Impact Wrench question?

An impact wrench is not a torque wrench, if you use this to put on your lug nuts you risk snapping off your studs.

If you want to use an impact gun to put on bolts (generally they are used for removing nuts) then get something like this, http://www.princessauto.com/en/detai...et/A-p8574055e , these are torque limiting extensions and they are designed for use with powdered wrenches.

I have an impact wrench like this, it works well for removing rusted on fasteners on vehicles but I would not use it for installing any bolt without a torque limiter.

I have three compressed air wrenches out in the garage. Last year I bought the electric from Can Tire as I cannot count on any of the air units when things are cold.
Now when I find a trailer with a flat I load the genny in the tractor bucket along with the torque wrench and sockets......getting to the time when I work easier...

Never use an impact to put them on, it will guaranteed over torque or under torque then. All wheels must be torqued by hand with a torque wrench. Remember if a wheel comes off and your not a licenced mechanic you are held liable, your insurance cannot help you

im a licenced truck, heavy equipment and automobile mechanic, I've got big air guns to do these tasks, I find those cheap guns won't break hardly any torque or corrosion. But I can't stress enough to torque your wheels, I've been a court witness to give opinion when back yard guys have had wheels come off and have seen people loose everything

Not to worry, I have a torque wrench to finish the job.

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Originally Posted by terrym

There is a great deal at Canadian Tire right now. Mastercraft impact wrench: 7.5 Amp, 240ft lbs max torque, 2200/2700 BPM. Reg $179.99 sale $59.99
I wonder if this tool is strong enough to handle the lug nuts on a car for wheel changes? I do own a compressor and was going to buy an air one but wonder if this enough? I torque my lugs to 110 lbs and this is rated to 240 so should be more than enough I would think?

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Terry I've had that same one for 5 years now. It's holding up great with general use for trailers, my truck and car and my daughter's cars twice a year. Boy do they ever speed up the wheel changing process and for getting seized hardware loose.
I learned the hard way at first lol. Warped all four rotors on my Park Ave. One wheel nut I couldn't get off and had to take it to the garage I use and get the big guy to lean on a real long power bar they had.
So I bought a torque extension at first but ended up buying an adjustable 1/2" torque bar. And don't forget then I had to buy two sets of impact sockets to complete the setup. :D Everything was on sale at princess.

For $60 that will be money well spent. I sure wouldn't want to go back to a four way, although I still carry them.

Cheers

I ended up buying the impact gun at CTC. Seems like a fairly well built tool. Little early yet for swapping out the snow tires though.

I've been putting on and taking off wheels for over 65 years and have never used a torque wrench when putting the wheels on my vehicles - never had any problems - I tighten the lugs up as hard as I can - that assures me that I can get them off again if I have to - as Fox said - if you are going to use a air driven wrench you better get a good one or you might be putting the lugs on too tight and when you get a flat you won't be able to get them off - an impact wrench is used to take lugs or bolts off - not on

I agree that using an impact ot install lug nuts isn't the best way to do it, unless you use a torque wrench, but who is going to veriify the calibration of your torque wrench? These things do go out of cal fairly regularly...been using them on aircraft for years and all of them need to be calibrated yearly, if not more frequently.

The secret to not messing up a torque wrench is remove all tension on it when storing it. Will they be to exact spec? No and I wouldn't expect an aviation mechanic to use the same quality tools as the back yard mechanic switching out winter rims. I torque to owners manual specs ( 110) and have never had a problem.

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Originally Posted by JoePa

I've been putting on and taking off wheels for over 65 years and have never used a torque wrench when putting the wheels on my vehicles - never had any problems - I tighten the lugs up as hard as I can - that assures me that I can get them off again if I have to - as Fox said - if you are going to use a air driven wrench you better get a good one or you might be putting the lugs on too tight and when you get a flat you won't be able to get them off - an impact wrench is used to take lugs or bolts off - not on

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The bar length for lug nuts put in the vehicle from the factory is designed to give torque numbers very close to that of the factory specs when full weight is applied, very simple but very smart.

Imagine someone with a breaker bar length tire iron putting lug nuts with all the force then could on a Honda Civic?