I need an impact wrench to do a job on an old Honda that I'm working on. I'm trying to remove the bolt that holds the crankshaft belt pulley on. I know from past experience working on engines of this type that the only way I'm going to get it off is with a good impact wrench.

However, I know squat about impact wrenches. I bough a cheap Campbell-Hausfeld air impact wrench. It is supposed to provide 250 ft/lbs of torque. It didn't work. Based on the anemic hammering I heard from it, I suspect that my weany air compressor just couldn't provide enough air flow for it. It says it needs 5.1 scfm and as near as I can tell from looking online, compressors like mine are providing about 3 scfm.

So I'm looking at electric impact wrenches. I see wrenches running from 60 to 400 bucks, with ratings from 250 to 450 ft/lbs. Most are around 250 ft/lbs with only the much more expensive ones being higher.

So my question, I guess, is can I get by with a lower cost tool with 250 ft/lbs? Or do I need to look for something more.

 

Not sure what the rating is, but those 3/8 butterfly impacts usually work on M/C sized stuff. (edit: note to self-- just because OP says "Honda" does not mean it's a motorcycle.)

As for an electric, I have an old Sears and it works ok, but I've only used it on lag screws for some framing/shelf building.

250 ft/lbs should be waaay more than the item you are working on is torqued to.

I would try a cheap-o electric for this kind of work. It's not like you are going to work in a tire store with it all day long, right?

 

I have a Dewalt electric impact and that thing has loosed the toughest of lugnuts.
Just for comparison. I have raced against air impacts running 12" lag bolts in to engineered beams and whooped butt on them and the compressr was 6 hp 60 gallon running 3/8" 100' hose.

 

No. I just need to get this one stupid bolt off. The problem is that it's been there for who knows how many years, 1000's of miles and they tend to tighten up as they turn with the engine. They also have ridges along the face that embed themselves over time into the pulley.

I was working on the same bolt on a '91 Camry a long time ago. I had a 19mm Craftsman socket, enough extensions to get me out past the wheel well where you have to work, an enormous old tougher-than-nails 1/2" socket handle that was my grandfathers, and a 6 foot piece of cheater pipe, with me (300 lbs) bouncing up and down on it.

Broke the socket.

We ended up buzzing it off with a pro quality air impact wrench and gas powered air compressor that we borrowed from grass seed farmer Dad was working for.

That's what I'm faced with now.

Do you happen to know what the ft/lbs rating is for that? Or the model number so I could look it up. I could compare it with what I'm looking at.

 

Interesting, never thought about buying an electric one, too bad they don't come in 1000 pounds of torque. I have a 650 pound torque air impact, and I find it not to be enough most of the time. Nothing beats the ole 12 foot breaker bar and impact sockets. I've yet to run out of air, I have a few tanks and large compressor, I still dream of a two stage compressor though. I wonder how good battery operated impacts are, that can be useful for changing flat tires on the road.

 

It would be cheaper for you to get the pulley locking tool for the Honda and then use an extension to get out where you can get to it. Support the breaker bar end of the extension with a jack stand and then use a stout breaker bar with a cheater on it
I have a GOOD I/R impact 1/2" wrench and I have never been able loosen the Honda crank bolts. I do not own a 3/4" impact but thats probably whats needed. I also have a two stage air compressor set at 165 psig and a 25' length of 3/8" hose so I know it is getting the air it needs.

 

If you only need the impact for one bolt,you might look into renting one from the local tool/eqpt rental or auto store. Would be a bunch cheaper than buying one and using it only once.

 

problem with using a half inch drive bar is its springs too much, and absorbs too much torque. try using a 3/4 drive socket and bar. you still will need the snipe but i bet it works. IR or MAC 3/4 drive impact with the 3/4 airline is still tops in my books. my experience with "cheap" tools is that they didn't do the required job which made every cent i paid wasted money. when i bought quality it did the job as many times as i needed and was still good for more. but if you want for 1 time rent it and a bigger compressor to go with it

 

IR are the only air tools I will buy. Bought a 600ft-lb IR a couple years ago for $130 from Sears.

 

Just about all my air tools are Chicago Pneumatic, and a early 70's black and decker impact. If you count paint guns I also have DeVilbiss.

 

I've got one that'll go to 2500 ftlbs. Although we generally only go to 1,700. It is hydraulic. CFM isn't the only thing that comes into play, you need pressure. If your weany compressor can get over 100psi and has any kind of a tank, then it should be enough for short bursts. Are you sure the bolt isn't left hand threaded?

 

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I went with Fixnair, since it appears he's done this before. And he was spot on.

I had to buy a 24" 1/2" drive breaker bar, a set of 1/2" extensions, a set of 1/2" deep impact sockets and the special Honda tool, because I didn't have any of that stuff. I had just a smallish set of 1/2" Craftsman sockets, no deep. With a pretty short 1/2" Craftsman ratchet and a 3" extension. Altogether I spent about $80 on tools, which was less than the cheapest electric impact wrench. The tools I bought appear to be good quality and I'll probably own and use them forever, so it was a good investment. (Except the Honda specialty tool. I'll use it to put it back together and then hopefully never again.)

I didn't even need the jack stand and the cheater. I threw my weight into the breaker bar, holding each end. It took a fair bit, but it did give way and the pulley came right off. Kinda surprised me, given my previous experience with the Camry. But I'm happy however it came off.

My compressor goes up to about 120 PSI. But the best I can figure it's only good for 3-4 cfm. I'm guessing that's a function of a small regulator. I'm not sure. I suspect the cheapo impact wrench I bought was a contributing factor as well. It's on it's way back.

Renting is not an option. The nearest place that rents anything beyond video's is a 90 mile round trip and they only rent big stuff. The nearest place that MIGHT rent the kind of tools I need would be either Bend or Klamath Falls and both those are 300 miles round trip.

Tomorrow morning, when it's cool, I'll finish taking the rest of it apart. Then we'll see what it needs from there.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

We use a battery powered Hitachi on the wind turbines.

They run $150-250 depending on size. I'm gonna grab one next payday!!

They work well,, battery lasts almost all day and when they do run down,,, they charge back up in less than an hour!!

Tough little buggers too!!!

 

I know it's too late, but I finally got the info you wanted. Dewalt DW292, the foot lbs is only 345 max. But it hasn't let me down yet.

 

I bought a big air compressor and a 1/2" impact good for up to 250 or 300 lbs and it wouldn't even come close to budging that crank pulley bolt. I don't know if they loctite it from the factory or what but I had a bugger of a time getting it off. My car is a 2001 Civic. I used every swear word in the book and made up a few of my own.

What I ended up doing was removing the flywheel cover and sticking a cheap screwdriver (cheap = soft steel) and jamming the flywheel in place. Then I put a 19mm socket on the end, about 4 feet of cheater bar, and stomped on it as hard as I could. I split the socket right off it. I went to sears and bought an impact grade 19mm socket. It weighs about a pound - no joke. This thing is REALLY strong. That finally did the trick.