Impact Wrench?

(Posting this in “Maintenance” since I need the impact wrench for some maintenance repairs… Mods, please feel free to move it.)

So I’m going to be changing my brake pads and rotors, doing it myself for the first time. I’ve been reading about rotor warpage from over-torqued lugs, and I’d like to avoid that.

I need to buy an impact wrench, and I don’t know a whole lot about them. Can anyone recommend a good impact wrench (that will let me select the torque)? Are they all pretty much the same, or is there any “gold standard” for this tool?

Thanks.

My craftsman professional 1/2" has served me well over the years, and honestly I couldn't work in the garage without it. A good rule of thumb is to only use an impact wrench for taking things off or apart, never to put anything back on or back together. When assembling, it's always better to tighten by hand and use a torque wrench to set the proper torque. If you plan on getting into doing this type of maintenance yourself, make a point of investing into some good tools, they'll pay for themselves in the long run.

Use a torque wrench to re- torque your lugs.

I like Ingersoll Rand impact wrenches. I have the 3/8" & 1/2" Titanium impacts from IR. Owned them for 4 years, and they are as strong as they were out of the box.

As everyone said, torque by hand with a torque wrench. I don't actually have an impact wrench, and honestly, I've never needed one. A good 1/2 inch drive torque wrench will have a long handle and will break just about any bolt loose without much effort, assuming you have enough space for the handle. I did my front pads with my 3/8 inch torque wrench that I bought at Harbor Freight for $15, and have not had any problems. By all means buy an impact wrench if you feel that you need one, but for your brakes, its completely unneccesary.

like reason said get a good set of tools hell just go buy some craftsman so if u break them just take em back to sears to get a new one. and i've been using the craftsman 1/2 inch impact for like a year now gonna get something stronger.

As everyone said, torque by hand with a torque wrench. I don't actually have an impact wrench, and honestly, I've never needed one. A good 1/2 inch drive torque wrench will have a long handle and will break just about any bolt loose without much effort, assuming you have enough space for the handle. I did my front pads with my 3/8 inch torque wrench that I bought at Harbor Freight for $15, and have not had any problems. By all means buy an impact wrench if you feel that you need one, but for your brakes, its completely unneccesary.

My grandpa when he force fed me knowledge as a youth always told me not to take of bolts with a torque wrench since you can make the thing inaccurate. Granted I think his tools are all from the civil war so that fact may not still be the same.

I like Ingersoll Rand impact wrenches. I have the 3/8" & 1/2" Titanium impacts from IR. Owned them for 4 years, and they are as strong as they were out of the box.

+1 on IR. Their Titanium & Torque models are the best for the $$

(Posting this in “Maintenance” since I need the impact wrench for some maintenance repairs… Mods, please feel free to move it.)

So I’m going to be changing my brake pads and rotors, doing it myself for the first time. I’ve been reading about rotor warpage from over-torqued lugs, and I’d like to avoid that.

I need to buy an impact wrench, and I don’t know a whole lot about them. Can anyone recommend a good impact wrench (that will let me select the torque)? Are they all pretty much the same, or is there any “gold standard” for this tool?

Thanks.

i use a drive breaker to unscrew the lugs and also tighten (tighten lugs but not all the way) also helps me lift the tire to the bolts. line up bolts, put drive breaker end under tire and lift. takes practice. unscrew the lugs in a star shaped order with the drive breaker. (while i have the tire off i like to clean the inner tire area and brush off the rust on the bolts with a wire brush. also check tire pressure). After rotating tires, hand screw the lugs back on and tighten in a star shaped order. tighten lugs in a star shaped order meaning tighten 1 bolt, after tighten the one across from the bolt that was just tightened. i torque mine at 83 ft. lbs. i rotate my tires every 5,000 miles. bought my BFgoodrich muds around 38,xxx and i'm still running them. truck now has 87,xxxx miles. still has good tread on them. rotating, correct tire pressure, alignments, and keeping your tires balance helps with longer tread life. i say use a drive breaker to unbolt lugs and drive torque specifically only for torquing.

Use a torque wrench to re- torque your lugs.

I like Ingersoll Rand impact wrenches. I have the 3/8" & 1/2" Titanium impacts from IR. Owned them for 4 years, and they are as strong as they were out of the box.
I've got both of those too, Damn good impacts:waytogo:

i use a drive breaker to unscrew the lugs and also tighten (tighten lugs but not all the way) also helps me lift the tire to the bolts. line up bolts, put drive breaker end under tire and lift. takes practice. unscrew the lugs in a star shaped order with the drive breaker. (while i have the tire off i like to clean the inner tire area and brush off the rust on the bolts with a wire brush. also check tire pressure). After rotating tires, hand screw the lugs back on and tighten in a star shaped order. tighten lugs in a star shaped order meaning tighten 1 bolt, after tighten the one across from the bolt that was just tightened. i torque mine at 83 ft. lbs. i rotate my tires every 5,000 miles. bought my BFgoodrich muds around 38,xxx and i'm still running them. truck now has 87,xxxx miles. still has good tread on them. rotating, correct tire pressure, alignments, and keeping your tires balance helps with longer tread life. i say use a drive breaker to unbolt lugs and drive torque specifically only for torquing.
X 2 on the torque pattern and torque 75 to 80 ft lbs.

(Posting this in “Maintenance” since I need the impact wrench for some maintenance repairs… Mods, please feel free to move it.)

So I’m going to be changing my brake pads and rotors, doing it myself for the first time. I’ve been reading about rotor warpage from over-torqued lugs, and I’d like to avoid that.

I need to buy an impact wrench, and I don’t know a whole lot about them. Can anyone recommend a good impact wrench (that will let me select the torque)? Are they all pretty much the same, or is there any “gold standard” for this tool?

Thanks.
As far as for precise tourquing you should use a hand torque wrench, with air inpacts you can easily over tighten

80 lbs craftsman 1/2in torque wrench $25 :)

80 lbs craftsman 1/2in torque wrench $25 :)

The torque spec for Tacomas is 83 ft/lbs...

Can anyone recommend a good impact wrench (that will let me select the torque)?

Thanks.

Oh, I forgot, you can get torque sticks that you use with an impact gun, but they are expensive.

IMO, if your gonna spend the money, just buy a torque wrench. You can use it on more than just lug nuts.

Sounds good... thanks for the input.

Note to self: pick up a torque wrench asafp.