Tool guys: Makita 6934FD Cordless Impact Wrench suitable for tire changes?

[tplyons]

I change my tires twice a year between snow tires and summer tires, plus tire rotations, and frankly, I hate doing it by hand. Looking into a cordless impact wrench for this... The specs on this are as follows:

* Maximum tightening torque of 1,240 in.lbs., 103.3 ft. lbs.
* 0 - 3,000 Impact per Minute

The torque specs in the manual state the lug nuts should be torqued to 100 ft. lbs... will this be strong enough to get them off and/or would the battery last long enough to swap a set of tires?

I already have the batteries, so I just need the tool... this is what I'm looking at: http://cgi.ebay.com/Makita-14-4-Volt...ht_4083wt_1141

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[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by tplyons

I change my tires twice a year between snow tires and summer tires, plus tire rotations, and frankly, I hate doing it by hand. Looking into a cordless impact wrench for this... The specs on this are as follows:

* Maximum tightening torque of 1,240 in.lbs., 103.3 ft. lbs.
* 0 - 3,000 Impact per Minute

The torque specs in the manual state the lug nuts should be torqued to 100 ft. lbs... will this be strong enough to get them off and/or would the battery last long enough to swap a set of tires?

I already have the batteries, so I just need the tool... this is what I'm looking at: http://cgi.ebay.com/Makita-14-4-Volt...ht_4083wt_1141

why not check out snap on or chicago pneumatic and see what their air powered units do....but i'd bet your local joe snap dealer would tell you over the phone if a cordless would work......my guess is that wheel nuts would be one of the main reason folks would even consider buying a cordless impact,and were probably designed with that in mind.....even so i'd re-torque 'em after a few miles with a wheel wrench anyhoo.....

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

why not check out snap on or chicago pneumatic and see what their air powered units do....but i'd bet your local joe snap dealer would tell you over the phone if a cordless would work......my guess is that wheel nuts would be one of the main reason folks would even consider buying a cordless impact,and were probably designed with that in mind.....even so i'd re-torque 'em after a few miles with a wheel wrench anyhoo.....

I'm not looking to purchase a new compressor or make a ton of noise. Just looking to save my wrists a few times a year. I really just hate using the tire iron every time I need to swap tires.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

why not check out snap on or chicago pneumatic and see what their air powered units do....but i'd bet your local joe snap dealer would tell you over the phone if a cordless would work......my guess is that wheel nuts would be one of the main reason folks would even consider buying a cordless impact,and were probably designed with that in mind.....even so i'd re-torque 'em after a few miles with a wheel wrench anyhoo.....

When I was working construction, we used cordless impacts for everything. We didn't even own cordless drills. Impacts drive screws so much better. A cheap corded impact would be a lot better than a cordless one. You can buy a Stanley one for $60.

lowsound

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by tplyons

I'm not looking to purchase a new compressor or make a ton of noise. Just looking to save my wrists a few times a year. I really just hate using the tire iron every time I need to swap tires.

i meant to check out the air powered units for comparison.....a call to joe snap would probably answer all your questions....personally i would look at dewalt as i have their drill/saw/recipro kit and the 18 volt batteries/chargers would interchange.....i use my cordless hammer drill all day to drive wood/drywall screws,and i just swap out the battery at lunch

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

i meant to check out the air powered units for comparison.....a call to joe snap would probably answer all your questions

My neighbor was a former Snap-On dealer and said a 1/2" drive would be around 425 ft. lbs. Way out of the range of the electric. He couldn't provide any much more insight on comparison.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

personally i would look at dewalt as i have their drill/saw/recipro kit and the 18 volt batteries/chargers would interchange.....i use my cordless hammer drill all day to drive wood/drywall screws,and i just swap out the battery at lunch

Ah... made some updates as I was replying...

Biggest reason I'm looking at the model I am is the sam reason... I already have a 14.4V setup with Makita. I used to work in a hardware store/lumberyard and the majority of our cordless purchases were Makita... I personally feel they had the better battery technology at the time.

