Got an Air Compressor, but can't take off lug nuts!

sunil6784 · Jan 4, 2006

hope everyone had a good Christmas. Santa brought me a 33 gallon air compressor from Sears. Its really nice. The kit also came with an impact gun, air ratchet, and air hammer. It said a 100 dollar value on it. I hooked everything up, but the impact gun can't even take off lug nuts ! Once I loosened the nut off by hand a little, then it was able to spin them off. The regulator i at about 100 psi, i've tried 90 psi as well, but same thing. There are no leaks in the system. Is it just a crappy impact gun ? This one says 230 ft//lbs of "ultimate" torque.

Here's the impact gun, some guy is selling the same one on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRAFTSMAN-1-2-I...430605754QQcategoryZ22663QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

For those that have an impact gun, how much torque do you need to take off a lug? I figured around 80-90 ft/lbs.

1991vert · Jan 4, 2006

it's 90ft/lbs torque to put them on, so it should be the same to take them off.

i usually set it at 100ft/lbs. no problems here.

also if your impact gun has a dial on the back of it, turn it all the way to the right to the strongest setting. that's what i have mine set at. when putting the lug nuts back on, always use a torque wrench and set them at 90ft/lbs by hand.

Camman · Jan 4, 2006

Well, I had the smae frustration as you. Nice air compressor, shi**y impact. Unfortunetally those impact guns only work for torque spec lug nuts. None(read NONE) of my cars lugnuts came off when I first got my impact... solution: I got an earthquake impact from ir... but I luckily had the money. Harbor freight sells a similiar model that goes on sale for like 70 bux. It has 650 ft lbs forward/1000 back. Do yourself a favor and buy a king**** impact, youll thank me when you go to drop your K member etc. Also, let no n00bs put your tires back on with an impact. Mine were put on using an impact and a torque stick at discount, I didnt car at the time cuz I have crappy wheels, but I never thought it would take a 3 foot breaker bar to take my tires off.

RacEoHolic330 · Jan 4, 2006

Yea, that impact gun you have isn't exactly the best, even though it is craftsman. I have a $300 Mac Tools air gun. It's never let me down in any situation.

BTW, over-torquing lug nuts will make your brake rotors very, very angry.

1991vert · Jan 4, 2006

RacEoHolic330 said:
Yea, that impact gun you have isn't exactly the best, even though it is craftsman. I have a $300 Mac Tools air gun. It's never let me down in any situation.

BTW, over-torquing lug nuts will make your brake rotors very, very angry.

Camman · Jan 4, 2006

RacEoHolic330 said:
Yea, that impact gun you have isn't exactly the best, even though it is craftsman. I have a $300 Mac Tools air gun. It's never let me down in any situation.

BTW, over-torquing lug nuts will make your brake rotors very, very angry.

my brake rotors are cracked from overtightening... would you consider that angry?

PRO50SC · Jan 4, 2006

Camman said:
my brake rotors are cracked from overtightening... would you consider that angry?

Do they look like this?

Now back to the topic at hand. What size air line are you using? It makes a difference

RacEoHolic330 · Jan 4, 2006

^^^ holy crap! thats nuts.

PRO50SC · Jan 4, 2006

RacEoHolic330 said:
^^^ holy crap! thats nuts.

You wouldn't believe some of the things I see.

Jack's95gt · Jan 4, 2006

I have the same set up. I run about 130 psi, and that impact gun works great. I get off nuts and bolts that I could get off with a 24" breaker bar. I hope your not using that yellow coil hose that came with it. Get yourself rubber hose.

woodyy24 · Jan 4, 2006

i had the same problem getting lug nuts off with my craftsman impact even at 130 psi, then i turned up the dial on the bottom of the gun and they zipped right off.

troyGT03 · Jan 4, 2006

ditto on the mac which is an ingersol with a mac cover. great impact. you get what you pay for with tools

sunil6784 · Jan 4, 2006

I'm using a 3/8 inch air hose i think, with the 1/4 inch connectors.

I'm not using the yellow coil hose....

BTW, sorry i think i double posted. Must have hit submit post twice.

ANyone ever hear of Campbell Hausfeld or Companion ? I don't have the money right now to get a real nice gun, just something basic to spin lugs off...

Look Its Aaron · Jan 4, 2006

sunil6784 said:
hope everyone had a good Christmas. Santa brought me a 33 gallon air compressor from Sears. Its really nice. The kit also came with an impact gun, air ratchet, and air hammer. It said a 100 dollar value on it. I hooked everything up, but the impact gun can't even take off lug nuts ! Once I loosened the nut off by hand a little, then it was able to spin them off. The regulator i at about 100 psi, i've tried 90 psi as well, but same thing. There are no leaks in the system. Is it just a crappy impact gun ? This one says 230 ft//lbs of "ultimate" torque.

Here's the impact gun, some guy is selling the same one on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRAFTSMAN-1-2-I...430605754QQcategoryZ22663QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

For those that have an impact gun, how much torque do you need to take off a lug? I figured around 80-90 ft/lbs.

I just bought me that same compressor you are taking about. I tried taking off my lug nuts to no avail. I went back and bought a stronger impact with like 500 ftlbs and they came off in a second. That kit they give you with the air hammer, ratchet and impact really sucks.

mfewtrail · Jan 5, 2006

Camman said:
Also, let no n00bs put your tires back on with an impact. Mine were put on using an impact and a torque stick at discount, I didnt car at the time cuz I have crappy wheels, but I never thought it would take a 3 foot breaker bar to take my tires off.

That sounds more like they put your lug nuts back on with the impact only and NO torque stick. I've used some good quality torque sticks in the past and they would tighten nearly dead-on to what they were rated for....never had an issue removing with hand tools afterwards.

Got an Air Compressor, but can't take off lug nuts!

sunil6784

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