In a message dated 10/5/2005 7:39:15 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
rlipton@prev.org writes:
Hi all,
what is a good drill to get for lugs when changing tires? What do
people use, how much money, where to get? Are there special
attachments, things I need to consider when getting one?
thanks much,
Rob
Rob - You will have a choice to make based on two factors. One - How much
you want to spend and Two - Are you going to torque the lug nuts tight with a
torque wrench, or rely on a mechanical tightening, like an impact wrench.
People do either. If you want to rely on an impact wrench, you will have to
spend
well over $100 for an adequate one. The cheapies really don't do the job -
that is they won't break loose the nuts and they don't provide adequate torque
when tightening. I suggest using a 1/2" ratcheting click-type torque wrench.
It can be used for tightening the nuts and, in a pinch for loosening the nuts
for removal. For the actual spinning on and off of the nuts, I have used a
Black & Decker 12 volt cordless drill. It will not break the nuts loose. I
normally use an X-wrench for that. I have found that anything with more voltage
than the 12 volt drills can produce too much torque. Now, why is that a bad
thing? Most of the drills have an adjustable torque limited -a declutching
feature for when the nut hits bottom. When you run the nuts down, you will be
holding the drill in one hand. If the adjuster is set for full torque, like
for actual drilling of holes, when the nut hits bottom and stops, the drill
will kick back. This can give your wrist a good (pardon the expression)
wrenching. Trust me - it will eventually happen. The 12 volt has plenty of
power to
spin the nuts on and off. The drills are often available in kits with a spare
battery, along with the charger. They usually have a keyed or keyless chuck
and can be used as a regular drill during the "off-season" (A term unknown to
San Francisco area autocrossers). The "tool" that fits in the chuck and
provides the 3/8" square or 1/2" square drive for your socket is available at
most hardware stores or at Harbor Freight Tools. (For me, Harbor Freight is as
dangerous a place as Fry's Electronics) If you want to spend more money, you
can buy a 3/8" drive or (for even more money) a 1/2" drive cordless impact
wrench. Good ones can be more than $200. (Snap-on, Makita, etc.) I have used a
9.6 Volt B&D cordless drill for many years. It has worked fine. Last year I
bought a 3/8" drive cordless impact by Nikota ("Nikota" is Taiwanese for "now
out of business") at a Kragen store. It works fine but cannot bust loose a
torqued lug nut, at least on the cars I operate. It is absolutely the easiest
tool for tearing apart stuff like suspensions and things. A can of Kroil and
this wrench - no old car is safe! In summary, you can start off by buying a
3/8" cordless drill - one with an adjustable clutch - and a 1/2" torque
Wrench.
Add an adapter for the drill to drive a 1/2" socket and the appropriate deep
socket and you are in business. Later on, you can go to the impact wrench if
you are so inclined.
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