OMO: Which impact wrench

[DarrenSV650S]

I want to get an impact wrench to make getting the car's wheels off easier. I bought a halfords breaker bar today and it just twisted and snapped.

I don't mind if it's battery, 240v or 12v. Just the cheapest option really. I was thinking 12v would be handy to have in the car for flat tyres, but would it be a bit under powered?

What is a decent make that you can recommend?

Thanks

[BigBaddad]

Sounds like your wheel nuts are either over tightened or seized. I think you may well be throwing good money away buying more cbeap tools especially a 12v impact wrench. Plus if left in your car a battery one may not hold its charge.

If I were you I'd buy a cheapo 1/2 torque wrench (£20-40 from amazon perhaps http://www.amazon.co.uk/FAMEX-10886-GS-Torque-Wrench/dp/B000CSXN9K/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top ) and a correct sized impact socket. I'd remove each wheel and smear a very thin layer of antisieze compound to the rear of each wheel where it sits on the hub and to the threads of each wheel nut. I would torque them all down correctly. I do this each time I buy a new car. Perhaps you know someone with some decent kit that could help you the first time. Check the torque setting for your car a get a wrench that will comfortably achieve that. You shouldn't really use a torque wrench to undo tight nuts.

I have a SIP air impact gun, but NEVER use it to tighten anything..

[DarrenSV650S]

The bolts are new and were off a few days ago. The garage used a battery impact wrench to tighten them. I want to be able to remove them myself in future.
I have a torque wrench

[DJ123]

What size was the breaker bar? I use a 1/2" drive breaker bar/extended ratchet and it is capable of undoing bolts that have been put on with impact guns easily. Decent hand tools will do a good job of it.

[suzukigt380paul]

buy a good car breaker bar for the nuts,or if you want cheap, you can get a 12v impact that clips on to a battery to undo the nuts,they are primitive but do work,but if the nuts are very tight you may struggle with a 12v impact,but if you want a good battery impact expect to pay over £400

[NTECUK]

Some of the pro battery ones are very powerful .
Milwaukee HDI18HIW32 18V model has a stalled power rating of 610nm.that's too high for wheel nuts If you get a numpty using that on full power your looking at New studs .
If you want one get a mains power one .Don't let me catch you doing things up with it though .

[Specialone]

Those 12v impact guns are surprisingly powerful but don't bother with the battery ones unless you spend big bucks, it'll be crap.

I can honestly say in my 25 plus years of messing and working with bolts and sockets etc, I have never broke a 1/2 inch breaker bar even from a cheap set.

I've had 2 foot long scaffold poles on them and still undone stuff without breaking.

If you have only just bought this from halfords, take it bloody back and go buy one from machine mart, or upgrade to a 3/4 inch and buy the correct socket for it.

I still use one of those blue four pronged wheel nut jobbies that have a different size on each prong, you can get done amazing torque on those things, I've never once came across a wheel bolt I couldn't undo.

[Specialone]

Also take it for a hard fast ride and use the brakes a lot to get some heat in them, it will get the hubs warm too which should make cracking the bolts a tad easier.

[andrewsmith]

Another one for a breaker bar.
Go get a one from Machine mart as 1/2" drive at 2ft or 3ft and decent impact socket.

This halfords one must have been made of plastic to snap the bugger

[yorkie_chris]

Don't use a torque wrench as a cracking bar you apes!

[Specialone]

Don't use a torque wrench as a cracking bar you apes!

Didn't even notice anybody had said use a torque wrench and had to read it all to find it lol, yes torque wrenches are for doing up not undoing, a breaker bar is exactly why it's called that :rolleyes:

[Bibio]

mash hammer and impact driver should free it off enough to then use a bar.

[NTECUK]

Iv a machine mart breaker bar .a long scaffold pole .
Beats an impact wrench.
If you use a torque wrench as a breaker your need it re recalibrating .
That's if you don't break it

[tigersaw]

The tool that comes with the car and a rubber mallet or your size 10 should be all it needs, garages do tend to overtighten them as its better to ruin your studs than be accused of putting them on loose and contributing to an accident.

[squirrel_hunter]

If you bought a breaker bar from Halfords, I presume its a Halfords Pro one? If so life time guarantee, take it back and it will be replaced free of charge.

As for the Impact Wrench try this corded one (http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-cew1000-electric-impact-wrench) or this cordless one (http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cir24-24v-cordless-impact-wrench/brand/x-5-star-products). I have used both, and they are awesome. Even the battery powered one was great, needed it to remove a front sprocket as a breaker bar, engine in gear, mate on rear brake, bar through the wheel, wouldn't move it. This gun undid the bolt first try and I didn't need any assistance with it.

[DarrenSV650S]

It was this wheel wrench from halfords http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_53 5921_langId_-1_categoryId_255216

I got a refund for it


Cheers squirrel, that 240v one looks good.

[Bibio]

It was this wheel wrench from halfords http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_53 5921_langId_-1_categoryId_255216

I got a refund for it


Cheers squirrel, that 240v one looks good.

i have had a similar one for eternity and is my weapon of choice when i comes to wheel nuts and goes in every single car i get.

[DarrenSV650S]

Well it's pish. First it started to bend near the head where the metal has been pinched. Then the socket started twisting around the square drive then the whole thing just snapped off. And as you know I'm not exactly Mr Muscle

[Specialone]

I suspect it was a faulty one as I've used that exact same one before and I had my 16 stone of bulk behind me and I ain't exactly a weakling.

[DarrenSV650S]

Ordered that clarke one from ebay. £20 cheaper than machine mart :)

[TamSV]

Well it's pish. First it started to bend near the head where the metal has been pinched. Then the socket started twisting around the square drive then the whole thing just snapped off. And as you know I'm not exactly Mr Muscle

I'm with you Darren. Those things are utter ****e for a properly stuck bolt.

They're the wrong angle for a start. Much better for the bar to be at 90 degrees to the socket IMO, otherwise you're putting too much force on one side of the socket and it just twists off the stud.

The only saving grace is that the soft sockets open up before they knacker the head of the stud. :roll:

Six-sided impact sockets and a breaker bar for me. Shifts anything.

[Bibio]

i can vouch for the one i have as i have bounced up and down on it a good few times. the halfrods ones must be pants.

[Whitty]

I have a snap on 18v 1/2 drive cordless gun. Will undo bus wheelnuts if not seized on which we torque to 610nm. Ace bit of kit but cost me over £400! Couple of lads bought them cheap ones but they are poor, main problem seems to be no 'slow start'. Trigger is either ob or off. If the garage have done yours up full with a gun like mine they may be stretched/damaged! I won't use mine to do my cars. If you use a torque wrench set correctly for your car you would be surprised how little force is needed. Most truck and bus loose wheels come from overtightening. You don't need a gun for your car, save your cash! :)

[_Stretchie_]

Got this manual one, requires precision instrument to make it work

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_53 0655_langId_-1_categoryId_165469

and as Squirrell mentioed it, I've also got this one

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-cew1000-electric-impact-wrench

Bought it with a VAT off voucher so got mine for £54 and it's great, it's a little..... basic, but it bloody works