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

[Cummins12V98]

newman fulltimer wrote:
It sucks the battery does not keep a charge I have one replaced it and the batteries same results

Sorry but they are JUNK JUNK JUNK!

Buy quality to begin with.

[Lynnmor]

cdevidal wrote:
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.

A bending beam works just fine. The clicker is for convenience. The best way to torque a fastener is to take the reading while the wrench is still in motion. Once stopped, stiction needs to be overcome causing the jerks you mentioned.

[Jagtech]

I take my bad nicad batteries to the local battery store, and they open them up and replace the cheap Chinese cells with Japanese manufactured cells. They last many times longer, and have higher capacity. Cost is a bit higher.

[westend]

Thanks for posting that, John. That 1/2" cordless will be added to the collection.

[John___Angela]

64thunderbolt wrote:

westend wrote:
Her's my take on wheels: Steel wheels are pretty forgiving about exact torque, I can use any wrench as long as I put significant pressure on the tool (in excess of 100 lbs.). Alloy wheels should be torqued close to the Mfg's numbers.
If you haven't had a wrench in hand for years of use, use a torque wrench and I'd suggest a clicker rather than a beam wrench. Most beam style torque wrenches are accurate but they are cumbersome on wheels. If you can't get a good visual on the scale, you don't have any accuracy.

I recently switched cordless tool brands, having used Makita cordless tools for years. I use them at work and around the house. This time, I thought I'd see if a cheaper brand would take the daily use as my Makita tools had done. I bought a Rigid 18V lithium set. I have the drill, the impact tool, and a reciprocating saw. After 2 years of use, the tools and batteries have proved worthy. The impact driver is rated the top torque for this class of tools. AFAIK, Rigid is the only cordless tool mfg to warranty both the tools, the batteries, and charger for life. When you register the tools for warranty, it's necessary to give all of the serial numbers off everything.

Rigid's the way to go with their warranty. Been using them for a few years but they don't have a 1/2" impact.

Well, there this one. If my Ryobi packs it in i'll switch to this one as it is good for 300 pounds instead of 220. Until then the Ryobi works well.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-X4-18-Volt-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-Console-Only-R86010B/203930523

[64thunderbolt]

westend wrote:
Her's my take on wheels: Steel wheels are pretty forgiving about exact torque, I can use any wrench as long as I put significant pressure on the tool (in excess of 100 lbs.). Alloy wheels should be torqued close to the Mfg's numbers.
If you haven't had a wrench in hand for years of use, use a torque wrench and I'd suggest a clicker rather than a beam wrench. Most beam style torque wrenches are accurate but they are cumbersome on wheels. If you can't get a good visual on the scale, you don't have any accuracy.

I recently switched cordless tool brands, having used Makita cordless tools for years. I use them at work and around the house. This time, I thought I'd see if a cheaper brand would take the daily use as my Makita tools had done. I bought a Rigid 18V lithium set. I have the drill, the impact tool, and a reciprocating saw. After 2 years of use, the tools and batteries have proved worthy. The impact driver is rated the top torque for this class of tools. AFAIK, Rigid is the only cordless tool mfg to warranty both the tools, the batteries, and charger for life. When you register the tools for warranty, it's necessary to give all of the serial numbers off everything.

Rigid's the way to go with their warranty. Been using them for a few years but they don't have a 1/2" impact.

[mds47588]

I keep a 12 volt Milwaukee with me...plenty of power, torque, and will charge up fully in approx. 30 minutes. 80 Dollars from the "D-Pot"

[westend]

Her's my take on wheels: Steel wheels are pretty forgiving about exact torque, I can use any wrench as long as I put significant pressure on the tool (in excess of 100 lbs.). Alloy wheels should be torqued close to the Mfg's numbers.
If you haven't had a wrench in hand for years of use, use a torque wrench and I'd suggest a clicker rather than a beam wrench. Most beam style torque wrenches are accurate but they are cumbersome on wheels. If you can't get a good visual on the scale, you don't have any accuracy.

