Re: Looking for useful impact wrench on a budget...

["David B. Kase Jr." <desmo888@mindspring.com>]

>So, starting point. I want to find out who sells a budget
>priced impact wrench that has torque settings or where can
>I get a set of torque-limited sockets for a impact wrench?
>I've seen these, but can't find them, they seem to have
>torque limits in the sockets. What I want to do is work
>on the suspension and hubs and things like that and I
>know it's a bitch to get some of those bolts off, especially
>for a non-gym little bloke like me. :) 

>I seriously doubt if you really need an impact wrench. While it may seem
>nice to have, it's pretty dangerous. For example, what if a bolt is
>_really_ frozen? You attack it with your impact wrench, BANG, the bolt head
>breaks off, what now? If you use a long breaker bar instead, you can apply
>force in a controlled manner and usually avoid such problems. 
>Impact wrenches also shouldn't be used for tightening things. I know they
>are often used at tire shops, but those guys have to undo and tighten
>several hundreds bolts a day, so it's a "necessary evil". After having lug
>bolts tightened using an impact wrench at the tire shop, I always loosen
>and retighten them again using my trusty handheld torque wrench. For the
>price of an impact wrench and accessories (I assume you already have an air
>compressor, if not, the price goes ballistic) you can get a nice set of
>hand tools that would serve you much better. And yes, my muscles are
>definitely nothing to be proud of, too ;-) Remember - you don't have to be
>strong to fix cars, you just need a longer cheater bar ;-)

>Aleksander Mierzwa
>Warsaw, Poland
>mailto:alex@matrix.pl
>87 Audi 5000CS turbo (mine)
>88 Renault Medallion wagon (mom's)
>91 mountain bike (just in case both cars broke at the same time :-)

Good advice Alek, if I may quote Peter Egan in an article titled "The right
tool for the job, in describing his own proper use for tools.
He lists "Air compressor - A machine that takes energy produced in a coal
burning powerplant 200 miles away and transforms it into compressed air
that travels by hose to a Chicago Pneumatic impact wrench that grips rusty
suspension bolts last tightened 40 years ago by someone in Abington,
Oxfordshire, and rounds them off."
This passage can be updated to describe our beloved Quattro's but you get
the idea.
Having said that, I use an impact wrench any where I can.
Dave Kase
'90 90Q20v