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Just realized I wasted $150 on the wrong impact wrench
Last month I had to choose between a cordless impact wrench for $150 or a pneumatic one for the same price at the auto parts store near my shop in Phoenix. I went cordless because I hate dragging hoses around, thinking it'd be fine for general work. First week it stripped a bolt on a Chevy Silverado lower control arm because it just didn't have the torque. Took me an hour with a breaker bar to fix my mess. The pneumatic one I tried at a buddy's place afterward had way more guts for the same money. Anyone else regret chasing the cordless dream on bigger jobs?
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kai_brown2327d ago
Honestly, @leep89 I feel you on cordless stuff getting better but that Phoenix heat thing is spot on. Last summer I was out in my driveway trying to break loose the lug nuts on my old F-150 and my cordless drill just quit halfway through. Had to go borrow my neighbor's air compressor and his pneumatic wrench finished all four wheels in like 5 minutes flat. The battery felt like it was melting in my hand when I went to swap it out. Made me wonder if @leep89 had a similar moment where the new tech just let you down hard.
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lily2302mo ago
Phoenix heat is probably the REAL problem nobody's mentioning - those cordless batteries lose power fast when it's 115 degrees in your shop. A pneumatic tool doesn't care about the temperature and just keeps hammering away. Bet your buddy's setup felt stronger because air tools don't fade halfway through a job like lithium batteries do.
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