Anyone with experience with Harbor Freight impact wrenches?

[Tobra]

Anyone with experience with Harbor Freight impact wrenches? I need one for a job, but can't imagine I will use it that much. I need it to tighten the top nut on my rear shocks. It has an extended top hat for the rear, so I can't clamp it to compress the top bushing. The battery one is about twice what the one with the cord costs. And I don't see spending that much more dough. I will need to get some impact sockets too, either way.

I hand torque the lugs when I do tire rotations. I don't swap tires out when autocrossing either. I realize the cordless would be more utilitarian, but I can't see spending a hundred bucks on something I won't use much. I don't live in the Rustyland, so the cars I work on don't have the corroded, smegma covered fasteners where an impact wrench is going to be much use. I guess I could buy it, and return it, but that is not how I roll.

[BeyGon]

I have had a couple electric ones, they didn't last long and mine didn't have much power, just enough to change the bolt on the Porsche steering wheel. Not much else.

[Tobra]

That is about all I need it to do

[ninelevenick]

I have a half inch HF pneumatic impact wrench. It gets occasional use. Works great, and I bought it at a great price.

[Evans, Marv]

Had one for maybe 20 years. If you don't need 600 ft./lb., I can't see buying an expensive one for the price of the HF. A friend gave me another one. I don't know how long he had it. I thought if mine ever bit the dust, I'd use the second one. So I've had two for quite a long time. I use mine occasionally and haven't had a problem. These are the corded ones. I don't think they had battery powered ones when I bought mine.

[stomachmonkey]

Check Craigslist for a quality used unit.

Nothing more frustrating than an impact driver that does not have the balls to do the job.

[aschen]

I've had the same trouble a few times. My 3:8 Bosch impact will drive them down without having to hold the shaft. I also witnessed my buddy snap the end of a 200$ koni doing the same thing with a cheap HF cordless impact.

These days I like to figure out a way to hold the shock shaft. I don't feel bad putting vice grips at the very top of the shaft that should never go into the body. Otherwise maybe a rubber strap wrench

[aigel]

Always cracks me up - guys working on Porsches that they appreciate for their craftsmanship and quality. Not shy to spend extra for the privilege. And then too cheap to buy a quality toolset to work on them.

I can't say I have experience with HF tools aside from a cherry picker and a few jackstands. I have a composite housing 600 ft/lb IR impact that I bought from a mechanic friend. It had about 5 years of professional mechanic use on it when I got it. I have had it 15 years. It is bulletproof and will spin just about anything, if you supply it >100 psi ...

I'd get a decent compressor and air tools and be on my way. I don't wrench much anymore, but my air tools still make any big job a breeze.

G

[Jrboulder]

I have a dewalt 18v Impact wrench. They claim it does 300 ft lbs. I used to use it everywhere but now only on stuff like struts. I guess it was worth the $250 5 years ago because of all the use I got out of it parting out cars. But at the rate I use it now, I can't say I'd pay more than $100 for such a tool.

If you have a somewhat modern cordless drill you can get a new or used "bare tool" impact wrench that uses the same batteries. You can buy new ones that were taken from kits on eBay for a significant savings over straight retail.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I have one of their pneumatic Earthquake impact wrenches. I've had it forever and rarely oil it, it just keeps working. Not coincidentally it looks a lot like an IR model.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by BeyGon

I have had a couple electric ones, they didn't last long and mine didn't have much power, just enough to change the bolt on the Porsche steering wheel. Not much else.

I must be the rare exception. I bought an electric one 4 or so years ago to do front struts on my 951. Has seen work on everything I own. Torn apart 3-4 engines with it, on top of normal maintenance, clutches, a few axle swaps. Taking apart a set of 24 bolt beadlock hmmwv tires finally killed it. But it went out sparking and smoking.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I have one of their pneumatic Earthquake impact wrenches. I've had it forever and rarely oil it, it just keeps working. Not coincidentally it looks a lot like an IR model.

This is a seriously bad ass tool. ^^^^ OTOH, the 39.00 corded electric seems to do the job for a lot of people. I have had a DeWalt corded electric for years, that I use when I have no access to a compressor. It works well, but sometimes you need to let it hammer for a minute. Ear plugs are a MUST.

If you get the 39.00 electric job, and a set of 20.00 impact sockets, you can always return the driver if it fails to do the job you purchased it for. IIRC, it has a high customer rating. Some of their cheap tools are actually quite good.

[Nickshu]

They are garbage. I had two of their "Earthquake" impacts that died after 2-3 uses. I bought an Ingersoll-Rand impact for about $120 and it's worked flawlessly for several years.

[Baz]

This one seems to have good reviews - would probably work for my purposes:

Electric Impact Wrench - 1/2"

[greglepore]

Nothing like consensus...

[Cajundaddy]

I suspect if you got a Makita cordless you would find a lot more uses for it than you think. It is more money but a very handy tool for 1000 uses.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-18-Volt-Compact-Lithium-Ion-1-4-in-Cordless-Impact-Driver-Kit-XDT11R/206025687?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CTHD%7CG%7C0%7CG-BASE-PLA-D25T-PowerTools%7C&gclid=CNTl-_yKhMsCFYkCaQode1IK-w&gclsrc=aw.ds

[VINMAN]

Nothing wrong with them for occasional use.

[Tobra]

I use a piece of Spenco(think mouse pad) to protect the shaft of the shock and grab it with vice grips up high enough that it would not make a difference if I scratch it a little. Knock on wood, have not had a problem doing it that way so far.

[911boost]

I have a Crasftman 19.2v impact driver. I like it for what I use it for....

Bill

[Embraer]

Not only do I use a harbor freight impact, it was one I bought at a pawn shop for $5. Have used it, going on 6 years.