A nice cordless impact

ChuckNelson · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2007 9:27 pm

I got this for Christmas. A Kawasaki 14.4v cordless impact, 1/2 drive. It came with two batteries, a case, and a quick charger.

First, it weighs in at 3.8 pounds. Pretty light for a 1/2 inch impact with a claimed 130ft pounds of torque. I figured the torque numbers were poetic license as my Snapon impact does not do much better at twice the weight, with 100 psi behind it. But I found those numbers are pretty close.
I used it today to rotate the tires on the Mazda. It spun the nuts(torqued to 88ftpds) off all four wheel with no trouble. And it has a "fuel" guage so you know how close you are to a battery swap. The remove/install of twenty wheel nuts moved the guage one bar out of five.
The charger takes a couple of hours to bring a battery up to full. I did not time it but less than two hours. It has two lights, one to let you know it has power and one to give charge status.
This is a great impact for times when your air will not reach. Be that an event or just a 100 yards from the shop

Ashraf Farrag · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2007 10:02 pm

Where did you get it from?

<slight hijack>
...I was just about to post a question about these, figured I'd piggy back...

I was in Home Depot today and was going to buy an extra 2-pack of 18V batteries for my Ryobi One+ stuff. I saw they have a One+ cordless impact for $70 and was like..hmm...good brand (instead of the Harbor <sic>Fright) and I already have batteries for it. For $10 more, instead of just two batteries and the impact, I can get two batteries, a spare charger, the impact AND an extra drill.

I almost walked outta there with it but figured I should do some research for its intended application first.

Ryobi manual PDF says:
0-2400 rpms no-load
3000 blows per minute
800 in/lb minimum (no maximum listed, I sort of like this instead of the overrated numbers most manufacturers like to do) but that's only ~66 ft-lbs.

It _sounds_ similar to yours (aside from the voltage difference). I would need an adapter to go from the the drill bit to a 1/2" drive.

I suppose I could take Ryobi up on their 30-day test-drive they list on the box.

Any comments from others on similar impact wrenches?

...or should I "super-size" my cordless impact wrench meal? Can't seem to find the one everyone has gotten in the past on Harbor Freight's website anymore.

Regards,
--Ashraf

BretLuter · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2007 10:52 pm

I believe they sell those Kawasaki branded tools at Pep Boys.

I've seen a Goodyear branded cordless impact there too- I think Cobsy Wood has one of those too- maybe he can comment on how it works......

Bret.

CosbyWood · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:10 pm

I do have one of the Goodyear impacts and have had no trouble with it. I got it though apparently at an early stage in it's developement as the newer ones are 10x better. Ask Kevin Allen as he picked up one of the newer ones. I don't know exactly what it torques down to, but can only guess at 80 lbs with a quick hit (not staying on the nut to long) and maybe 100 lbs if you hit it for a little longer. Everything that I've tried to use it for has worked well with no complaints from me.

ChuckNelson · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:19 pm

It came from Northern Tool, $160.
I don't know what this one will do, beyond I torque my lugs to 88ftpds and it removed them with no trouble. The only bolt it would not remove, my 1/2 inch air impact would not remove either. Spins them on and off pretty quick to.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

Chuck - is the trigger "analog" or "digital"? Can you safely spin on lugnuts with the trigger to 20-60 ft-lb?

I do this regularly with my old Snap-on 12v 3/8" cordless impact -- 2 or 3 impacts is about 30 ft-lb, ten snaps is about 50 ft-lb.

Unfortunately the Snap-on doesn't touch 80 ft-lb lugnuts any more, and I was pondering replacements. That one looks nice -- I'd like to try it sometime if you don't mind.

Thanks for the review!

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

Ann got me this one 3 years ago and it still works great. Charges in an hour and works all weekend at the track without recharge. Very happy with it.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product. ... 0926825000

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:40 am

CosbyWood wrote:

I do have one of the Goodyear impacts and have had no trouble with it. I got it though apparently at an early stage in it's developement as the newer ones are 10x better. Ask Kevin Allen as he picked up one of the newer ones. I don't know exactly what it torques down to, but can only guess at 80 lbs with a quick hit (not staying on the nut to long) and maybe 100 lbs if you hit it for a little longer. Everything that I've tried to use it for has worked well with no complaints from me.

I have the Goodyear one and will NOT break lugs loose on the Z-24 which are torqued to 95-100 ft-lbs.

Stacy King · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:20 am

Vincent Keene wrote:

I have the Goodyear one and will NOT break lugs loose on the Z-24 which are torqued to 95-100 ft-lbs.

Damn thats a lot of torque on those lugs... is it cause of the big brakes?

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:45 am

Stacy King wrote:

Vincent Keene wrote:

I have the Goodyear one and will NOT break lugs loose on the Z-24 which are torqued to 95-100 ft-lbs.

Damn thats a lot of torque on those lugs... is it cause of the big brakes?

It's the factory spec, so I dunno.

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:47 am

I have the Goodyear as well. On full charge, it will break the 100 lbft lugs loose on the truck, something the HF cheapies wouldn't do. It can get at least 3 race days of tire changes on a single charge. Well spent $70 in my book.

CosbyWood wrote:

I do have one of the Goodyear impacts and have had no trouble with it. I got it though apparently at an early stage in it's developement as the newer ones are 10x better. Ask Kevin Allen as he picked up one of the newer ones. I don't know exactly what it torques down to, but can only guess at 80 lbs with a quick hit (not staying on the nut to long) and maybe 100 lbs if you hit it for a little longer. Everything that I've tried to use it for has worked well with no complaints from me.

Cos, when did you get yours, and are there any distinguishing marks from New to Old? Mines about a year old - maybe a little less.

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:43 pm

Has anyone tried using an inverter and a corded impact wrench? I was thinking about going that route.

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

It appears Harbor Freight has stopped selling these. Its a shame because the one I have is great, lots of power (I've used it to get bolts loose that my air powered one couldn't) but battery life could be better. I've had it at least three years and its still going strong. From talking to others, the later models HF sold weren't so hot, but at one time they would sell you a good one for $120. Not that that does anyone any good now. Its perplexing to me why they stopped.

Good to know that at least there are some good alternatives now for if/when mine ever dies.

ChuckNelson · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:02 pm

MikeWhitney wrote:

Chuck - is the trigger "analog" or "digital"? Can you safely spin on lugnuts with the trigger to 20-60 ft-lb?

That one looks nice -- I'd like to try it sometime if you don't mind.

Thanks for the review!

I believe the trigger is variable, it does let you spin them on easy. and does not start "impacting" untilthe nuts bottom.

I will have it at the next event I do, probably the first points event, or the novice school if Ashleigh goes to that.

CosbyWood · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:12 pm

Dustin Fredrickson wrote:

Cos, when did you get yours, and are there any distinguishing marks from New to Old? Mines about a year old - maybe a little less.

Got mine about year and a half or 2 ago. Only thing that can be easily told is how difficult it is to take the socket off the gun itself. Mine is a pain in the arse, but Kevin's can be changed with one hand. It won't come off, until you want it to, and it's much easier. If you have an old and new side by side, you can feel a difference in the way it operates. Mines a little heavier and there are some slight color differences (very mild) as far as I can remember.

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A nice cordless impact

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