Let's talk impact guns!

Corded and battery op. I'm Eyeing the makita btw450. Due to this article: http://m.caranddriver.com/features/impact-wrench-comparison-seven-electric-models-tested-gearbox

I would LIKE the cordless because I "believe" it would be useful for changing tires at an event. I have zero experience with these. I did however once buy an air impact from China freight. Immediately returned. What do the geniuses here know?

For an pneumatic (air) impact I prefer IR or one of the tool truck brands (Matco, Mac, Snap-On).

I've had a few cordless over the years. I liked the size/weight of my DeWalt 14V cordless impact for track use. Unfortunately the batteries only last 1, maybe 2 seasons. Big money to replace them.

I now use the Harbor Freight cordless. For $30-$40, you can throw it away when the battery dies. Or buy the extended warranty and replace it for free.

I use the HF corded one. While not as powerful as an air gun it gets the job done almost always. And it is much easier and quicker for me to get it out and pick it up later (vs. air hose and getting the compressor kicking).

Well worth the 30-40 bucks.

I was just thinking about getting the HF cordless instead of spending big $$ on a Milwaukee. The cordless is on sale for $119, what's the battery life like? Is it better than their $19 cordless drill (lasts about 20 minutes on a full charge if that)

06HHR wrote: I was just thinking about getting the HF cordless instead of spending big $$ on a Milwaukee. The cordless is on sale for $119, what's the battery life like? Is it better than their $19 cordless drill (lasts about 20 minutes on a full charge if that)

^^^ wut he said! Plus, what's the torque on the HF one? I mainly want it for busting lug nuts and doing suspension work.

I have the cordless 18v HF impact gun. It's got enough grunt for lugnuts but not rusty suspension bolts. The battery life is easily enough to do 4 to 6 4-wheel changes without recharge. If I ever get a real shop I'm getting a nice corded electric or air unit, but for what I've got now, and what I paid, it works fine.

I've got a Makita corded unit that's 17 or 18 years old. It's the best tool I've ever owned. Only recently has it begun to have any issues. Sometimes nothing happens when I pull the trigger and I'll have to rotate it 30* or so, to get it to start.

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-Volt-12-in-Cordless-Variable-Speed-Impact-Wrench-60380.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiMzEyNDYzMTkiLCJza3UiOiI2MDM4MCIsImlzIjoiOTkuOTkiLCJwcm9kdWN0X2lk%0D%0AIjoiOTEwNyJ9%0D%0A

Now on sale for $99 and they have a 25% off coupon for Sunday.

DO IT.....

Now.. I do have the a C3 lion powered drill from craftsman so I'd probably buy the bare tool kit.. Those lion batters are phenomenal.

I bought one of the 18v models from Sears a couple of weeks ago for $99 w/ battery and all that. So far so good.

Don't have a cordless impact of the 1/2 nature but I will add I recently upgraded from regular NiCad batteries to Lithium Ion for my craftsman cordless tools at work and the battery life if impressive. If you can swing Li-Ion technology I would go for it.

I have the Craftsman with the hi-cap XCP Lith Ion battery. I was able to change all four tires twice and swap an axle with it and the battery still showed "green". Best part is that I can use the same batteries with my drill, recip saw, grinder, hedge trimmer, etc

I have an air powered Craftsman impact wrench and it works great. I would stay away from the Harbor Freight tools and go with the quality impact wrenches.

Got air-powered impact covered, actually have 3 of those. Need something cordless for the occasional pick-n-pull run and times when firing up the compressor and pulling out the air hose is a bit of a pain. If the Craftsman and the HF are the same price i'd probably go with the Craftsman. But it's not something i'm going to use much, so if the HF is decent (not just $99 cordless hammer) and costs less i'd go with it.

I have a Li-on Dewalt 1/4" drive cordless that gets most lugnuts off-- as long as they aren't more than about 50 lbs torque, which is what the racecar has. Not bad for a 1/4" drive.

For tighter stuff at the shop I have the HF corded. I also have a cheapo pneumatic which wasn't worth the money and won't turn off stuff the HF corded will. If you're going pneumo, go big.

I've got a dewalt 1/2" cordless rattle gun, I haven't come across much it can't handle yet. From memory its about 550nm Max torque.

I also have a shinano pneumatics air powered 1/2" rattle gun, I've had it about 10 years now, its copped plenty of use and has been great.

I have an IR Ti gun for pneumatic, got it for way cheap new off craigslist. My problem is my hand me down oil less Craftsman 60ga is not up to the task. I'm going to try and use the HF 25% off coupon to get a Ryobi cordless this weekend. I have Ryobi tools already and came across a ridiculous score on their biggest lithium batteries so that's why I'm going that route. New compressor sometime in the near future, I hope.

I have two Dewalt DC823 3/8" Impacts; one for work, one for home. You can get the bare tool (sans-battery) for $100 if you do a little shopping, and since I'm already "invested" in 18v Dewalt stuff, that's exactly what I did.

