Great tool for any RV owner

[DaHose]

I don't know quite where to post this, but DIY seems most appropriate.

I recently read a great review of the Harbor Freight 1/2" cordless impact driver in Hot Rod magazine. Based on the high praise, I bought one and tested for myself by removing wheel nuts on my RV that are torqued to 160 ft/lb. One use validated the Hot Rod review. The HF tool feels solid and has a variable trigger, but is only available with NiCD batteries. However, that does not seem to limit its performance. The driver can be had for about $100 when on sale. Batteries charge in about 2.5 hours and only cost $15 on sale, so having a capable tool with multiple batteries would be possible for less than $150. Compared to other more well known brands with price tags in the $400+ range and batteries around $70, the HF model is an incredibly good bargain.

I do plan to buy at least one more battery for it and a charger that can live in the RV. That will let me keep it ready for use at home and travel.

Jose

[John___Angela]

In my opinion, (and this is something I don't know a lot about) the click wrench is a more exact way of torquing things down. As you pointed out, the bending beam is for smaller bolts needing less torque. To torque an 85 pound I start at 65 in a criss cross pattern, then to 75, then to 85. (The torque is determined by the lug nut size). 7/16 80 pounds. 1/2 100 pounds etc etc. I go to 85 because the number is easy to see on my wrench.

ALWAYS STORE THE WRENCH WITH THE TORQUE RATING SET AT THE MINIMUM which in my case is 20 pounds.

I recommend getting it calibrated every few years.

[SlowBro]

Thanks. I see you have a click wrench. Is a bending beam wrench to be avoided when tightening lugnuts?

I currently have a beam style wrench but I've never seemed to understand how it works. Seems like nuts jerk when being tightened, not a smooth turn, thus I can't seem to get a good reading as the needle is bouncing all over the place while the nut jerks. On my TODO list is to read more and watch videos, or buy a click style wrench.

[John___Angela]

cdevidal wrote:
So how does one know what torque is being applied with an impact driver? Do you get it close then measure with a tool?

You don't. When I put on a lug nut I don't even tighten. I just spin it on till it barely ratchets and then stop. The rest is done with a torque wrench. Most Class C E450's are around 135 - 14 and most trailers are 75 to 95. That means you have to start 20 pounds back from there to use a torque wrench. The impact wrench sure is nice for spinning them off though. Use a torque wrench to put em back on and then check them 50 miles down the road again.

[SlowBro]

So how does one know what torque is being applied with an impact driver? Do you get it close then measure with a tool?

[64thunderbolt]

I have a Ryobi 1/2" 18v impact with the lithium batt. kept @ room temps will hold a charge for up to 16 monthe. It has been charged 2 time in a year. It is great for scissor stabilizer jacks.

[BurbMan]

CWOUSMC wrote:
I'm the same way, if it is a tool that I might use once or twice I go to HF. If I am going to use it all the time I go with Craftsman.

I used to do this too, until I went to buy a set of Craftsman offset box wrenches that said in very small letters "Made in China". Looked just like the HF set....if I'm going to have Chinese tools, I would rather pay $15 for the set at HF instead of $80 for the set at Sears.

Personally I thing HF Pittsburgh sockets, ratchets, and wrenches are every bit as good as Craftsman is today.

I started with a DeWalt cordless drill and it seems like once you are locked into the battery system, there's no going back. Everything is 18v NiCad, and it looks like 20v LIon is the new thing now....I buy a pair of batteries every Christmas when the the 2-pack goes on sale for $99.

I've been steadily expanding the DeWalt cordless set:

Drill/driver
recip saw
circ saw
right angle drill
radio/charger
flashlight
flourescent worklight
angle grinder
wet/dry vac
1/2" impact wrench

I have 6 batteries that I rotate, they seem to last about 3 years before they won't hold much of a charge.

Some of the newer stuff out now is nice, and the new LIon batteries are better, but I have too much invested to go back now LOL.

[John___Angela]

BillyW wrote:

smkettner wrote:
If battery powered I would want all my battery tools to share the same battery. Does this HF battery run other tools? Have to decide how far down this road you want to go.

This is precisely why I invested in Ryobi One+ tools. I have 3 LI batteries that can be attached to any miriad of tools. I routinely weed wack my entire yard on one charge. I trimmed four trees last week with a reciprocating saw, filling my entire truck bed with branches up to a couple inches thick on one charge. Great system for camping duties. IMHO of course.

Yepir. We use our Ryobi 18 volt impact routinely and have about 9 other "one plus" 18 volt tools from their line. Careful though. It is a 220 pound rating, way more than the torque rating on trailers or class c motorhomes. Bring a torque wrench.

[gkainz]

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."
- Ben Franklin

[Ron3rd]

The major downside to the NiCad battery tools is if they sit a while, the battery will be dead when you go to use it. If you plan ahead and charge them up before use, you'll be fine. I had a Makita drill and cheap Skil drill, both with NiCads and the batteries would always be dead when I would pull them out to use. Gave both away years ago.

[beemerphile1]

I have had the same experience as others regarding the HF batteries. First set was short lived, bought another set and after their short life, I sold the whole kit at a yard sale for $10.

I have had excellent life from the Dewalt NiCad and Ryobi Li.

[TurnThePage]

smkettner wrote:
If battery powered I would want all my battery tools to share the same battery. Does this HF battery run other tools? Have to decide how far down this road you want to go.

This is precisely why I invested in Ryobi One+ tools. I have 3 LI batteries that can be attached to any miriad of tools. I routinely weed wack my entire yard on one charge. I trimmed four trees last week with a reciprocating saw, filling my entire truck bed with branches up to a couple inches thick on one charge. Great system for camping duties. IMHO of course.

[DaHose]

Good point smkettner. If it is going to be an RV dedicated set you can buy a drill and smaller impact driver drill that share the battery with the big impact. I am thinking of buying a spare battery and opening it to see if I could use NiMH cells instead. They have more capacity than NiCD and can be found pretty inexpensively.

Jose

[time2roll]

My corded Craftsman works fine for me. Either way I am not hauling all these big tools on the road. Although I do carry a torque wrench.

If battery powered I would want all my battery tools to share the same battery. Does this HF battery run other tools? Have to decide how far down this road you want to go.

[packnrat]

one can open up the battery pack and install a new and better set, buy the replacements cells from a rc hobby store.

yes cost is a factor.
want cheap. buy thrice.
want quality pay only once.


.

[Snowman9000]

porknbeanr wrote:
I bought the 110v corded Heavy Duty version on sale for 39 bucks at Harbort Freight. I Keep it in my toy hauler which has a generator. I figure I'll never need it away from my fiver so I saved a few bucks and don't have to worry about a dead battery.

I was wondering about an AC version. I can run the genset to power it. I'll keep my eyes open for a deal on that one.