I recently switched cordless tool brands, having used Makita cordless tools for years. I use them at work and around the house. This time, I thought I'd see if a cheaper brand would take the daily use as my Makita tools had done. I bought a Rigid 18V lithium set. I have the drill, the impact tool, and a reciprocating saw. After 2 years of use, the tools and batteries have proved worthy. The impact driver is rated the top torque for this class of tools. AFAIK, Rigid is the only cordless tool mfg to warranty both the tools, the batteries, and charger for life. When you register the tools for warranty, it's necessary to give all of the serial numbers off everything.

[mchero]

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.

I'm with Billie on this one!
When we where ready to replace the RR on the 93 Pace I used BOTH my Ryobi with I believe 4 or 4 batteries...... I was VERY IMPRESSED how well the Ryobi's help up to the task. I always had one battery pack on the charger. NEVER lost time waiting for batteries to charge.
Yes, the newer batterires are more pricey BUT they (batteries)are at least HALF the co$t of the "competitor".

I was sold on Ryobi BUT, one more story....
I purchased the cordless weed wacker thinking I was going to return it in a week. HOLEY WEEK WACKER BATMA!! The Ryobi weed wacker came with the larger battery. wow, I coule not believe how long that wed wacker ran on ONE charge!

I was always told NEVER buy ANYTHING from HF with moving parts! LOL

I'm beginning to believe it.


Robert

[DaHose]

I also bought into the Ryobi One+ system of tools. The drill, small impact drill, circular saw and hedge trimmer are GREAT for the home user. Get the big batteries and they will keep up with all the big name brand models for contractor level work. That said, I bought/tested the 1/2" impact and returned it. It couldn't break loose lug nuts at 80 ft/lb on my BMW, so it is no good for heavy vehicle use.

You do have to keep NiCD batteries topped up (NiMH too), so you would have to think about how you will use the HF tool. I plan to buy a spare battery, look for some LiON replacement cells and rebuild the HF battery with the LiON cells. The one worry about LiON is draining them too low and burning out a cell, but they make versions with circuitry built into them that prevents draining them dry and there are even 3.6V (3100mAH) versions that might work. I will add to this thread when I figure out if we can safely upgrade the NiCD battery case to LiON cells.

As far as torque wrenches, the traditional straight beam torque wrenches are accurate and never go out of calibration, but our arms shake when we hold stuff so it will only be as accurate as your muscle twitch can do. The clicker types we all know can be off upwards of 10% in their readings, so a clicker is fine for most rough work but for engine or small machine assembly I highly recommend either a good digital or break-beam torque wrench.

I have the same experience as BurbMan. The HF Pittsburgh line of tools look/feel just as good as the Craftsman sold today. I have worked my HF wrenches HARD on my RV and they have been fantastic with no damage even to the finish. HF even honors a true lifetime, no hassle tool replacement on the pro-line of tools. Craftsman stopped honoring that policy years ago.

Jose

[John___Angela]

cdevidal wrote:
Nope, I just looked at it, says foot-pounds and the scale goes up to 140.

Yah I just don't know. Hopefully a mechanic will pop in here and shed some light on it.

[SlowBro]

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

Great quote!

I like this one:
* Cheap
* Fast
* Quality

You may choose any two.

[SlowBro]

Nope, I just looked at it, says foot-pounds and the scale goes up to 140.

[John___Angela]

cdevidal wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
As you pointed out, the bending beam is for smaller bolts needing less torque.

Is that why it bounces and jerks? If I recall the poundage rating was quite high.

Sorry my friend. I don't know enough about this stuff to give you a good answer. I have one of those as well but use it for lighter torques and even then not very often. I wonder if the rating your looking at is in inch pounds and not foot pounds. Mine is. The big click wrench is in foot pounds. I couldn't imagine trying to get 140 foot pounds on the beam type smaller wrench that I have. I don't have the power in my arms for that. maybe Angela but not me. 🙂

[SlowBro]

John & Angela wrote:
As you pointed out, the bending beam is for smaller bolts needing less torque.

Is that why it bounces and jerks? If I recall the poundage rating was quite high.