103Nm Wheelnuts and cheapo rattle guns?

[Rob]

As the title says, my wheelnuts are done up by me with a torque wrench to 103Nm, or about 70ish ft lbs, yet if I use my cheapo Netto impact gun to remove them, its not man enough to do so and I have to use a tyre lever first, negating any time savings by using the air tools.

 

Having seen identical looking guns by Clarke, and even in Aldi rated to 230ft lbs, what's wrong with my one?

 

Its a 50 litre compressor going up to 125psi and a 10mm hose.

[nevins]

Adjuster on gun, or the gun is due a service.

[Rob]

Hmm, it has a little adjuster knob with 1 - 4 on it, but neither end seemed to work IIRC. The gun was brand new and oiled.

 

Admittedly I know nothing about using compressors and air tools. I opened the regulator to full on the compressor, or at least I think I did.

[Chris Wilson]

Air guns are like brakes, you get what you pay for. A small CP gun would have them off in a jiffy. (CP= Chicago Pneumatic, a quality professional air tool maker).

[Rob]

So are you saying that even though its supposed to be 230ft lbs, it never will be due to poor construction?

I've probably had it for over a year now without using it, so I can't even take it back as not fit for purpose....that's 15 whole pounds wasted.

 

 

Ahh, I see the CP ones are between 5 to 10 times the cost, and promise to deliver full torque in reverse as well. I wonder if the cheapy one is paltry in reverse. In fact its the same forwards, as when I do the wheelnuts up, quite a bit of slack gets taken up by the torque wrench final tighten.

Well there you go, buying a £15 windy gun is not as good as a £148 one.

[Chris Wilson]

Yep, for 15 quid what did you expect though? A proper gun is about £130 plus VAT, you see used CP 1/2 drive guns on Ebay for about 50 quid, but you don't know how worn they are, they are best bought new.

[Tricky-Ricky]

Its down to the compressor, i have a 50lt which will supply 130lbs, but its only able to supply 6CFM, but that is not enough to power either a a cut off tool or an impact gun, you need more CFM.

[Chris Wilson]

Won't make any difference, even a small tank hold enough air to undo one nut!

[Rob]

Its down to the compressor, i have a 50lt which will supply 130lbs, but its only able to supply 6CFM, but that is not enough to power either a a cut off tool or an impact gun, you need more CFM.

 

My one is 50 litres too, what's the point in selling them if they can't handle the most basic of home mechanic jobs?

[dr_jekyll]

CP make exelnt quality air tools. all my air tools are CP . the first one i baught about 4 years ago has never been serviced , just oild daily and it has never let me down.

[Chris Wilson]

Yep, my three CP tools have seen out various other machines. Have to say I am very impressed by my Milwaukee mains electric impact gun, that has done a lot of work and only needed a new mains lead. I have a Milwaukee battery drill too, that has done so much work it's untrue, putting up fencing, workshop duties and driving masonry bits. Sadly both battery packs are al but kaput now, and new ones are so dear as to make a complete new drill seem more attractive.

[merckx]

It's important to use an impact socket and not a normal one as the impact will be absorbed to some extent, avoid using an extension bar for the same reason.

[Tricky-Ricky]

My one is 50 litres too, what's the point in selling them if they can't handle the most basic of home mechanic jobs?

 

I have also wondered the same thing, but i think they are primarily intended for the odd bit of panel spraying, rather than air tools, they just can't output the flow necessary, i have sprayed a truck body with my compressor, but it was a case of waiting for the tank to re pressure every few minutes.

[Kirk]

Ive never had an issue with any of my snap-on guns or my ingersoll one... you know why?

[Rob]

Do you get plenty of flow through your hose-end?