i want to get a 3/8" impact wrench just for less weight.  

but - quite a few online reviews say don't use a 3/8 for lug nuts which is what i want to use it for mostly.

 

maybe that's because it's a lot of shop guys working on overtorqued lugs?  it's for my own cars which i don't overtighten and never seem hard to get off, seems like a 3/8" with close specs should be fine.

 

my current 1/2" is rated at like 340 and there are 3/8" pushing 300...seems more than enough for lugs?

we have/use a 1/2", adjustable torque, impact on our cars with the torque setting turned down a little so it doesnt over tighten. but it is capable of over 600 ftlbs at full torque on a full compressor tank (ingersall rand - uses a LOT of air on full torque)

 

if you would be comfortable with it, and think it would be tight enough, I dont see why you couldnt use a 3/8"  - maybe double check tightness by using a 1/2 breaker bar/socket?

 

Care to be the guinea pig? LOL

If a lug nut has been on over the whole winter, I don't care if you torqued it to 75ft/lbs or 300, it's gonna be on there good and wicked tight. An impacting that's barely pushing 300 may or may not zip that loose.

I really like my craftsman 1/2 impact. It's not very heavy and it pushes something ridiculous like 650 ft/lbs. It'll zip off axle nuts, suspension parts, lug nuts, whatever. It's really sucky to get a car jacked up only to find out your impact doesn't have the balls to pull a lug nut or axle nut, then having to jack it down again. The 1/2 solved that for me. Putting lugs back on I zip them on with low torque. Usually gets to about 30-50 ft/lbs. Then I drop the car and use a torque wrench for the final torque.

The new snapon cordless guns kick but have a 1/2 and 3/8 both undoo wheelnuts easy and i run the crap outa theese every day no problem the 14.4 3/8 gun with the 18 volt battery hauls butt and is long lasting i can do a whole tranny job on one battery

My only issue with electric impacts is that they're GIGANTIC. They don't fit in a lot of places my 1/2" pneumatic does.

The one bestestest air tool, though is the right angle air ratchet. That thing kicks so much butt on hard to access fasteners. Break it free with a wrench, but then stick the right angle down there and just zip it out. Sure beats the hell out of getting 1/8 of a turn at a time on a ratchet.

I bought a 3/4 snapon gun for the axle and strut bolts and a torque mutiplyer for them rear arm bolts put in 100 ft lbs get out 1000 ftlbs my new fav tool

copy, i've got 1/2" and 3/4" impact wrenches, i guess my question is about 3/8" impact wrenches, will a decent one knock out most lugs that i encounter?

I've got a 1/2" drive Milwaukee 18v cordless impact gun. Rated at 475 lb ft, and it's awesome. It's not bulky, and can remove lug nuts, axle nuts, strut bolts (as long as they aren't rusted on so bad you have to use a 3' extension on a breaker bar)

I have a Dewalt 3/8in 18v cordless that kicks butt. Its not that big and has enough torque to remove lugnuts if the battery is fresh.

Theres been some suspension nuts and bolts that were to tight, but those were even tight for a 1/2in air wrench.

wow, surprised at all the cordless, makes sense they're so powerful now.

i'm going to get a less expensive 3/8", not going to pay the high dollar for something that might not do all i'm asking, still have larger stuff too.

 

what i really need are two supply lines from my compressor and a moveable cart for the guns. then i got small/fast and big/beastly right next to me.

And i save big bucks not having to run my pig compreser can do whole work weeks without turning on compreser saved me 100 $ month on hydro easy

I use a 1/2" air impact.

I use this little guy only mine is 3/8 drive -just as powerful as a 1/2 inch but much smaller, lighter. Lugs are no problem. Always retorque by hand. This thing has been a real life saver and I just have a tiny 4 gal. compressor.

 

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-professional-1-2-in-impact-wrench/p-00919905000P?prdNo=9&blockNo=9&blockType=G9

i use a 1/2 inch on wheels, axle nuts, and suspension bolts. my 3/8" air gun is capable of +300ftlbs, but that doesnt mean i use it for lug nuts. not only do i not want an air gun rattling in my ear for any longer than it needs to be, and you put more wear on a 3/8" gun doing lug nuts than you wuld on a 1/2" gun that is more suited to do the same lugs. 

i have a craftsman pro 1/2 impact, an IR 1/2" titanium, and a IR 3/8" composite gun. i typically use the craftsman gun on lugs, because it is my cheapest gun. 

i also have a 12v dewalt 3/8" impact gun for small bolts, dash work, etc. its fairly small and fits in quite a few places when combined with wobble sockets. i used to have a 18v milwaukee 3/8" gun... it had tons of power for damn near anything i needed to do, but much too bulky. i ended up selling it. if i only had the money for one gun and had no air compressor, the milwaukee would be my choice... but otherwise, pneumatics are still more powerful. 

Edited October 29, 201312 yr by maozebong

I've got a 1/2" drive Milwaukee 18v cordless impact gun. Rated at 475 lb ft, and it's awesome. It's not bulky, and can remove lug nuts, axle nuts, strut bolts (as long as they aren't rusted on so bad you have to use a 3' extension on a breaker bar)

 

Could you provide a link, because the only ones I see are in the 200 ft. lb range.  Thanks

 

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/press-releases/milwaukee-delivers-industrys-most-powerful-18v-compact-impact-wrenches

I use a Chicago Pneumatic 734 I've had for holy-@$$ ever. I use it only for removal.  If we're talking lug nuts, they always get tightened with a torque wrench.

Could you provide a link, because the only ones I see are in the 200 ft. lb range.  Thanks

 

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/press-releases/milwaukee-delivers-industrys-most-powerful-18v-compact-impact-wrenches

http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwaukee-2663-22-18v-cordless-m18-1-2-in--lithium-ion-impact-wrench/miln2663-22,default,pd.html

Edited November 3, 201312 yr by bratman18

I have a matco (I gersoll rand ) 3/8 gun that has totally been replaced by the new dewalt 20v li ion electric impact havent touched my matco in weeks . My Ingersoll rand 1/2 titanium still gets used for the big stuff but my snap on li ion 18 v impact does the daily duties for wheels at work. The matco worked great for years when I was at audi doing wheels all day long but when I changed shops I shelved it as they kept giving me crap about it having enough torque. The newer models are stronger but im not really feeling like spending 400 bucks right now. Especially since I just bought a 300 dollar electric one. Its good to have both in both sizes but its probably overkill if you dont do this for a living.

I have a Snap On MG31 and it works great.

Edited June 13, 201411 yr by Crazyeights

+1 for dewalt 20v lithium ion impact, its a workhorse. The 20v drill will break your wrist too (thats a good thing right).

A friend of mine just got the new Milwaukee 18v cordless 1/2" impact gun. It has 1100 lb ft of torque! its a monster. The old one only had 475. The bare tool goes for $200. The old one went for $150.

After 3 years of strait use wore out my 3/8 cordless running 18 volt batt cost me 200 to rebuild it good to go again