Air Compressor ???

[BarryG]

Looking to buy an air compressor for around the house. I had a cheapo one previously that was like 30 gal tank and and would do 5. 1cfm/90psi. It would not take the lugnuts off the truck or even the wifes 4 runner. That is unacceptable. What will it take to do it? Was the compressor ok and the impact wrench crap or just not enough air for the wrench? Am thinking about 60 gal 175psi unit that does around 12cfm/90psi. Would prefer a portable one but havent been able to find anything that produces much more than 6. 5cfm/90psi until you get up into the 240 volt stuff. Any suggestions?

 

[lil red cummins]

hi barry:



as long as you have 90psi at the tool, a good wrench should take off most nuts up to about 1" hex size. mine will take the lugs off my truck. i have an old ingersoll-rand 1/2" impact built before they cheapened them up. it is capable of around 150 lb/ft torque at 90 psi. make sure you have a 3/8" hose for the impact and do not run through a regulator.



i have a 5hp 60 gal single stage unit at home that i have cranked up to 140 psi max. it does everything i need to do here. it was $399 from home depot years ago. i think they are still about the same. i have a large line and connector i run a 3/4" impact from, and it works ok (175 psi would be nice). i did have to wire it 220 because that was the only voltage selection for the motor.



the least i have used, is a sears 1 hp (2 cyl cast iron head with oil bath) with 20 gal tank that made 120 psi. it still works ok, but if you have to impact the bolts for a while, you will have to wait periodically for the tank to build back up.



2 stage units are very nice, and they will give you the 175 psi you mentioned, (can be adjusted to 200 if you like to experiment) but cost goes up considerably, and you have to make sure your hoses can take line pressure. 220 volts would probably be mandatory.



stay away from oil-less compressors if you plan to put it near where you are working. they tend to be more noisy than the oil bath type.



the best compressor (IMHO) is a champion. they are not cheap and are body shop duty. i have one at our shop that went through a fire and still works perfectly after all the rubber and plastic components were replaced. they run around $1800 for a 5 hp 80 gal 2 stage.



does this help? any thing i forgot mention?



good luck,



jim

 

[B.G. Smith]

You need a better or larger impact wrench. The wrenches they sell at the stores now just won't cut it with any air pressure. It is getting way up on the high side of a good 1/2" impact to remove the lug nuts on our trucks. A good industrial 1/2" might/might not do the job. You are getting into the 3/4" range. 125# is plenty of air, you just need a little reserve for the initial loosening, the bigger the tank the better. A quality 3/4" wrench will cost more than the air compressor it requires to run it. I have and old Craftsman 1/2", 110 volt impact wrench that will remove the lug nuts from an automobile if they haven't been overtightened by some tire jockey. bg

 

[MKoth]

Sounds like you guys just don't have the right air tools. My 3/8 IR 2115TI will spin the lug nuts off darn near anything. It has 280 lb/ft in reverse. My 1/2" IR2135TI is rated at 700 lb/ft, and i think that is a little moderate, as it will out perforem most 3/4" guns.

 

[BarryG]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like my impact is a pos (it actually came with my old compressor). I think you guys just saved me some money on the air compressor well sort of anyway now I can spend the money on a good quality impact. Thanks again for the info.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Good choice. Look on Ebay at some of the buy it now options - there are a number of tool companies on there that sell them at VERY good prices. I just bought an IR2135QTI for $217 with shipping. It's the same impact that Mkoth mentioned above but it's 12db quieter - full rating is 700 ft/lbs with 1000 ft/lbs of nut busting torque although your compressor may be a little weak to run that gun - it's listed at an average air consumption of 5 cfm and 24 cfm@full load. You may want to look into the 2115 (3/8") or the 2125 which is the same gun as the 2115 but with a 1/2" anvil - it is rated at 280 ft/lbs and will surely bust lug nuts loose no problem.

 

[TnLRacing]

www.maxtool.com



The Cheapest place for new tools I have found...



IR2131A 600 lb. 1/2'' Impact Wrench

Features:

• Unique super strong composite housing and steel hammer case.

• Lightweight and evenly balanced to provide superior

comfort and control.

• Convenient one handed push button forward and reverse control.

• Newly refined twin hammer mechanism for greater output

and extended tool life.



Specifications:

• 1/2'' Drive

• 600 Ft. -Lbs. of torque



The above model number IR 1/2 gun is $184 I use it everday in a Transmission repair shop, and have yet have this gun fail me in anyway. It has never not been able to loosen a lugnut. Its light weight and very durable!

 

[Dieselnut59]

the best compressor (IMHO) is a champion. they are not cheap and are body shop duty. i have one at our shop that went through a fire and still works perfectly after all the rubber and plastic components were replaced. they run around $1800 for a 5 hp 80 gal 2 stage.





