In-line filter and in-line lubricator

Inline filters are a really good idea to remove contaminants from air tools and moisture. You need to drain them periodically as well. Another good idea is put an in-line lubricator to increase the life of your air impact wrench. An in-lubricator lubricates your air tool as you are using it. You should pour some oil in it and run your air tool before storing it after use. Consult your manufacturer specs for the proper oil to use.

Impact wrench can overtorque your lug nuts.

Be careful about using an impact wrench to tighten your lug nuts on your car. Most mechanics routinely ignore manufacturer warnings to use a torque wrench when tightening lug nuts. Most will use the impact wrench because it is fast not accurate. More is definitely NOT better with torque. You can over torque your lug nuts and damage the studs. When the nuts are tightened, the studs will stretch. This tension holds the wheels on to the rim. If you overtighten the studs you can damage them and they could fail. They best approach is to use an impact wrench to snug up the nuts. Then go back with a torque wrench and tighten them to the manufacturer specifications. Proper air tools make all the difference.

Impact Wrench won't impact!

The simplest and most direct solution to this problem is to check and make sure the impact wrench has been properly lubricated. To resolve this problem, remove the hammer case assembly and lubricate the mechanism. Once the hammer case has been removed inspect the impact wrench mechanism parts. Replace any broken or work parts. For an example of how to remove the assemble case for an Ingersoll Rand 2161XP air impact wrench, refer to the manufacturers manual on my website.

Low power on your impact wrench

Low power on your air impact wrench can be very frustrating and really slow down your productivity. Before you throw away a perfectly good air tool, there are a few things you should check that could easily correct the problem.

1.) Your impact wrench could have a dirty inlet Bushing or air strainer screen. To solve this problem, clean them with a suitable cleaning solution.

2.) Examine the cylinder. Replace it if it is worn or broken or
if the bore is scored or wavy.

3.) Disassemble tool and clean all parts with a suitable cleaning
solution, in a well–ventilated area. Reassemble the tool according to the impact wrench manual.

Air tools and air pollution.

Like it or not the everyday air we breath into lungs is filled with contaminants. Dust,water,mold are all in the air around us. Now factor in an air compressor that compresses this "dirty" air for use with your air tools. In a compressed state these particles become far more destructive and concentrated. These particles then begin to damage and wear away at your air compressor,air lines and air tools. Dirt,rust, pipe scale are a few of the contaminants that will find their way into your air system. They can wear out seals, damage finished products, reduce the efficiency of air tools. For example, your prized air impact wrench may put out as much torque as it used to.

Beware of over oiling.

One of the most common and easily avoidable with air tools is over oiling. All of us have been guilty one or another of thinking "that more is better". However with regard to oiling your valuable air tools this is not the case. Flooding your air impact wrench with oil will not increase its life. A good rule of thumb is a drop of oil per day.

Ingersoll Rand and TNT - An Explosive Combination!

From Ingersoll Rand one of the world's leading manufacturers of air compressors and air tools comes the Titanium and Torque series of air impact wrenches. These air tools are the "Cadillac" tools of the IR line. They are light and sleek looking.The Titanium TNT series 2115Ti is small, lightweight (2.4 lbs) and powerful (280 ft. lbs. torque). This air impact wrench delivers more power than many 1/2" drive impacts that you find at your local big box hardware store. The housing is manufactured out of titanium and a composite material that makes for a light and agile air tool. It delivers 1,500 hammer blows per minute through twin hammers and has a load-free speed of 15,000 rpm that is delivered to a 3/8" drive. I'm sorry, all air impact wrenches are not created equal and the Titanium impacts prove that. Your money is well spent on these excellent air tools. Ingersoll Rand gives these air tools a 1 year warranty on the air impact wrench and parts should not be difficult to find.

What is torque?

Torque is a force that tends to rotate or turn things. For example, you generate a torque any time you apply a force using an impact wrench. Tightening the lug nuts on your wheels is a good example. When you use an impact wrench, you are applying force to the socket. This force creates a torque on the lug nut, which tends to turn the lug nut.

English units of torque are pound-inches or pound-feet; the SI unit is the Newton-meter. Notice that the torque units contain a distance and a force. To calculate the torque, you just multiply the force by the distance from the center. In the case of the lug nuts, if the wrench is a foot long, and you put 200 pounds of force on it, you are generating 200 pound-feet of torque. If you use a 2-foot wrench, you only need to put 100 pounds of force on it to generate the same torque.

Water contamination - the enemy of your air tool

Water contamination is the great enemy to your prized impact wrench and other expensive air tools. The common misconception is that if you just drain the air supply tank of excess water, you are protecting your air tool from water damage. While draining your air supply tank is good, you are only preventing rust damage in the tank. The air outlet is generally at the top of the tank and the water in the bottom doesn't make it up there to damage your impact wrench. How then does water get into your air lines and then to your air tool? The answer is condensation. Water condenses and builds up in the air hoses and then travels to your air tool. The solution to this problem is install a water filter in your air hose. A good place to put it is midway down your air hose. There it will be out of the way when use your impact wrench under your car and you are trying to get into a tight space.

Air compressor - power source for air tools

Power tools run on electricity and air tools run on air. Therefore you need a power source. For air tools, you need an air compressor.Most air tools will run on some of the smaller air compressors, but the larger the better in most cases as some of these items can consume a lot of air. A larger tank capacity will give you more reserve air when you need it. For example, running you impact wrench extra hard may require some extra air and it sure is nice to have that larger tank. It is up to you to decide how large to get and your local dealer can help you. Consult the owners manual of your air tool to discover CFM requirements.

What type of oil & grease do I use on my air tool?

Any good brand of oil is acceptable for use on your air tool. The impact mechanism requires a certain grease; see your owner's manual for the specific grease. See your local tool jobber or service center to purchase these items. Remember to always keep your impact wrench properly greased and lubricated.

Air tools or electric power tools???

Many people wonder if using air tools is worth the cost purchasing an air compressor,hoses and the air tools. Why not just get an electric impact wrench or electric drill? Sometimes electric tools are a great choice but there are many reasons why air tools are superior.

Here are a few reasons why the extra cost for air tools is worth it.

1. The option of using air tools in a wet environment. You can't get electrocuted with an air tool. Feel free to drag that air hose through a puddle and stand in it with bare feet. No problem. Click here to see a guy who has one foot in the grave and doesn't know it.

2. Air compressors are a portable power source. You can operate your air tool anywhere you can haul your portable air compressor.

3. Air tools are generally more robust than electrical tools and require much less maintenance..

4. Air tools are far more powerful than electric tools. If you really have some tough lug nuts to loosen, nothing beats a 1/2" Ingersoll Rand Thundergun Impact.