Earthquake impact

[bigmeat]

My 20 plus year old Mac Tools Aw434 1/2 impact seems to be dying and will need to have it rebuilt or replaced. I am thinking of buying a Harbour Freight Earthquake impact gun. Anybody have any real world reviews?

Topic

[Rich Southerland]

I bought one and it’s okay. Having come from a cheapo Sears one my perspective may be skewed from someone coming from a real quality part. I think the torque rating is overstated a bit – mine did have trouble getting a CV axle nut loose – should have been well within it’s capabilities.

[Jesse]

[quote=”bigmeat” post=136524]My 20 plus year old Mac Tools Aw434 1/2 impact seems to be dying and will need to have it rebuilt or replaced. I am thinking of buying a Harbour Freight Earthquake impact gun. Anybody have any real world reviews?[/quote]
I would skip it if I were you, there are other impacts that could be found around the same price range that are better. There is an Ingersoll Rand gun that is usually 100-123 dollars that could be found in almost any auto store. It weighs a lot but it is torquey, and very reliable. There is one that is a community tool in the shop I work at, and it is beat, abused, and dropped almost every day, yet it’s still running perfect. For about 160 dollars you can get a composite aircat gun that is torquey, light, and reliable. I personally use the aircat 1150, great gun, light, quiet, balanced, and one of the most torquey guns in the shop in my opinion.

The one thing that irks me is the trigger, it’s very hard to feather it.

[James O’Hara]

Stay away from Harbor Freight for air tools. Chicago Pneumatic not to be confused with Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic has been around a long time and it is known in the field mainly for die angle grinders but, their impact guns if taken care of are pretty hard to break. Ingersoll Rand is the go to brand for almost every pro mechanic and that is because they hit hard but, they are also heavy. Last one is Craftsman re branded Florida Pnuematic Impact. I have seen in a couple places saying its pretty good no real bad reviews. If your are a mechanic you can get the first 2 from a tool truck more then likely.

http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-231C-2-Inch-Super-Duty-Impact/dp/B0002SRM3I/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1431700858&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Pneumatic-CP734H-2-Inch-Heavy-Duty/dp/B0002SRM38

http://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-9-19984-2-Inch-Impact-Wrench/dp/B004PZUY4I

[SVTDice]

Have you taken a look at Aircats by any chance? They are pretty awesome guns for a good price.

http://www.amazon.com/AIRCAT-1150-Killer-Torque-2-Inch/dp/B007WQQ90A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431898061&sr=8-1&keywords=Aircat+1150

[Francisco]

[quote=”SVTDice” post=136965]Have you taken a look at Aircats by any chance? They are pretty awesome guns for a good price.

http://www.amazon.com/AIRCAT-1150-Killer-Torque-2-Inch/dp/B007WQQ90A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431898061&sr=8-1&keywords=Aircat+1150%5B/quote%5D

I’ve been using the Aircat 1150 for almost 2 years great impact well worth the $165 I paid for it.

[Jason]

i have owned one for 3 plus years, and have never had one issue with it, keep it oiled, and my 1/2 drive claims 750ft lbs, and i believe it, it either breaks it loose, or breaks it off, honestly, just make sure your using impact sockets, breaking a non impact is not fun. just my 2 cents

[Author]

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