Electric Impact?

[steved]

Anyone have a recommendation for an electric impact?? Preferably one that won't break the bank.



I'm tired of swapping tires by hand, and my compressor is 300 miles away at my parents (I have nowhere to place one anyway)...

 

[rholcom2]

I dont have a great deal of experience with other brands. However, I was given a DeWalt 1/2" drive electric impact for christmas this past year. I have used it 4 times (twice on my little car and twice on my wifes Yukon). Seemed to work flawlessly. Seemed to have plenty of power, just a bit more bulky in the hand than an air impact. I dont know how much it ran, but have seen them at Lowes and Home Depot... . think you can get one for ~$250. Hopefully someone will have input on other brands. Good luck.

 

[steved]

Someone gave me a link to a remanufactured Dewalt for around $100... I may go that route.

 

[GOlsen]

I also have a DeWalt 1/2" Drive 36v cordless. I got it refurbished on eBay for just about half price. I've used it at least a dozen different times and have yet to have a problem with it. The 36v puts out the most torque out of the other DeWalt cordless, but is also the most expensive.

 

[steved]

I'm sort of leaning away from the battery operated ones, mainly because I would use it fairly infrequently and the batteries would probably go bad before I got much use out of it.

 

[GOlsen]

I hate to sound like I work for DeWalt or something here, but this is what I think. With the 36v DeWalt batteries, they use "nano" technology. It's a phosphate lithium ion that they claim won't lose power when it's just sitting. When I bought mine, I charged up the batteries, used it once, and then packed it in the closet. It was about 6 months until I got it out again. I thought that I would have to charge the battery, so I plugged it in, and right away the light indicated that it was fully charged. I've used that gun a bunch, and haven't charged the battery again since. The only problem is that they are pretty expensive, but they are convienient. Not trying to sway you one way or the other, just giving you my observation.

 

[JFought]

my dewalt corded works great!!

 

[B.G. Smith]

I have this one and it is strong and no prob so far. bg Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[EdK]

Mine's a B&D

I've used my Black & Decker impact since the mid 1970s!!! Had to replace the power cord once... that's it! I use it regularly these days to run 1/2 inch diameter bolts into concrete.



If you are mainly using it for lug nuts, you may want to check out Harbor Freight if there's on in your area. Also check out craigslist.org; I see them on there once in a while. I'd stay away from the cordless unless you spend some serious cash. I have a cordless Ni-Cad I keep in the truck for on-the-road needs. It will run the lugs off and on for ONE wheel, but that's about it.

 

[MarshallJ]

impact/electric

i transport boats and have to change a lot of other peoples trailer tires. to save time igot a1/2 inch electric from harbor freight 3 yrs ago for less then 90dollors. i use it all the time and have had no problems with it. second best move i ever made.

 

[McCRam]

I have a cordless dewalt and a wired milwaukee. I like them both, no problems with either. We have put a lot of use on the milwaukee, we were building fences and had a generator. I would say the milwaukee has more torque then the dewalt as well.

 

[steved]

I have heard several people say the HF impact seems to work well for the $$. I just have a hard time buying anything electrical from them as almost everything I have bought died...



I'm too busy right now to even think about buying anything... probably buy something in May, after things slow down a bit.

 

[Grizzly]

I have a 1/2" DeWalt corded impact, which I'm completely happy with. I use it mostly to join large wood beams together with 12" lag bolts. I also use it to rotate 7 wheels on my dually. The ultimate test, IMO is, will it remove the lug nuts on my truck, which it will with ease.



I can't vouch for other brands mentioned here because I've never used them, however I'd stay away from anything made in China.

 

[MKinner]

I've got the Snap On 18V Cordless impact and love it. It's been sitting for at least a year and a half, and is amazingly powerful. If you can get your hands on one, you will not be disappointed in it. I bought mine because of a lack of an air compressor and couldn't be happier. That thing is a beat. If you were in the area, i would let you use it to try it out for yourself. As a rough guess, it would take all four of my wheels off and on about 6 times. As far as cordless goes, you won't find a better one. Just my 2 cents.

 

[CAPN Harley]

Rigid R6300

I have a Rigid R6300 1/2 inch electric impact. I had my tires put on at a truck stop and my impact was able to bust the lugnuts loose so I could retorq them down.

 

[MA2LA]

I hate to sound like I work for DeWalt or something here, but this is what I think. With the 36v DeWalt batteries, they use "nano" technology. It's a phosphate lithium ion that they claim won't lose power when it's just sitting. When I bought mine, I charged up the batteries, used it once, and then packed it in the closet. It was about 6 months until I got it out again. I thought that I would have to charge the battery, so I plugged it in, and right away the light indicated that it was fully charged. I've used that gun a bunch, and haven't charged the battery again since. The only problem is that they are pretty expensive, but they are convienient. Not trying to sway you one way or the other, just giving you my observation.

Don't belive the hype... . I have about 8 of the damn things an they don't hold thier charge any better than the nicad one especially if it cold out. I use tehm everyday and theres times when i cant get them to keep a charge over night if its below 35deg out

 

[Grizzly]

Don't belive the hype... . I have about 8 of the damn things an they don't hold thier charge any better than the nicad one especially if it cold out. I use tehm everyday and theres times when i cant get them to keep a charge over night if its below 35deg out

My experience with Lithium batteries is that GOlsen is correct. Lithium will hold there charge until used.