I change my tires twice a year between snow tires and summer tires, plus tire rotations, and frankly, I hate doing it by hand. Looking into a cordless impact wrench for this... The specs on this are as follows:

* Maximum tightening torque of 1,240 in.lbs., 103.3 ft. lbs.
* 0 - 3,000 Impact per Minute

The torque specs in the manual state the lug nuts should be torqued to 100 ft. lbs... will this be strong enough to get them off and/or would the battery last long enough to swap a set of tires?

I already have the batteries, so I just need the tool... this is what I'm looking at: http://cgi.ebay.com/Makita-14-4-Volt...ht_4083wt_1141

 

It'll probable be OK to zip the nuts off and on but you'll need to break them loose by hand and then do the final torque down manually. Even if your lug nuts are torqued exactly to the factory specs of 100ft lbs, you'll need about 120-130 ft lbs to break them loose. Most impact guns generate less torque in reverse, I couldn't find more specs on the tool you're considering, but I'd suspect that's the case. You might want to look at corded electric impact wrenches, they have models which are more than capable of breaking the nuts loose(200 to 250ft lbs). Your best bets would be to look for something from DeWalt or Milwaukee Electric.

 

x2

 

I have a snap-on half inch electric impact. It works great for removal and install. But to make sure of proper torque you should do it by hand. 18 volt snap-on cost me 500.00. But works great. That one you are looking at looks like a 3/8 gun with 1/2 head in it.

 

Hate to say this but-my Chicago Crapola Harbor Freight- (man on a budget) has been with me for several years. Works great. I've used it on super duty trucks & even rusted lower strut bolts. When it stops raining next week I hopefully will be doing front and rear strut assembly's on my Impala and thats what I'll be using. (Got the Monroe Completes-makes the job easier & cheaper-5 bolts and your done-no flying strut spings+ alignment, my 03 Impala is a 4 way alignment). For someone just using the 2x a year, this may be the way to go-link below: (just don't over tighten & check with a torque wrench)

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-t...nch-45252.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-to...rench-239.html

DISCLAIMER: I only recommend what I've used from HF. Your Mileage May Vary...

 

I would stay away from cordless, I have an old makita corded one that works great.

 

Funny you asked this today - If any of you watch "Cool Tools" on the DYI Network, they showed an amazing add-on yesterday. It is an "impact wrench" which attaches to your cordless drill and gives it the power to take off lug nuts and put them back on. It sells for somewhere around $69. If you go to the DYI network, you should be able to find the writeup about it and the name of the maker.

 

Sounds like a potential wrist breaker....

 

I have a Northern Tools cordless impact that is used on several vehicles. It even came with 2 batteries. It's 1/2" and is rated at around 250 ft lbs. Cost was around $80 but I've had it a few years so they could cost more now. All final torquing is done by hand with a torque wrench, also 1/2" drive so the same socket works for both.

 

I know my Dad has a Snap-On 18V Impact that we use at the race track, saves having to fire up the generator and wait for the air compressor to fill up with air. I know before he bought it, he told the Snap-On guy that he wanted to try it out first. We run 5/8's studs on the race care, and his air impact has a ton of tightening torque(dont remember how much exactly but it is way up there somewhere,lol) but he tightened one of the lug nuts up with the air impact as much as that impact would tighten them, and the cordless 18V impact zipped it right off with no trouble. Was the best $500 he had spent with Snap-On,lol. JMO