Looking at getting an impact wrench

[ShadowsPapa]

Yeah I have a craftsman air impact ( set of air tools ) and I contemplated getting a compressor or a cordless this round, dang cordless tools now a days are impressive. Wouldn’t have considered it 15yrs ago.

My Milwaukee (and I'm sure OTHERS) blows my Chicago Pneumatic top of the line in its day impact away. My CP can't even touch things the new cordless impact walk away with.
There's a place for the pneumatic, like when I'm installing the nuts on alternators - the Milwaukee detects no torque so it just spins while my pneumatic will hammer a nut on even if the shaft turns in my hand while holding it. Each has their place, but I'm finding my pneumatic will now likely last until I die I don't use it nearly as much.

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[kevman65]

I bought for home based on what has worked best at work.

Hands down Milwaukee 2767-XX is head and shoulders above the rest. We beat impacts to death in the piping trade and the Milwaukee goes from job to job. The others are lucky to last a week of constant abuse.

Yes I know, you won't be using it all day every day. But when is that failure point exactly?

 

[GEETCH]

My Milwaukee (and I'm sure OTHERS) blows my Chicago Pneumatic top of the line in its day impact away. My CP can't even touch things the new cordless impact walk away with.
There's a place for the pneumatic, like when I'm installing the nuts on alternators - the Milwaukee detects no torque so it just spins while my pneumatic will hammer a nut on even if the shaft turns in my hand while holding it. Each has their place, but I'm finding my pneumatic will now likely last until I die I don't use it nearly as much.

Agreed a place and time for each, I still need a compressor (55 gal) for other stuff, that’ll be the next round of tool splurge lol. I haven’t found a battery spray gun lol ( for automotive ect) plus a few other air tools especially my sheet metal tools like river guns

 

[Aonarch]

Milwaukee makes the best cordless power tools hands down.
I Iike Ryobi for the average DIYer.

 

[Bucephalus]

This is what I have. Things a beast. It made my bumper swap in winch install much easier.

I have the same one..the whole XTR line is a great bang for your back. Kobalt, Milwaukee, or FLEX Flex is my favorite to be honest...I love German over engineering.

 

[SFLJEEPER]

Bought an impact for suspension work a couple of months ago worked awesome dewalt cordless. However, personally I am not comfortable using an impact on lugs, cheater bar and loosen with tires on ground my .2 cents.

This is the same one I have had for around 5 years. I have abused it and it just never quits. Through several axle swaps and suspension changes on multiple Jeeps, it has never met a bolt/nut that it couldn't handle.

 

[SnazzGlad]

Harbor Freight electric impact! Great buy if you don’t use it a lot. Think I paid 50 bucks for it. Prolly won’t use it again because I’d rather just pay the tire shop 20 bucks to swaps wheels. You all can tell I don’t do a lot of my own wrenching lol.

 

[red/green hawk]

Because I'm lazy and don't want to research it myself...I have a 20v Dewalt Hex drive impact drill and use impact bit adapters for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch. Insufficient compared to 1/2" drive drills or okay to use periodically?

 

[JT614]

Bought an impact for suspension work a couple of months ago worked awesome dewalt cordless. However, personally I am not comfortable using an impact on lugs, cheater bar and loosen with tires on ground my .2 cents.

I use and abuse this exact impact on anything and everything. It's a workhorse and handles most everything I use it for. The only struggle it had recently was removing a hub, but it was rust welded on for 17 years

 

[Jaydebe]

I've owned a DeWalt 20V Max 3/4" Impact for a few years. It's amazing!
That said, DO NOT use setting 3 for lugs, I pulled threads on my 4Runner using it.
It'll letdown serious torque (I think 600 ft lbs) and breaking force is like 1200 ft lbs.

 

[BrentMG]

I have the Milwaukee M18 and it is definitely up for pretty much any job I give it.

 

[Garemlin]

@ShadowsPapa
Check your PMs please. Unrelated to this but threw a question at you.

 

[Garemlin]

This thread went a little sideways. Lol

Anyone have an answer to my original question? What's the minimum breakaway torque and driving torque I need to look for to do suspension work and tire swapping?

 

[LostWoods]

I prefer Milwaukee. They have been around forever.

This 1/2" high torque paired with a 3/8" latest gen (they're low profile) mid-torque and the 1/4" bit impact driver is the perfect trio for automotive. The 1/2" only comes out for big stuff like suspension but it makes it effortless.

I used to have the baddest-ass Ingersoll 1/2" air impact when I turned wrenches and it doesn't hold a candle to this Milwaukee... the new stuff is just miles above what I had 15 years ago and with 70% less tinnitus.

 

[stil2low]

This thread went a little sideways. Lol

Anyone have an answer to my original question? What's the minimum breakaway torque and driving torque I need to look for to do suspension work and tire swapping?

definitely look for something in the 500-600ft lbs range. I have a few different sizes of electric impacts and my 250lbs one won’t break lugs loose. Great for other things because of its size but use my Milwaukee fuel for wheels and everything else that’s more open

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