Cordless Impact gun question

[pgeorgeson]

I finally broke down and bought a Longacre Cordless impact gun. My question relates to using it to tighten lug nuts. I am worried about over-tightening the lug nuts. Should I use the gun to put the lug nuts back on? If so, how do I make sure not to over-tighten?

This is probably a dumb question, but I thought I should ask before I screw something up.

[Oh Haha]

You should always use a torque wrench to FINAL tighten lug nuts.

I have seen a lug nut kit that has different colored ends for torque values. Any auto store should have one.

[carrue529]

I use the cordless impact gun to remove/install the lug nuts but like Oh haha states the FINAL tightening s/b with a torque wrench. my cordless gun tightens the lug nuts to between 80~85 ft/lbs when fully charged.
When the shop replaces my tires they use the color ends for the proper torque value, I need to get this for my air gun

[GH85Carrera]

Personally I would NEVER use an impact on the aluminum lug nuts. I break the nuts loose with a long handle wrench with the car on the ground. After I jack it up I use my cordless drill to spin off the nuts. I start the nuts back on with my fingers and then snug them up with the cordless drill and the drill clutch set for 14 or 15 so it slips. When the car is on the ground I use a torque wrench. I put the torque wrench on the drivers seat as soon as the wheels are off. That way I can't forget to torque the lugs. Impacts are great for steel nuts.

[911st]

Probably good advice to not use at all on alloy nuts.

However, I use mine to remove and to just to snug up the nuts. Then I do them by hand from there.

I love my I.R. It saves a lot of time.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

You needn't worry about overtightening anything with a cordless impact wrench. In my experience they've never put out anything like their advertised torque. Last one I had, I took back to Sears to get my money back two days later and told them it was junk. "Yeah, you're right," the clerk said.

It's not that much trouble to string an extension hose from the kompressor, as Mercedes terms it. Oh, wait, that's a supercharger...ever noticed how many doofuses think the model name of their little-motor SLK is "Kompresssor," like thinking a Honda is a "Fuel Injection"? But then I actually once met someone who insisted his Harley Davidson Edition Ford pickup was made by Harley. Better that than Eddie Bauer, though.

[pgeorgeson]

Thanks. It is a race car, so steel lug nuts only. I always use a torque wrench to ensure proper torque. I guess I will try to gun out and check with the torque wrench to see how tight they are. As long as it is under-torqued with the gun, I am fine. I just don't want to over-torque.

[nineball]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Personally I would NEVER use an impact on the aluminum lug nuts. I break the nuts loose with a long handle wrench with the car on the ground. After I jack it up I use my cordless drill to spin off the nuts. I start the nuts back on with my fingers and then snug them up with the cordless drill and the drill clutch set for 14 or 15 so it slips. When the car is on the ground I use a torque wrench. I put the torque wrench on the drivers seat as soon as the wheels are off. That way I can't forget to torque the lugs. Impacts are great for steel nuts.

exactly the way i do it too. may take a tad bit longer, but that is more time i get to spend in the garage and NOT doing yardwork, fixing the lights, etc....

here is a set of the torque extensions people were talking about. i personally don't have them nor have i even heard of this brand but they came up first on a google.

http://www.torquestick.com/cart/customer/product.php?productid=27&cat=17&page=1

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

You needn't worry about overtightening anything with a cordless impact wrench. In my experience they've never put out anything like their advertised torque. Last one I had, I took back to Sears to get my money back two days later and told them it was junk. "Yeah, you're right," the clerk said.

It's not that much trouble to string an extension hose from the kompressor, as Mercedes terms it. Oh, wait, that's a supercharger...ever noticed how many doofuses think the model name of their little-motor SLK is "Kompresssor," like thinking a Honda is a "Fuel Injection"? But then I actually once met someone who insisted his Harley Davidson Edition Ford pickup was made by Harley. Better that than Eddie Bauer, though.

jeez, talk about some rambling...

pgeorgeson, better to ask, huh? Anyway, you have steel lugnuts, so safe there. I thought I could "soft" tighten my alloy nuts with a cordless. But, I was using a "soft" socket. Boy, that's a sure way to throw away twenty bucks. I destroyed it at half the torque using an impact wrench. All hand done by me now.

