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Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:43 pm
by bab-91
Anyone any recommendations?
Got to play with an Impact wrench yesterday. I'm a big child and they amuse me no end & they are ridiculously handy to use.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:45 pm
by maggspower
Air or battery?
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:46 pm
by bab-91
maggspower wrote:Air or battery?
Battery, Don't have the space for a decent compressor

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:50 pm
by maggspower
bab-91 wrote:maggspower wrote:Air or battery?
Battery, Don't have the space for a decent compressor

In that case the snap-on one is the finest. But it is a bit eye watering in the cost department

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:51 pm
by Quaser
I've been looking at these recently / my friend has a dewalt dw059 which was good for around £150 + battery and charger rated at 300lb/ft
The snap on which most people rate is around £500 I think rated at 400lb/ft
I have been looking at getting a Milwaukee rated at 450lb/ft imported from America for £450 with 2 li-on batteries, 110v charger, a smaller 3/8 drive and a torch
Group buy any one

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:01 pm
by magpie
i bought the clarke one from machine mart ,if you subscribe to the cataloge online they send you vat free offers with a code so mine cost just .... £119
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ess-impact
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:04 pm
by rhubarb
How long you had it?
My one of those, one battery failed after a month and the trigger burnt out after 3 months.
2 years on it still works(after I repaired it) but I only use it for speed not cracking things undone

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:13 pm
by magpie
had mine about 6 months now ,i'm sure with most of these and e30's you need to crack certain nuts off manually first like the rear subframe ones and downpipes at the manifold etc .
these things kill loads of spanner action for me

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:13 pm
by billgatese30
rhubarb wrote:I only use it for speed not cracking things undone

I have a Makita one for the same purpose. Not the strongest windy gun ever, but its amazing how quickly you can get things done.

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:14 pm
by magpie
Look up Chris

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:21 pm
by billgatese30
I know, I usually crack the nuts with the breaker bar/torque wrench and a normal socket, then have the Makita with the same size impact socket for the unspinning/spinning up.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:28 pm
by rhubarb
magpie wrote:had mine about 6 months now ,i'm sure with most of these and e30's you need to crack certain nuts off manually first like the rear subframe ones and downpipes at the manifold etc .
these things kill loads of spanner action for me

This one is used daily, up until burning the trigger out I was using it for undoing wheel nuts on cars
But using it for speed is what it's good for.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:33 pm
by maxfield
The snap on one is well worth the cash, have used mine daily for 5 years never failed once. And doesn't really struggle with undoing much.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:49 pm
by bab-91
Snap on is never happening unless I win the lottery tonight
Friend's impact wrench was an Ryobi, Everything was loosened manually before hand. It did the job. He paid £120 and it came with two batteries.
Hmmm would it be worth buying snap on or Milwaukee second hand?
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:52 pm
by maxfield
bab-91 wrote:Snap on is never happening unless I win the lottery tonight
Friend's impact wrench was an Ryobi, Everything was loosened manually before hand. It did the job. He paid £120 and it came with two batteries.
Hmmm would it be worth buying snap on or Milwaukee second hand?
I'd buy a snap on impact second hand.
I use it everyday, and use snap on tools everyday.
You get what you pay for IMO
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:11 pm
by bab-91
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:26 pm
by capnmchl
Just be aware that the snap on batteries aren't covered by a lifetime warranty, and they're not cheap to buy. Around £100 a battery last time I asked.
I haven't got one, but someone I worked with had one. That thing had some power behind it. Never tried any other brands though. I wasn't convinced by the electrics because I always had access to a compressor, and didn't have to worry about the batterys dying. But I can see why they're useful.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:11 pm
by sanitroc1
I have the same Snap on one as the ebay link and have just bought the Dewalt 18v one second hand . I bought the Dewalt one as nearly all my work kit is Dewalt and I have loads of batteries and the Snap on charger has died . So far the Dewalt is impressive but so far I have only changed some wheels .
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:23 pm
by bab-91
The snap on listed went for £180, even if the battery would of need replaced its still a good deal. Unfortunately was put off it because you had to charge it from a cigarette lighter. I'll keep an eye out and see what comes up!
Thanks for the advice folks!
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 9:30 am
by Chris_B86
Strap-On CTU6850 cracking bit of kit
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:01 am
by snakebrain
Chris_B86 wrote:Strap-On CTU6850

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:05 am
by Chris_B86
snakebrain wrote:Chris_B86 wrote:Strap-On CTU6850

What?
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:12 am
by snakebrain
Chris_B86 wrote:snakebrain wrote:Chris_B86 wrote:Strap-On CTU6850

What?
I just find the idea of bab armed with an 18v strap-on worrying for some reason...
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:14 am
by Chris_B86
haha, yeah might cause some damage
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 12:32 pm
by pacerpete
snakebrain wrote:Chris_B86 wrote:snakebrain wrote:

What?
I just find the idea of bab armed with an 18v strap-on worrying for some reason...
Pics needed ! !

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:09 pm
by Clarkey1988
Use a snap on one in work quite abit. Its the only one id recommend if your after something with good break away torque to undo bolts. Or just buy a small single phase compressor and a decent air gun.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:01 am
by irish320i
Have a snap on cordless as well serious bolt loosening power, would probaly cost 200+ to buy an airgun with equivalent power
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 6:16 pm
by bab-91
snakebrain wrote:
I just find the idea of bab armed with an 18v strap-on worrying for some reason...
I'm always gentle

Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:04 pm
by Clarkey1988
irish320i wrote:Have a snap on cordless as well serious bolt loosening power, would probaly cost 200+ to buy an airgun with equivalent power
With an air compressor yes. But any air gun over 200 quid has alot more power than the snap on cordless. Ive got the snap on air gun cost me about 330 and that thing has some serious power id say about double the cordless gun with a decent compressor.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:07 pm
by Quaser
Ive just ordered the Milwaukee combo kit so we shall see how it goes (yes, I went a bit overboard but I needed to get a combo kit and it makes sense to buy the whole lot rather then 1 at a time)- they also have a 12v ratchet which looks quite good and is cheap from usa (under £100 for the bare tool delivered)
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:13 pm
by Clarkey1988
One bit of kit i would recomend is the dewalt 3/8 drive cordless Impact gun. Very small to get into tight places and is brilliant at undoing things like manifolds sumps etc.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:20 pm
by Quaser
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:45 pm
by Clarkey1988
No mate its actually drill shaped but very small. I was really surprised by it.
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:55 pm
by bab-91
Revisiting this after destroying my right hand
Friend recommended a 3/8 dewalt, I was pawing over a 1/2 snap on because it had more powarrrr!
Being a buzzkillington, he recons 3/8 is more than enough powarrrr and its obviously cheaper! Would this be up to scratch?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DEWALT-XR-LI- ... 4544535%26
Re: Impact wrenches... Which one?
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:00 am
by faze30
snap on are good but expensive. ebay do good deals