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Need a new 1/2” air impact

Gatorgrizz27

Well-known member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
756
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888
As the title says, I need to replace my 1/2” impact and have a decent amount of suspension work coming up. I’m not interested in cordless and a smaller size/lighter weight is more important to me than the most ugga-duggas, since I’ve got a 3/4” one for the stuff that’s really on there. Looking to spend $150’ish, I’m not wrenching for $ any more. I don’t want HF but don’t need snap on. Here’s the contenders so far but I’m open to suggestions.

It gets really hard to tell what the actual differences are since everybody seems to make about a dozen models.





 
Its probably been superseded 10 times but I was pretty happy with my IR 2135 quiet model until I got my 3/4 inch M18. I wonder the specs of those new ones compared to my antique. FWIW I got the Milwaukee top of the line compact 3/8 M18 it is 1/2 the size of my 3/4 inch M18 and powerful but a bit heavy.
 
I was very happy with my AirCat. Of course, I haven't used it since I got my milwaukee gun(s).

:smokin:
 
It’s sad I don’t even own a working 1/2” or 3/4” impact any more. With the Milwaukee 1/2” and 1” drive impacts absolutely no need for them. The only air guns I own are a huge old school 1” and a scary torque gun. Air lines are now really only used for needle scalers, air hammers and to fill tires lol.

With that said I had good luck with it he aircats or the older ir stuff. Not sure on the new models.
 
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Id get the 2130, ive had a 2131 (1 inch extension) for almost 30 years and the only thing that failed is the socket retainer fell off. It doesnt get cold af either
 
I ran an Aircat/Nitrocat 1200K for about 8 years as my every day gun at work, I broke something in the hammer mechanism after lots of abuse and never bothered to fix it because I moved on to cordless. That 1150 is a really similar gun and probably what I'd pick of those unless you really need a compact gun.
 
ChiScouter said:
Its probably been superseded 10 times but I was pretty happy with my IR 2135 quiet model until I got my 3/4 inch M18. I wonder the specs of those new ones compared to my antique. FWIW I got the Milwaukee top of the line compact 3/8 M18 it is 1/2 the size of my 3/4 inch M18 and powerful but a bit heavy.
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Yep, I'd have to look, but have an IR QTi 1/2" model. The current one is the 2235QTiMAX. It feels good and does a decent job.

That said, my DeWalt DCF889 20V impact does a good job. Put a 60V battery on it and it's even more impressive. It's nice if I'm not actually in the shop and if I'm not doing a lot of work with it. Particularly with the 60V battery, it gets heavy. For that, the IR is nicer to work with over time even with the "tether" of the air hose.
 
aircat 1150 is what I used for a few years doing it for money
even after several years of use it still has enough poop to get honda crank bolts most times though we do feed them 175psi
 
I have a IR 2135Ti taking up space in my toolbox I would gladly part with. I kept it as a spare to my M18 and haven't used it since the switch to electric.
 
Thanks for the offer, I ended up ordering the Aircat 1150 and 1375XL (which is actually the mini one, makes tons of sense). Figure I’ll keep whichever one seems to be a better fit, or both in all likelihood. Both of these are rated as the most powerful for their size range, there doesn’t seem to be much of an “in between”. It’s either small and light but not all that powerful, or full sized.

Interesting how many people have gone to battery powered, is that mostly for trail/yard convenience? I have a ton of Dewalt cordless stuff for my woodworking business, and some Bosch stuff at my shop. Unfortunately mixing mechanic tools with them is a no go due to stuff getting greasy as hell and ruining the woodworking stuff.

By the time I buy a Milwaukee cordless impact and batteries it’s not a cheap proposition. I’m mostly hesitant of it being too bulky to really be useful working on suspension and transmission type stuff.

I don’t keep many mechanic tools at home, everything is at my shop which has a 60 gallon compressor plumbed to a hose reel, so the getting an air supply set up is irrelevant.
 
