pneumatic versus cordless

[chet]

With the new cordless impact drivers on the market, I was wondering if anyone could say if the cordless versions are as good as pneumatic? I am currently considering the Ingersoll Rand cordless 20 v impact wrench that boasts 1100 nut busting lbs of torque. I am also looking at the dewalt cordless impact wrench that boasts 300 ft lbs of torque. If they work, it would be convenient but I don’t want a tool that won’t loosen axle and support frame nuts.

Thanks

Chet

Topic

[Eliud Munoz]

With todays cordless tools they can work just as good as an air tool, but they can get very expensive but you will not need to invest in an air compressure and will not be restricted to a hose. On the other hand you can service an air tool much better then an electric one and it will last you much longer in the long run. They also usally have more power in them too. It really depends what you will use it for. If for a shop that has air use an air tool. If for home or you move (work at other peoples homes) a lot, and don’t want to invest in an air compressure then get an electric one.

[Bruce]

could have swore I replied to this yesterday.

I think the cordless tools are awesome. I have the Milwaukee M18 1/2 impact. Its rated at 450 ftlbs and 640ftlbs breakaway torque. They are a little big compared to a pneumatic impact. I have used mine on axle nuts, pinion nuts, lugnuts, suspension.

I used the 3/8 SO impact for a week before I bought the milwaukee. Its rated at 150 ftlbs and 230ftlbs breakaway torque. If it had just a little more torque it would have been great. Which the new Milwaukee M18 3/8 and IR 20v 3/8 have 190-200 ftlbs, but neither lists the breakaway or nutbusting torque on their websites. I plan on getting the Milwaukee because I already have the charger and batteries, it is smaller, faster, and has 3 torque settings.

ETA-Also have the 1/4 M12 ratchet. Absolutely love this thing. It is a little bigger than a pneumatic ratchet, but it has plenty of power. There has only been a couple times it wouldnt fit somewhere, like on 1 timing cover bolt on V6 Accord. The one that is real close to the strut tower. Also the anvil isnt as strong as the one on my Mac air ratchet, so keep that in mind. I had used the Mac for several years and never broke the anvil, but broke tit on the Milwaukee inside of 4 months. Thinking about getting the 3/8 version to use on the tighter, larger bolts that I have been using the 1/4 on.

[Dave]

I like to get the 12 or 14 volt cordless tools put the battery on the shelf and solder on wire leads with alligator clips on the other end so that I can hook up to my car battery and have power tools that will work as long as the car is running or the battery is good.

I am suprised that I haven’t seen any one else do this but it works for me.

[671tamuning]

I personally have both pneumatic and that 18v dewalt cordless impact you’re talking about..

I’m not a professional tech, but I’ve taken some schooling in automotive.

Air tools are the way to go if you’re looking for power and longevity.

I have a husky 26 gallon air compressor and the harbor freight “earthquake” impact wrenches both the 1/2 and the 3/8 drives.

I haven’t had any problems with’m in the 2 years I’ve owned them. I use them about once a week average.

The Dewalt 18v impact wrench I’ve had it for about a year and I haven’t had any problems with it. it’s an awesome tool, though a bit pricey, I mainly use it for my tire rotations and basically anywhere else on the vehicle I can fit it. It’s a pretty big tool and a bit heavy. I’ve also used it also for travel repairs for some friends and coworkers of mine.

But, it depends on your budget as well, That IR cordless impact is pretty steep..

[johnzcarz]

I was skeptical about the IR W7150 too (the 20v cordless you mention), but the thing is a real torque monster. It barely ‘hammers’ twice before lugnuts spin off, it’s faster than my IR air impact even at 125 psi.

I still can’t get over how convenient it is not having to snake the air hose around. I don’t think it will completely replace the pneumatic (because of the expense and it’s bulkier), but it’s the first thing I reach for now.

You can save some money if you don’t need 2 batteries, buy the ‘K1’ kit.

[Justin Farrington]

The IR W7150 is amazing. My friend bought one about 3 months ago. It’s a bit bulkier and a little heavier than an pneumatic but it still took off axle nuts without breaking a sweat. As far as a cordless impact goes, I would spend the money on it. My personal toy is the Snap-On 3/8″ cordless with 14.4 volt high output batteries. I use it almost all the time (for some small, all middle, and few big jobs (to either back of or start)). A battery usually lasts me 3-4 days before I have to recharge it and grab a new battery. On a fresh battery, it gets lug nuts about 20 degrees from 100 ft lb torque (passenger car) on every lug nut. Which isn’t too bad. It has a steady power curve until it has about 20-30% battery voltage left, then it drops in power dramatically if you try to put it on a load.