[rothaus]

I got one of these and stopped using it.

[JP911]

I've used cordless impacts and the trick (IMO) to putting the lug nuts back on is to get them started by hand (probably obvious) and then use one quick "squeeze" on the impact gun trigger to snug them up. You may need to practice a few times, and you should still (also probably obvious) finish the job with a torque wrench.

[Jack Olsen]

I use a torque stick to avoid over-tightening:

[docrodg]

I never use an impact gun to tighten lug nuts... too many problems can result. The torque sticks are common, but I do not trust them to consistently torque all the nuts at the same value. If lugs are not the same you set up stresses in the rotor and can warp it after it heats up a lot. Of course, stripping the lugs is another potential problem.

[sailchef]

Geez, now you need two wrenches to take the lugs off a Porsche---------

I have never used an impact gun on lug nuts. For 40 years I've used a 4-way lug nut wrench and just spun them on and off by hand. I've never used a torque wrench to finish bolts either, always done that by hand with the 4-way. You can "feel" Aluminum lugs better than steel lugs.

After reading the 6th or 7th post asking the same question, I checked them with a torque wrench, they were all on the money.

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by sailchef

Geez, now you need two wrenches to take the lugs off a Porsche---------

I have never used an impact gun on lug nuts. For 40 years I've used a 4-way lug nut wrench and just spun them on and off by hand. I've never used a torque wrench to finish bolts either, always done that by hand with the 4-way. You can "feel" Aluminum lugs better than steel lugs.

After reading the 6th or 7th post asking the same question, I checked them with a torque wrench, they were all on the money.

I'm old school like you. I use those 4 way lug wrench to break the nut loose and to spin it off. However, I do use a torque wrench to make sure it is properly tightened. another friend used to use the German method for torquing wheel bolts/lug nuts.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by Jack Olsen

I use a torque stick to avoid over-tightening:

I'm w/ Jack. Use a 60 -80# torque stick if you have to tighten w/ a gun. I try not to, but there are times when it's going to be necessary. Do final torque w/ a torque wrench

[KTL]

I think the torque stick is only necessary with the air guns. The electric impacts just don't have enough nuts to do any damage. My cheapo Kawasaki from Costco ($50) is no different than a buddy's big dollar ($300) Milwaukee. They both have to work hard (maybe 3 seconds) to get the lug nuts to start moving. If you zip the lugs back on with them, there's no risk of overtightening when you "blip" the trigger and let the momentum of the tool spin the lug to the point where it seats, but by no means is it even close to torque spec. That's left to the clicker torque wrench or the 4way breaker bar.

Any time you use the air impact, you've got to make sure the "gain" setting is right. I usually have my I-R air impact set on nothing more than #1 (it goes 0 to 5) for zipping lug nuts back on- after i've hand-installed them of course. With 80 psi and set to #1, my air impact only puts ~70 lb-ft on the lugs.

[ted]

Originally Posted by sailchef

Geez, now you need two wrenches to take the lugs off a Porsche---------

Yes and my 3rd wheel wrench-is a 4 way for when the tire shop over torques the lug nuts above what my electric impact can remove.

If I torque my steel lug nuts to about 90lbs my electric impact can still break them loose.
How many lbs of torque do you guys use on your lug nuts?

[KTL]

I set my lugs to 96 ft-lbs

[Green 912]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

You needn't worry about overtightening anything with a cordless impact wrench. In my experience they've never put out anything like their advertised torque. Last one I had, I took back to Sears to get my money back two days later and told them it was junk. "Yeah, you're right," the clerk said.
h.

I suspect you have not used a Snap-on or one of the newer IR guns. My Snap-on gun will knock a lug nut loose as you pull the trigger with no delay in the first hit or so. Very easy to over tighten a lug with a good brand cordless. I have used mine to knock axel bolts off.

Easy to loosen and spin lug nuts off with a cordless. Indispensable at thew track and handy in the home shop too. No air hose following you around knocking over or getting caught on stuff on the floor ether. Finger start then gently spin down the nuts then final set with a torque wrench.