bud4ya

I was wondering what you guys use for a compressor on your car and any light duty mechanic jobs. I am just looking for a compressor that I can take tires on and off and stuff like that. I am going to go to Sears at just get a Craftsman. I was just unsure what to get? Like how many gallon tank? HP? Is 110 ok to use? Someone here at work is telling me to get 220. That means I will have to have wires run for that. I am just going to be doing basic work on the cars, snowmobile, motorcycles etc. So what I am saying is I do not need the top of the line or industrial strength compressor. Just something I can use around for light work and not sure what specs to go by.

Thanks

ScottW911

I think that any of your shop tools are going to require ate least 5hp. A 220 connection & compressor will be the better route, but expensive.

bud4ya

Thanks Scott I will look for atleast a 5HP/10 gallon. I will look at teh 110 and 220.

boohooramblers

+1
Make sure it's got > 125 psi. Preferably > 30 gal capacity. A lot of those smaller Craftsman-series compressors don't do too well with lug nuts (say ~ 100 ft.lb)
If you want it to last, make sure the tank is cast iron and not aluminium.

bud4ya

I went to Sears and the one he suggested is 150 PSI and a 30-gallon tank. It is 1.6 HP. He said it will due anything from air in your tires to taking rusted nuts off that may be on a wheel stud. Thought that was a lot of work for a 1.6 HP though? He said if you have a rim you are trying to take off your car and the nuts are rusted on this machine will have no problem removing them. I did not buy because I did not have faith in his knowledge. I guess I need to do some homework first. What scared me was when I asked how can I find out how tight the gun is tightening the nuts down at certain speeds without putting a hand TQ wrench on it after to check because it may be to late by then. He said he was not sure. My issue is the gun can do up to 400 pounds of TQ. There has to be some adapter I can put on the gun so I know how much TQ I am using when tightening nuts down? Say I have the gun on high to torque something down that takes 120 pounds of TQ and break the head right off. Or do you use it at different speed settings and then check the TQ each time with a hand device so you know when you have the gun on slow speed it will torque up to say 100 and when it is on medium speed it tightens to say 200 and so on?

I just want something I can do stuff to the car but nothing major if you know what I mean. I am never going to re build and engine but I have been doing more work on my cars, snowmobiles, motorcycles etc without having to use my ratchet for hard to get off/rusted nuts.

If anyone has a model number of one I an open to that also J. The one I described above was 300 and came with an air gun which was kinds cheap looking. Then you have to buy the ext’s, driver’s ratchets. Let me tell you that stuff adds up quick.

Thanks

c32used

saer1one

good job on not buying that 1.6 hp compressor, the only thing you could of done with that is blow the leaves out of your garage on a windy day.. i had a crafstman 1.5 hp compressor with a snap-on impact gun and i couldnt take the wheels off my wifes bmw to do a brake job, i had take em off by hand. i took that garbage back to sears for a refund. i guess you can say were in the same boat my friend..

cruzinquick

I have this cheap compressor for bigger jobs. I hope all the links work.

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...goryCode=3483A

A small 2 gallon for just about everything else. I can tell you from experience that it's not the compressor that you get what you pay for but the impact gun. This is the one after trying 4 of them that took off my crank bolt (the toughest one you will ever take off), when installing my crank pulley.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IR-2135timax-Ing...1%7C240%3A1318

Now when you don't want to fuss with hoses, get one of these. I've had one for a very long time. This would have taken off my crank bolt in a hurry, but was too long and required me to take off my radiator to fit. The Ti impact is much shorter for those tight jobs. Mine is older and a little bigger than this one. Dewalt, Milwaukee are just as good.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/hitachi/WR16SA/

Now if I had to do it all over again I would go this route. Worth every penny.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/ingersollrand/W360-LSP/

bud4ya

Thank you I was kinda pissed I did not buy it but now not at all.

bud4ya

Do you really think the battery operated gun works as well and is as powerful as one hooked to a compressor? I have heard they are through teh grapevine but not direct from a user.

If you think that battery set up is VERY good that would be an option for me. No tank with all that noise. Any specs to follow when looking for a battery operated set up. Again I want something that is going to work and not cut corners on something like this. Hate to go spend this money and it will not take a rusted on nut off a wheel stud. I am sure there are entry level and top of the line. Just wondering what number to go by? Like TQ rating, power level of the gun like 19.2 or 18.5.

Thanks So Much

cruzinquick

The ingersoll cordless that I posted is one of the best. Focus on at least the 1/2" ones, and yes the higher torque rating from reputable brands are important. The cheaper brands will state higher ratings but performance is actually less. Now if you don't want to have a doubt then look at the larger 7/8" ones. Those are beast. The cost can only be justified on how much you use it. I plug in my Hitachi more than anything else. I have a 1/2" cordless impact (cheaper $140 one) as well, but don't use it enough. Even with all the tools available I still pull out the 1/2" breaker bar and give it a "good n' tight" check for piece of mind.

bud4ya

Thanks for the help. I am going to do some research and go to local tool place

cruzinquick

Glad to help, let us know what you find.

bud4ya

One more question. How do you know the TQ you are putting on a nut when you are tighting it down with your TQ gun? The guns I looked at had different speeds which I assume torque the nut more or less. I just hate to first of all have it on high speed by accident and snap the bolt of because I tightened the nut with to much TQ. The other thing I would hate to do is take a hand TQ wrench and check each bolt I tightened.

The only thing I can think of is you test it on different speeds then after you tighten the nut you check it with the TQ wrench and see what you have for TQ on it. This way you know when you have the gun setting on 1 it will tighten to say 100 pounds and when the gun is set to say 10 the highest it tightens at 400 pounds.

Thanks