HeyUp! Impact Wrench

[launderess]

Just the thing for those pesky restoration/repair jobs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IMPACT-WRENCH_W0QQitemZ250106043436QQihZ015QQcategoryZ73177QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[roto204]

Or, with an extension, those pesky 1-18 agitators.

 

[Cybrvanr]

This style impact wrench is very similar to the ones that NASCAR uses to change tires on the race cars! It's an excellent piece, lots of torque!!!

 

[sudsmaster]

Impact Wrench - Never leave home without one

It may be vintage, it may be excellent quality, but, hate to say it, for most purposes one can get by with one that costs $50 or less from Home Depot or Harbor Freight.

A residential washer would have to be pretty fouled up to need one, but I recall that a little 1/4 butterfly impact wrench with a 12" extension made it possible for one person to pull the tub bolts from the '65 RCA Whirlpool a couple months ago. It was more a matter of reach than needing the impact feature.

They are great for working on cars, though.

 

[tolivac]

Please remember for the wrench shown in the EBAY example you will need an air compresser to operate the wrench.The compresser will need to supply the min air pressure in PSI and the amount in CFM to run the wrench.also electric impact wrenches are available-even cordless ones like cordless drills.I would use extreme care with these on appliances-they can delivor enought torque to twist shafts right off if you aren't careful or the wrench is too powerful for the job.Also with the wrench shown it may need an in line lubricator too in the hose supplying it.The lubricator blows a slight amount of lube oil into the tool when it is used-In line lubers were popular with nail guns.Any air tool will seize up if it doesn't get proper or enough lubrication.

 

[chad_hauris]

I have two impact wrenches (large and small) but it's been a while since I used them...they really came in handy for removing the steering gearbox to frame bolts on a Dodge van.
To use the large ones you ideally need one of the really big compressors but you can use them with a medium-size portable unit as long as you don't run the tool for too long at a time and let the compressor build back up pressure fully before activating again.

I seem to remember you would inject some air tool oil into the air inlet port on the wrench before beginning work each time.