impact wrench vs air ratchet

[bawjaws]

ive had an impact wrench and an air wrench for the past year or so (now broken) and am planning getting new ones, but im just wondering if their are any advantages for the ratchet over the impact wrench other than accesability, the impact is faster so uses less air per bolt, it tightens well, and err, it sounds cooler , so whats the ratchet good at?

 

[R Kraft]

The air ratchet is more controllable and fits into small areas better.
On small things you can power it a little tight and finish like a regular ratchet.
Robert

 

[ngt]

And it is much more friendly on bolts and nuts. The impact wrench is a little brutal.

 

[rtbcomp]

Impact wrenches use a hammer action to provide a large torque, the maximum torque you can get out of an air ratchet is the same as the operator can provide. It's the difference between pulling a spanner and hitting it with a hammer.

An air ratchet is really a nut-spinner, as Robert says very useful in confined spaces and saves a lot of time where lots of fasteners are used.

 

[stormin]

Only time I've really used my air ratchet is on sump bolts and prop shaft bolts.
Sump bolts because it's about the only time I seem to do a large amount of bolts the same size.
Propshaft bolts because they're a pain not being able to get more than a quarter turn with a spanner.
Most of the rest of the time it's use a manual ratchet as you're forever swapping socket sizes.

 

[rtbcomp]

Why is more difficult to swap a socket on an air ratchet?

There's a special socket for (Landrover) propshafts, it has thin walls and an extended stem, makes the job much easier. The usual suspects should stock them.

 

[stormin]

Why is more difficult to swap a socket on an air ratchet?

There's a special socket for (Landrover) propshafts, it has thin walls and an extended stem, makes the job much easier. The usual suspects should stock them.

It's not. Just doesn't seem worth it using the air ratchet unless I've got a lot of bolts to do the same size. I generally find having the air line on makes access more awkward than a standard ratchet.
I've seen the `special' sockets but so far got by with a standard socket on a wobble extension & I've got a set of universal jointed sockets.

 

[rtbcomp]

See what you mean, swings and roundabouts really, if access is too tight to swing a ratchet an air-ratchet comes into its own. The way things are going we'll soon have electric ratchets with the battery and motor in the handle!

 

[bawjaws]

its just that ive sort of went off the ratchets, i used mine to thghten an m10 nut and it stripped the little splines in the mechanism, (cheap tools eh?) if i ever choose to get a new one ill get one thats a bit better quality, and on that subject-reccomend me an impact wrench!

 

[stormin]

its just that ive sort of went off the ratchets, i used mine to thghten an m10 nut and it stripped the little splines in the mechanism, (cheap tools eh?) if i ever choose to get a new one ill get one thats a bit better quality, and on that subject-reccomend me an impact wrench!

How much money have you got?
Money no object? Get an Ingersoll Rand.
Good quality but not as expensive, Chicago Pneumatic. Same as Snap-On without the inflated price tag.

 

[Robotstar5]

We ran an Aldi air ratchet with 16mm socket in production at work for a few weeks and it survived industrial abuse OK, only got pensioned off when we had to install a controllable torque wrench + you get 3 year warranty!

 

[bawjaws]

the aldi one did seem alright to me, then i lent it to a friend came back with a big crack in the case and the handle snapped off, never lend tools out

 

[graffian]

They are for different things, as said in all the other posts. You must have a ****e one if it wore out!

I bought a 1/2 ingersol rand inpact wrench in the 70's, it was secondhand and looked like it had been kicked around for 20 years. It's still going strong and I have never oiled it or given it a seconds thought, it works.
I have a selction of 3/8 impact wrenches, mainly cos people bought them and decided they were **** and asked if I wanted them. Again ingersol rand is the king, I have a cp and a atlas copco that were almost new when I was given them and neither is worth a ****. Some one, who's a tool junky, tells me ingersol rand air tools are crap!
What I want is an inch wrench, a mate has one, the body part of it is the size of a road drill.

Ratchets come in lots of styles, I bought a snap on skinny little fellah for putting auto trans bolts back back together, much over finger tight and it wouldn't budge a fastener. I swapped it for another snap-on ratchet, a real beastie that will over tighten small fasteners.

 

[gavuk]

We used 1" impact wrenches at a place i worked ,they are brutal ,much easier than slogging spanner and sledge hammer,if you have a big enough compressor to run them.....expensive too

 

[simon718]

the aldi one did seem alright to me, then i lent it to a friend came back with a big crack in the case and the handle snapped off, never lend tools out

i don't mind lending my tools out, if they are broken, my mates know they will be made to replace them, also if i was ever to break a borrowed tool i wouldn't dream of giving it back broken, would replace it

 

[RedOrZed]

We used 1" impact wrenches at a place i worked ,they are brutal ,much easier than slogging spanner and sledge hammer,if you have a big enough compressor to run them.....expensive too

they come up surprisingly often at my local (general) auction house, when he does his monthly tool sales. They go cheap - for what they are, £100 or so I think? Never really paid attention, I'm not building tanks at home

 

[gavuk]

worth every penny where i used to work ....like you no need at home ,17mm wheel nuts ......bit overkill