Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Question about pneumatic impact wrenches

I have a cheap ass pneumatic impact wrench that won’t remove lug nuts even with the air cranked up above 90 psi.

I assume it’s not possible to improve mine, but how much do you have to spend that will remove lug nuts? Thanks.

A 20V Dewalt will do a lot.

I have one of these Cheap about $18 (250 ft/lbs) and one of these Better about $80 (800 ft/lb) at home. Both work well taking off lug nuts on cars and pickups. Have never needed industrial strength such as 3/4" etc.

Traveling I carry this works at about $70 (350 ft/lb) and a 25" 1/2" breaker bar just in case.

Under $200 for an Ingersoll Rand IR231. I've used $400 snapon ones and always went back to my IRs. They just work.

A few drops of Marvel Mystery Oil will go a long way.

Les Schwabb could not break loose the lug nuts on my newly purchased '02 GMC K2500.

My 1/2 inch Earthquake (HF) impact gun would not do it either. But a 3/4 drive breaker bar with a HyLift jack handle for a cheater broke em loose.

I added a little anti-sieze to each lug bolt and a full set of new lug nuts when I went in and got the tires rotated.

4-500 ft/lbs should work for lug nuts. Mines around 1350 and it will twist the axles off I think .

^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^

The womens have Ryobi string trimmers...

I caught a really cheap clearance on 18v 6 amp hour hour Ryobi batteries at Home Depot... bought every clearance battery they had.

Decided to try one of these...



I had been looking at Milwaukee but didn't want to get into a whole new species of batteries (my tools are OTHER brands that Milwaukee).

This Ryobi is a monster... maybe not the monster of Milwaukee, but all I can imagine I will ever need in an impact.

Personally, I will never use air impacts again.

In fact... I will sell my two 1/2 air impacts right here... and right now for $50 shipped... both.

Funny, a Milwaukee 1/2" 18v Fuel would have broken them loose without even breaking a sweat. For the op, buy a Milwaukee fuel 18v and you'll never go back to air. I only use my pneumatic impact for lighter work like my atv wheels, where they require less torque. You got to be careful with the Milwaukee, it is rated at 1,400 ft lbs of torque. If it can't break something loose, it will rip it apart (snap bolts). I don't like using them to tighten stuff down. That is what a torque wrench or ratchet is for.

Depends on who/how they were put on. I've twisted in two many a stud trying to get gaulded lug nuts off.

All that salt on the roads prolly rusted them on there.

I'd try seafoam deep creep and a breaker bar...no need to gorilla torque them 100 ft-lbs or so

Yepp... The Milwaukee will absolutely break them loose... or wring the stud... they are insane.

Friend has the 3/4" version... absurd power. Not cheap

Spray about a table spoons worth or more into the air inlet. Reconnect the hose & blip the trigger a few times before putting the socket on the nut.

If a bunch of dark colored lube comes out the exhaust, repeat the process.

Yep, I used to work on tug boats and barges and a lot of that schidt is rusty big heavy bolts. Even the 1/2" fuels are incredible. The one I use is rated for 1400 ft lbs. Before I bought it, I was trying to loosen an axle nut on my Tundra. They are supposed to torque them on at 173 ft lbs, but even a breaker bar wouldn't budge that damn nut. I broke one of my breaker bars in fact, so I said screw it and bought the same 1/2" milwaukee that I use at work. That axle nut came off so easy, it wasn't even funny. Battery's last a long time too.

I have only heard great things about the Milwaukee 18V cordless impact driver. I may get one down the road.

Along with the pneumatic impact wrench, you have to have a large enough compressor: horsepower, pressure as well as CFM, and also a large enough air hose to get the most out of your impact wrench.

Couple hundred will buy a good half inch impact.

Don't run them at 90 either.

Generally just douche them with wd40.

I MUCH prefer pneumatic over battery powered in my shop for 1/2 and bigger.

The little battery impact in 3/8ths or quarter is nice though....I still prefer air.


If your air compressor says "oil less"......get battery operated.

Yep, any oil is bettern nun !