a4944

Can you set the torque with these things or are they only good for removing lug nuts? What else do you use them for? I'm in the process of replacing a torsion bar in a 951. There are bolts with associated nuts. Do you have to put a wrench on the nut when using the impact wrench on the bolt or does it spin it right off without the wrench? I don't have space for an compressor but I could see getting one of these if they can be used effectivly on more than wheel lugs.

Thanks,
Mark

David K.

I have a Milwaukee 18v it's great.

Matt H

If it makes you feel any better about the harbor freight model (granted not a 1/2 inch) it is the same one used to do the lugnuts on the Bigfoot. Yep, really. I have taken them off and put them on a number of times
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Dan in Florida

Here's another vote for the Chicago 19.2 V cordless impact wrench. $129. It weights only 6.5 pounds and a fully charged battery will last well beyond a day of wheel changes at the track. Also get the Harborfreight socket set; you'll need the 19 mm socket.

And one last note: get a set of steel lug nuts; the OEM alloys won't last long with an impact wrench.

Good luck,
Dan

JW in Texas

You guys have convinced me. The Harbor Freight model has been added to my Christmas list. It will make it easier next season when I am having centerlock withdrawls I sure will miss those & the air jacks. Think I can convince PCA to let me run them on a stock class car

philligl

I recently bought a Harbor Freight 12 volt that connects to the cigarette lighter. Regular price - $39.99; on sale for $19.99. I've used it once and it seems to do okay. It might take 5 or 6 seconds to spin up and pulse, but if nuts are properly torqued, it takes them right off. Might not, though, if the nuts are overtorqued. Durability/reliability - too early to tell.

Carrera GT

I have a Craftsman 18v (Sears, discounted to around $200 or so) and it's very effective -- I used it on a suspension job and it did everything the air wrench does (removing dampers, etc.)

The electric impact wrenches don't have specific torque settings, but the Craftsman (and presumably all the others) have a variable trigger, so you don't have use too much force to loosen something and it's possible to snug up things and then use a torque wrench.

Also, good point on Porsche aluminium lug nut -- not for impact tools. And if you're tracking, getting steel nuts is an essential safety measure.

Rene

Well I bought the Harbor freight module because of the price. I used it this weekend & it worked great! We had to change 3 sets of wheels & we had no issues. It even broken them loose with the can in the air.

Thanks for the help guys.
Rene
1984 944 DE car
1986 928s weekend car
1998 F-150 tow vehicle
1999 Ford taurus work car

Robert Henriksen

Well, just got back from a long track weekend. We had the following impacts:

Harbor Freight (aka Chicago Electric) 19.2v @ $120
Makita $290 model, turns out only rated for 105 lb/ft
Milwaukee 18v, 240 lb/ft @ $???

The spec racer ford we were running only uses 65 lb/ft on the lug nuts, but the Makita (105 lb/ft) couldn't break them loose. We threw it back in the trailer & used the Harbor Freight & Milwaukee all weekend.

Still working fine, and I think the Harbor Freight was about 1/3 the price of the Milwaukee.