They seem to last about 1.5-2 years here at our plant where we absolutely abuse the E36 M3 out of them 7 days a week. I've dropped mine out of the man-basket and off of ladders without immediate failure. I expect my home-use one to last much, much longer than the work ones.

Supposedly 1500in/lbs of torque. Battery life is ridiculous: I usually go a week or two at home, 2-4 days at work.

I have the cordless HF. Makes some good torque, but a battery won't last for four wheels, even brand new out of the box. Returned it and got a new one; same thing. In its defense, I was taking wheels off of a 5-lug, 9/16" stud car. 20 lugs at 85 lbft is very different from a 16-lug miata with 60 lb-ft.

I have had several air impacts. The only one that has lasted the duration is my CH. Impressive torque and its 20-year life included 7 years as a professional tech. I almost cried when I got it out a few weeks ago and found it had rusted. Must have put some bad air through it last time.

I have a Husky that was on the clearance rack at work. Nice gun, but the one I have is defective. It won't start spinning on its own. You have to spin it left and right until the air grabs something and then it works fine.

I had two Snap-ons; a 1/2" and a 3/8". Both were fine, but no better than the CH. I sold them because they were destroying my paycheck. I had 5 months where I got suckered into the expensive truck brands. Never again. Same quality as a good name tool but triple the price. They are the Amsoil of the tool world.

If I can't fix my CH gun, I'll buy another CH.

I've got a HF cordless. It works fine and has decent torque. On the Abomination, the batteries last plenty long enough. The lugs on my 8 lug E250 are another story. It takes both batteries to do a tire rotation. If you don't have air handy, it's hard to beat for the price.

The HF has been relegated to office duty since I got a decent compressor. At the house I use air tools and there is no comparison. A big +1 to Curtis, CH can't be beat. It's either coming loose or snapping off. The compressor stays at pressure all the time and the hose is retractable and easier to get out than a cord.

<also invested in 18v dewalt. Had a drill, so wanted an impact that could use the same batteries.

Its great for my use, although I don't take it to an autox and change 4 tires 2 times.

I have an air one, but almost never use it as I don't turn on the compressor unless I need it.

Skip the air, get an 18v Milwaukee fuel. Leaves all others in the dust with a 5 year warranty on the tool and a 2 year on the batteries-3 on the XC batteries. I have a demo unit I loan out and make a lot of money selling them to professionals in shops.

If you want a used SnapOff look on Craigslist as that's where all of my guys sell theirs to the uninformed.

Depends what the intended use.

For professional use, pneumatic, I like IR's titanium line, its light, quiet and strong. The 3/8s will do almost everything required in a normal shop, and I think Ive only had 1 or 2 things the 1/2 wouldnt take off.

Professional use, cordless electric, get something strong with rebuildable batteries, because batteries are high and you will wear them out from using it everyday, Ive used makita, IR, craftsman, snap on, and dewalt, pretty much liked them all.

If you are just using it for changing tires every once in a while and using it for hobbyist stuff, I would buy a cheap cordless electric impact, a few years ago there was a 220ft lb 1/2 inch drive china one that everyone rebranded and sold as their own, you could get it for like 80 bucks, and it was plenty for junkyard crawling or the occasional tire change, then if it dies a few years down then line, you can look back at how much you used it and see if investing in a good one is worth it.

I think this is the cheapy I used to see in diff colors everywhere. its on 64 dollars and it has good ratings

http://www.amazon.com/Tradespro-837212-24-volt-2-Inch-Cordless/dp/B00E6EF826/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428025608&sr=8-1&keywords=cordless+1%2F2+impact

I think this is the set I use at the house now. Truthfully I use the 3/8s drive like 100 times more, it fits better in the hand, and most times I just break something loose and use it to pull the rest of the way off.

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCF880HM2-20-volt-Lithium-2-Inch/dp/B00BWFIKJA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1428025608&sr=8-3&keywords=cordless+1%2F2+impact

I think this is the one I bought my brother a year or two ago for christmas he loves it but he does metal working, and mainly works on tractors and trucks so he normally has more room than me, and he said he loves it.

http://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-Impact-Battery-Charger-Included/dp/B003A9HGIM/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1428025608&sr=8-12&keywords=cordless+1%2F2+impact

I wouldnt get caught up in the huge ones for like 400 bucks that put out some ridiculous torque because they are huge and really how often does the hobbyist need more than 250 ft lbs. At that point get a decent cheap pnuematic gun (HF earthquake) or a nice lifetime warranty breaker bar and a big ass cheaper pipe and break it loose in like 5 seconds.

I almost always prefer the cheater pipe.

I've never used a bad Dewalt cordless impact. That said, I adore my Snap-On CT8810. It and my Matco sockets are my only pro tools and they're marvelous. The HF Chicago corded one is big, but works if you have the space.

Dewalt 1/2" 18 volt here.....more than enough punch(2k inch pounds) to do wheels and other various things, and the battery life is quite good.