I agree with Jim. We have two 30 gallon Champion air compressors with 10. 5 horse Yanmar diesel on our service trucks. The premium Champion compressor pumps are made in USA, which, unfortunately, is a rare find these days.

I am looking to find two used commercial 80-100 gallon three phase electric compressors if any of yall know of any good ones for sale. Need one for my home shop and for my company shop.

 

[Dane]

This guy makes very good stuff at fair prices -



eatoncompressor.com

 

[nickleinonen]

at my work, our shop air pressure is ±90psi [we have large screw type compressors, 2 of them, 1 running per week, switched weekly]



i'll use my IR 1/2" gun to break loose 1" bolts [1. 5" socket] on axle journal box binder bolts that have been run down with newer CP 3/4" guns... if it won't break it, then my IR 3/4" gun comes out. if that don't work, then the smoke wrench comes out. more air pressure makes your tool have some more power, but shortens the life of it [or so i am told... ] a good tool will work well at 90psi.

 

[rbattelle]

My wife want's a new dining room table. I told her if she gets one, then I get a compressor!



I'm looking at maybe this one or maybe one from Home Depot made by Campbell Hausfeld here. I'm a little wary about Campbell Hausfeld.



That Eaton compressor Dane posted also looks nice (cheap), but flow rate's a little low...



-Ryan

 

[BarryG]

Thats a nice looking compressor. I would have liked to get one of those. I ended up getting one from sears that is 110v and portable, well rollable anyway. Couldnt afford a 230v aside from the higher inital cost I would have had to run 220 to the garage and that was not going to be easy or cheap. And I invested in a good wrench. In fact I got the IR 2135ti wrench and that thing rocks. Even with my little 110v 6. 5cfm compressor it spins the lugnuts right off the truck. So far everything I have asked it to do it has done with ease. Darn wrench was almost as much as the compressor but well worth it.

 

[KatDiesel]

Did you get the 33gallon 6hp compressor? Happy with it?

 

[JFinke]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like my impact is a pos (it actually came with my old compressor). I think you guys just saved me some money on the air compressor well sort of anyway now I can spend the money on a good quality impact. Thanks again for the info.

Your impact may be a POS, but have you ever oiled it? If the answer is no, most people never do, it may work just fine for what your doing if you oil it. They should be oiled every hour of operation and at least before each job if they have been sitting over a week or two. I use Snap-on and Ingersoll air tools and my 3/8" IR or snap-on will do any automotive wheel that was propperly torqued. I regularly take off 10 hole budd truck wheels with my 1/2" that has 1000lbs max torque. Budd wheels on trucks are only supposed to be at most 650 lbft. If I need it I get out the 3/4 or 1600lb 1"



If you order something from MAX tool I hope you have better luck than me, they sent a standard 1" impact, not the 6" extended anvil 1" I ordered. I had to argue to get them to pay the shipping of the wrong tool back to them, and it took almost three weeks to get the right one shipped back to me. I saved 350. 00 over buying it locally, but it took a month. Jake

 

[Hohn]

For home use I really wanted an IR garagemate. They are indirect drive and oil-lubed, which is what you want (quiet and durable). They were $499 when I looked.



I ended up buying a cheapie CH "Ironforce" from Lowe's. This compressor was so cheap, that I can burn it up AND buy another for the cost of the IR unit. It's loud and not friendly (have to wear ear protection). But it performs a lot better than I thought it would.



This cheap compressor kept up with my die grinder when I was porting my turbo/manifold. I've NEVER had a 115V compressor keep up with a die grinder. Heck, some 60gal models can't keep up with the die grinder! In my opinion, if a compressor can feed the grinder during heavy use, then it can handle anything I would throw at it.



justin

 

[BarryG]

Kat:

I got the 6hp 30 gal. So far it has been great and done all I have asked of it. There was a difference between the 33 gal and this one but cant remember what it was.



Always oil the equip. My previous wrench was just a pos cant believe the difference between it and the good IR one I bought. I did use MAXtool as they had a great price compared to every place else I checked and had no problems maybe I lucked out there. It did take over a week for it to arrive though.

 

[rbattelle]

I think I've settled on this one. These guys are located only about 30 miles from where I live, so I can avoid all freight charges and in case I ever need service it's easy. I like the magnetic starters... you have to spend a ton of money to get one of those on an IR compressor.



Called them today. That horizontal compressor is 54"L x 46"H x 23"d. I want a horizontal one for ease of moving. I may mount it on lockable casters too.



Now I just have to convince the wife that a compressor will improve our lives!



-Ryan

 

[lil red cummins]

i've always said:



"on the eighth day, god created compressed air"



can't imagine being without it.



jim