[Mike N]

You're going to be pushing the limit of that tool on tire swaps, Tim.

[iamlowsound]

I just bought a corded impact wrench with a torque stop for $30. It is a mastercraft, not all that great, but it should handle changing tires for many years to come. It was 70% off, there are a ton of deals out there this time of year. Of course I bought it to change my tires and it didn't come with the correct adapter for my socket set and by the time I realized that, the stores were all closed. Just another job for tomorrow now.

lowsound

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Mike N

You're going to be pushing the limit of that tool on tire swaps, Tim.

It was your opinion I was waiting on, and I'll take this as gospel... that's where I was sort of leaning myself. Thanks for the input.

I guess I'll be looking into corded models, but I was hoping to avoid 25-50' of extension cords...

[pin_head_47]

You can find cordless models with plenty of grunt to do tire changes, but you're gonna pay for it, for sure.

[MJ5150]

A box of donuts and some coffee should get the job done at your local tires shop.

-Mike

[Pilgrim]

I agree with MikeN, 103 lbs/ft is marginal for wheel swaps. I very much doubt that it's going to break loose lug nuts that have been on for a while. If you have a car with lugs torqued to 100 lbs/ft (many SUVs) it's not going to break them loose.

Obligatory chanting:

Never, ever, ever use an impact wrench and socket for the final tightening of wheels. Use only a torque wrench or one of the torque stick additions that attach to the impact wrench.

Impact wrenches are handy for taking lug nuts OFF - provided the lugs have been properly torqued going on. Going back on, it's safest to start them, then spin the nut only until it makes light contact. From there on, it's torque wrench city.

I love torque wrenches that click!

[seismic]

Cars, maybe. Truck, van, or SUV, no.

Pilgrim is dead on. Use a torque wrench to properly set the final tightening.

I once took my new company vehicle in for a tire rotation at their shop. The fool who did the work used an air powered 3/4 inch drive impact wrench on a Ford Taurus. I drove the car out of the shop and later that day, the right front tire/wheel broke off of the vehicle and shot off down the road as I was making a turn.

My boss was highly ticked off and assumed I had hit something in the new car. The vehicle went to the dealer and they determined that the wheel studs were overstressed by applying ~285 to 290 foot pounds of torque to wheel studs designed for ~70. The fool in the shop admitted that he used a much larger industrial impact wrench, because he didn't want to change out tools.

I carry a Snap On cordless impact wrench in my one ton truck to change out a flat tire, but I do carry a torque wrench to properly set the wheel on the studs.

[AnchorHoy]

Originally Posted by seismic

Cars, maybe. Truck, van, or SUV, no.

Pilgrim is dead on. Use a torque wrench to properly set the final tightening

+1

Second reason to use a torque wrench (by hand) or torque stick (with an impact wrench) for tightening: unevenly tightened lug nuts can - and often do - cause rotors to warp, even brand-new rotors

And remember kids, always tighten lug nuts in a star pattern, never in a circle

[Mike N]

Torque wrenches are overrated. Tighten them down until they start to strip and then back them off a quarter turn.

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by pin_head_47

You can find cordless models with plenty of grunt to do tire changes, but you're gonna pay for it, for sure.

Agreed. Snap on makes a 1/2 " drive cordless impact that is perfect for buzzing lugs off and on, but it's $600 something dollars last I checked.

[fdeck]

I figure that my weight times the length of the lug wrench that comes with the car, is the correct torque.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by fdeck

I figure that my weight times the length of the lug wrench that comes with the car, is the correct torque.

Suuuuuuure. Do it that way, let those lug nuts sit for a year or two, then wait until you get a flat on a muddy back road.

Then the factory lug wrench plus about a 4-foot length of pipe is what you'll need to get those lug nuts off.

They get their revenge!! NYAH-AH-AH!!