a refund. Seems to be a popular buy and a lot of people rate them, maybe mine was duff?

Out of the packet it was OK, in the space of a week it just went down hill – batteries were near enough useless and would die after a few attempts (I am a nerd so conditional all my rechargeable batteries). Despite claiming 150lbs/ft it wouldn’t undo my wheel nuts (90lbs/ft) and when I did some tests would only crack 50lbs/ft with a full charge, and that dropped after a few uses. The only nuts I successfully managed to undo with the gun was the top mount bolts on the Golf (not tight just a captive arrangement) – for everything else it was rubbish. Also couldn’t tighten anything up either – finger tight at best!

[30psi]

You need to find out the torque of the unit. Some are quite low so be sure to check.

My Sealey 24V is 325lbft

[cobblers]

I got myself one from maplins, for £11. It's wierd - Runs off the ciggy lighter/battery and sort of spins up to speed and then BANG, one really solid jolt every 2 seconds or so.

It handles very very tight wheels in 4 jolts, and seems to be lasting OK.

It also got me out of a bind with the strut top nuts that you need an impact gun to get off (the hex recesses just rounded off straight away when holding the damper shaft with an allen key, but the impact jobbie got them straight out)

My mate has a makita impact driver, not really a proper mega heavy duty thing. It makes some jobs quicker but it's not got a lot of guts.

Another mate has a snap on (iirc) impact gun, and it's pretty good. Not quite as good as an air wrench though, and I recall it being expensive.

My gun is more or less the same as this:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cosmo-12V-Impact-Wrench-New-Boxed_W0QQitemZ300398834264QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item45f12a7258#ht_1814wt_1165

it's lasted a year, and had the wheels on and of dozens of times. A lot faster than doing them by hand.
Doesn't show any signs of packing in, but it wouldn't really want to use it for more than occasional jobs.

[kieranv]

i have a jcb one, its never failed on me, replaced 2 sets of suspension and countless other things with it. Just about to try to get some rusty exhaust bolts off with it now actually.

[30psi]

I had one like the Maplins one a few years ago accept Woolworths (RIP) were selling them for £15. A bunch of us got them but after a few drift days and a few scrapped cars the dog engagement inside wore out on all of them. They are cheap though

[HARDCORE]

I've got a Snap On 18v impact wrench & it's awesome (this one)
It came with 2 batteries (spare always charges before I can run the first one down) and is rated at 400lbs/ft (I haven't defeated it yet..)

It's *probably* as good as they get BUT is almost certainly as expensive as they get too ;D

HC.

[dude]

I've used a small dewalt battery powered one, i wouldn't change my socket wrench for one, but saves time and knuckles. Rather powerful too.

[leigh]

Used a JCB to strip the badly abused celica we got, made short work of everything it hit. Batteries lasted well too and was a great help as there was nowhere to plug a compressor in!

[bmw156]

i have a maplins one, and i use it all the time with no problems, hasnt failed me yet

[composimmonite]

I've got one of the cheap 12v corded versions and have stripped down numerous cars with it.
Recently I bought a proper cordless impact wrench and am a convert. Not a high powered unit so I still have to crack tight fasteners with a power bar but a useful tool to have. Next time I will get a high powered version but at present the lower powered has proved how good they are - expecially if like me you have problem with your hand strength.

Paul H

[benlg81]

i bought myself a cheap rac jobbie from argos to get the suspension top nuts off when the allen key bit rounded and it is great for attacking until it is loose enough to undo

well worth the couple of quid it cost

[dannyb]

snap on have them on a special deal this month

[namless]

They are ok, but whatever you do don't rely on them for torquing up the bolts, make sure you check they are tight manually.IMO they don't last too long, you are better of getting the cordless one if your going to use it often.

[Skip_Rat]

Hi, thanks everybody for the Info. I think I might get the snap on cordless one if I can. It's probably worth the extra cost as I suspect the cheap models will not be powerful enough for my needs.

[qwerty]

I have a Clarke Corded one that either attaches to the battery or plugs into the ciggy lighter. It works really well. Made mince meat of the rusted suspension bolts on my Bro's golf and I think it was about £13!