[Alex MacLean]

Been looking into getting one, no particular brand, but one of my friends has one and you don;t realize what a pain in the rear that air hose has been your whole life until you don;t have to pull it around the shop and up and over the crap that never ceases to catch it, even in a tidy shop somehow. I am really thinking it will be the way of the future for those who don’t need it constantly. Probably not as helpful for someone in a tire shop running lug nuts 8 hours a day constantly though. But if you only need an impact for less than a few dozen bolts a day, I think they are fanfreakintastic.

[James]

Simple: Both.

Air for the shop, battery for the road, and on you go. Thats what I always go by. You would not believe how handy a air chissle can be either in the shop or on the road.lol That is pretty much all I use air power for thou. Now for lug nuts, well I have always kept a cordless drill in the truck with a lug nut size socket adapter.lol I can change tires faster then any man alive! Less they work for a pit crew. 😛

[dollman0]

Some of the guys I work with like them to use on top of long haul trucks because the air hose can limit its use. The electric models are great to change lights on top of a FedEx truck or do light repairs on just about anything. I am old school and still use air for everything. I have one battery drill and it seems like the battery is always an issue unless it gets used every day.

I prefer the pneumatic tools because the batteries and charger can get expensive to replace. All shops have a dedicated air source so a compressor is not an issue.

I can run a 1/2 inch gun off a pancake compressor to change tires at my house LOL I do have two other compressors with a 20 gal tank if you are wondering but not very practical to drag out for something simple, that is where an electric model could be handy.

[Michele Pensotti]

Hi all!

I was googling around to find out if the prices of IR W7150 had dropped a bit since last time and disconvered that Milwaukee has just launched its equivalent (700 ft/lbs of peak torque and 1100 ft/lbs of “nut busting torque). :woohoo:

M18 Fuel 1/2 high torque impact wrench, code 2763-22

Just about the same specs of the IR W7150, not bad.

I really hope this will give IR some competition and the prices will fall a little 😉

However , given the kind of competitivity that has always been between IR and Snapon, I would have surmised that the second brand to announce a “monster torque cordless impact” :cheer: would have been Snapon, and not Milwaukee.
Strange. :huh:

Maybe in the next few months they’ll too announce something in the range…

[johnzcarz]

Hopefully it will, but I kind of doubt it. It would be like Snap-on dropping it’s price because Mac has a similar tool for less. So far the IR and Milwaukee are priced about the same. The people that buy this kind of stuff just write it off as part of a business expense, I don’t think there is much of a market for these things in the ‘shade tree’ mechanic segment.

[Michele Pensotti]

Thanks for your insight Johnzcarz 🙂

Anyway, I was proceeding in my search and discovered another two cordless impacts with similar specs to the IR; they are the AC Delco ARI2023 and its twin the Durofix ARI2023 (Durofix and Delco seem to be two sides of the same coin).
Cheaper and similarly specced to the IR one.

Also, there is the ARI2060 which has a torque-limiting clutch that, I think, is the only thing missing from cordless in comparison with their airborne 😆 counterparts

Let’s hope the old and less torquy cordless models start to fade and the newest get a better sales diffusion; I think *that* could lower their price another bit 🙂

Live long and prosper (and stay dirty!)

10nico

[Andrew]

Another consideration will be battery life and longevity. If you’re a diy and don’t use it a lot, you can kiss your batteries good-bye in a year or so. If you regularly use it you might get some additional time out of the batteries before you have to buy new ones. And like I found with my Ridgid 24v stuff, they don’t make it anymore so I can’t do much with the tools without a battery. I like Ryobi’s form factor where they have different batteries over the years but the same plug on the end so all their tools work with all the batteries.

If the pro-grade impact tools will have the longevity in their batteries, or at least have replacements available, then I think they’ll do well.

I have a 33gal craftsman compressor at home to power my impact tools. never have to worry about charging a battery, or a spark from the motor ignitinng gas vapors working on a fuel system. I also have some cheap impact drivers that’ll be ok on 1/4″ and some 3/8″ fasteners that I’ll use on stuff that doesn’t need the balls of my IR231c

[Author]

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