[Roadsters] Product recommendation

[Gordon Glasgow]

Background: A few years ago while we were on our way to Shasta, we
encountered an elderly couple stopped on the side of the freeway with a flat
tire. We decided to stop and help them, especially since I had all my tools
with me. But I had a great deal of difficulty breaking the lug nuts loose. I
was literally standing on the end of my 1/2" breaker bar, and I'm not
exactly light. I finally got them loose by BOUNCING on the end of the bar. I
don't know what gorilla at the tire store put those on, but geez!

 

Recently I saw a product listed in the Northern Tool & Equipment catalog
that looked promising. It was a 1/2" drive impact wrench that runs on 12v
from the cigarette lighter. It claimed that it could generate 280 lb/ft of
torque! Santa was kind enough to get it for me, and I finally got a chance
to try it out.

 

At first I thought it wasn't working, because I'd put it on a lug nut, pull
the trigger and nothing would happen. Noise, but no torque at all. Well,
okay, I hadn't read the directions. Turns out it doesn't work like a regular
impact wrench. It has some sort of spinning weight internally that has to
build up momentum before it delivers a whack. So it goes
spin-spin-spin-WHACK! spin-spin-spin-WHACK! But after the third whack, it
actually broke the lug nut loose on my Maxima, and I torque those to 90
lb/ft. Cool!

 

The only down-side that I found was that the socket supplied with the gun is
too fat to fit into the recesses on the wheels on the Maxima, so I'll have
to carry a different socket in the carrying case. This thing is definitely
going in the trunk for the next road trip.

 

Best part is, it's only $47.99.

 

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200479025_200479025

 

 

Gordon Glasgow

Renton, WA

www.gordon-glasgow.org