An impact wrench can make for a quick fix to any problem. If you’re tired at the end of the day and need a job done, an impact wrench is your tool. Not only does it provide you with a fast solution to your problem, but it also spares you a lot of effort. Like, if you have to change a tire at the end of the day. You can rely on it to make quick work of the bolts and nuts.
There are many practical applications of an impact wrench and hence many reasons you should buy one. Here are a couple of them.
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Impact Wrench Uses
Construction/Manufacturing
This is what an impact wrench was built for. The high stakes world of manufacturing and construction require power tools.
And there’s perhaps nothing more powerful in a smaller package than an impact wrench.
If you’re building a house and need nuts and bolts to stay fixed, an impact wrench will make quick work of them. They can be put on to bars without any effort.
In manufacturing, if someone is building any specifically dimensioned device, an impact wrench is very useful. These can include cars, trucks, lorries, vans, lockers, etc.
Home/Job Repairs
There are a lot of impact wrench uses for the home. If you want to hang up a wooden shelf or attach a metal base to something or attach bike brackets, you can do so. With an impact wrench, the possibilities open up. For any home or job repairs, you can use this to finish up quickly. Bear in mind that these jobs don’t require high pressure or high torque.
However, you will still benefit from the speed that the impact wrench affords you.
It’s best not to use high powered wrenches here.
Car Repair
Sometimes you can face a lot of difficulties when you have to change a tire. However, with a tire impact wrench, you can do it much faster. With hundreds of ft-lbs of torque available to you, you can make quick work of any tire. You can take seconds to open up a tire and replace it with a new one.
Auto Mechanic Stores
Auto-mechanics have this tool in their shop without exception. They use it to make their work easier. If they can perform any heavy-duty jobs with it, their day is made easier.
Since impact wrenches deliver a lot of torque in lesser time, they’re invaluable to motor mechanics. They allow for quick tire changes, they allow for vehicles to be taken apart very quickly. And they allow for different parts to be taken apart and examined.
Auto-mechanics also benefit from the least amount of effort that they have to exert while using an impact wrench. Since thousands of ft-lb of torque are available to them while exerting no effort, an impact wrench is invaluable to them.
Advantages of an Impact Wrench
There are several advantages of an impact wrench over other tools.
They’re Faster than Traditional Hand Wrenches
Traditional wrenches may be how you used to do repair and open up machines in your dad’s day. However, an impact wrench is just so much faster and cooler. Not only will it help you save time and effort, but it will also look cooler. Instead of toiling away with the traditional wrench for half an hour, you can change a tire in ten minutes.
They’re More Powerful than Impact Drivers
Many people use impact drivers to get the job done. However, they’re much less powerful than impact wrenches. They deliver over impact drivers because they have the ability to deliver more torque. They use to also be bigger and heavier, but as technology is improving, that’s no longer the case.
They’re the Only Way to Remove Machine Tightened Bolts
Bolts are often secured in machines today with impact wrenches. And if you want to repair something, you need to have an impact wrench of your own. This means that it’s an essential buy for anyone who loves repairs.
If you’re fond of doing your own repairs and don’t want to splurge on professional help, then getting an impact wrench is the best deal that you can get.
Common Mistakes While Using an Impact Wrench
Impact wrenches do require a steady hand to use. They’re not toys after all. You may make mistakes if you’re not well versed in their use. That may result in problems and unwarranted damage if certain precautions aren’t taken. Here are some common mistakes people make when they use an impact wrench.
Over-tightening
You shouldn’t over-tighten when you work. There can be problems with a machine or a piece of hardware if the nuts and bolts are too tight. They may cause danger to you if they are Check the manufacturer’s recommendations on how tight they need to be.
Wrong-Sized Wrenches
There is a chance that you’ve bought the wrong wrench for the job. You need to know the exact dimensions of the wrench you need for the job. If you have the right ones, then you can get the job done in minutes. If you don’t, then you may end up doing some damage.
Hence, it’s a good idea to have a guide with you to help select the right wrench.
Wrong Types of Wrenches
There are also various different types of wrenches that are required for different jobs. Not only are they sized differently, but they provide different torque. You may have a 1” wrench with a 550 ft-lb torque, and it may not be enough.
On the other hand, you may come across a ½’ wrench with a 1000 ft-lb wrench which is perfect for any job.
There are three basic types of wrenches that you can buy.
Air Impact Wrench
Air impact wrenches use compressed air in order to deliver pressure. These wrenches are used to generate a lot of power and thus are used for heavy-duty work. These are also the oldest models of the impact wrench. While they don’t compare in power to the hydraulic impact wrench, they also deliver a lot of power.
Electric Impact Wrench
These work very similarly to air impact wrenches. They can be found in corded and cordless varieties. You have to plug them into an electrical socket to charge them or power them. They run on lithium-ion batteries and are rated for various voltages.
The lithium-ion batteries can be charged and recharged, but only deliver a certain level of maximum charge. They’re not as powerful as the hydraulic wrenches and hence only work for less heavy-duty stuff.
Hydraulic Impact Wrench
These wrenches are powered by hydraulic pressure. They require hydraulic fluids and motors in order to run. This builds on a lot of torque power. Hence, construction sites and manufacturing sites use these wrenches with large hydraulic setups.
An impact wrench is a great tool with a lot of real-world applications. If you like working with your hands, it’s a must-have.