The new battery stuff is equal to or better than the air tools. No need to find a hose a deal with that tangled mess. Even working in my shop battery stuff gets grabbed 95 times out of 100. That’s when I need to tighten something up over 1200 foot/lbs.

I got a Milwaukee mid sized 3/8 impact and holy crap that thing kicks ass. The battery stuff is definitely the way to go now.
 
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For me the M18 is about the power and the convenience. When in tight confines like suspension work I prefer the lighter more compact air tools with a flexzilla hose even with the hose hassle. If I have a lot of work to do elsewhere I will use the air tools if running a hose is not too much of a hassle. I can't explain it but I have found times where each style does a better job of removing a stuck fastener.
 
for me the battery powered stuff is about marketing and feelings
:flipoff2:

air is always gonna be better for fitting into tight places, they aren't going to come out with an electric motor/battery/controller that matches an air motor and throttle valve for power/footprint
 
[486] said:
for me the battery powered stuff is about marketing and feelings
:flipoff2:

air is always gonna be better for fitting into tight places, they aren't going to come out with an electric motor/battery/controller that matches an air motor and throttle valve for power/footprint
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They are getting close.

www.milwaukeetool.com

M18 FUEL 1/2" Mid-Torque Impact Wrench w/ Friction Ring | Milwaukee Tool

MILWAUKEE® M18 FUEL™ 1/2" Mid-Torque Impact Wrench w/ Friction Ring provides 650 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque. Offers the most access in tight spaces and a faster removal speed
www.milwaukeetool.com www.milwaukeetool.com

650 ft-lbs, under 3" wide and 6" long
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
It’s sad I don’t even own a working 1/2” or 3/4” impact any more. With the Milwaukee 1/2” and 1” drive impacts absolutely no need for them. The only air guns I own are a huge old school 1” and a scary torque gun. Air lines are now really only used for needle scalers, air hammers and to fill tires lol.

With that said I had good luck with it he aircats or the older ir stuff. Not sure on the new models.
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this

and any other decently priced air gun is going to be made in the same factory in china as HF shit so you might as well just get over it and buy HF shit, 20 years ago it was different but not anymore
 
Figured I’d update this, I sent both the Aircats back before I ever tried them. I wasn’t a big fan of the grips and forward/reverse switch. Together they cost the same as an IR 2235 Ti, so I bought that instead. Haven’t used it for any work yet, but messed with it for a second this morning.

FWIW, I had to drive some 10” Spax lags into a tree last week, and my Dewalt impact driver wasn’t cutting it, so I picked up the Dewalt mid range 1/2” cordless impact to give it a shot. Thing completely sucked, even with a fully charged Flexvolt battery, so it went back as well. It was maybe 5% stronger than my impact driver, despite having a motor 2x the size. I’m aware that they make a big one as well, but it’s so bulky and heavy I’d never use it for anything but changing a tire on the side of the road.
 
Gatorgrizz27 said:
Figured I’d update this, I sent both the Aircats back before I ever tried them. I wasn’t a big fan of the grips and forward/reverse switch. Together they cost the same as an IR 2235 Ti, so I bought that instead. Haven’t used it for any work yet, but messed with it for a second this morning.

FWIW, I had to drive some 10” Spax lags into a tree last week, and my Dewalt impact driver wasn’t cutting it, so I picked up the Dewalt mid range 1/2” cordless impact to give it a shot. Thing completely sucked, even with a fully charged Flexvolt battery, so it went back as well. It was maybe 5% stronger than my impact driver, despite having a motor 2x the size. I’m aware that they make a big one as well, but it’s so bulky and heavy I’d never use it for anything but changing a tire on the side of the road.
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Those lags twist and absorb all the impact, no matter what brand or style of impact you are using. Try using a drill. Hold on tight :smokin:
 
Benny said:
Those lags twist and absorb all the impact, no matter what brand or style of impact you are using. Try using a drill. Hold on tight :smokin:
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Maybe so, it seemed to me like it was having a hard time overcoming the friction against the tree, but either way it sucked. I ended up pre drilling everything with a 3/8” spade bit and got them in ok.
 
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