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Wheel Nut Gun


Matt Sullivan

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Mat,

 

I saw them rechargeable from Snap on tools but the price is something like 600 euro which converts into +/- 350 GBP but it is a nice thing to work with.

 

There might be other suppliers but I did not come a cross one other then Snap On

 

you could check www.snapon.com

 

 

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I use the 30 quid machine mart one and it does the job very well. After some 2 years of use swapping my six sets of wheels many many times, mine's getting a little worn so I may splash out on a replacement soon.....

 

Runs directly off the car battery or via a lighter socket.

 

Fantastic value.

 

Edited by - Alex Wong on 21 Nov 2002 17:44:08

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Just ordered the following cordless impact wrench designed for wheel nut removal, you will need to find your local agent as they don't sell direct unless you have an account, give them a call & they will tell you where to go.

Came recomended by a mate who works in a busy main dealership.

www.sealey.co.uk

Product code CP3002

19.2v £234.94 inclusive

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You only get what you pay for.

I have had three Machine Mart ones . The first lasted two weeks , the second eleven and a half months, the third one being used twice before it too backed up, and Machine Mart now claim that their warranty runs only from the original purchase date. So I now have a Sealy one and rest assured I will not be giving Machine Mart any further businness

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I have a Snap On cordless rechargable. Cost about £230-50. Excellent. Can supply you with the product code if required. You do indeed get what you pay for. Being an engineering technician I would not use any other tools on my own cars, as they perform so well, and the the tools I use at work which are supplied (non snap on ) are crap by comparison. If you do shell out I gaurantee you will never need to buy another one again. Also has a lifetime warranty. You asked about torque settings, which no one else has covered. The answer is no the wrenches do not have individual settings. However you can purchase a range of sockets with varying sized shafts which produce different ranges of final torque when used on an impact gun. Without getting too technical it is to due with the torsional wrap up in the shafts causing the impact gun to render at a set torque. There thats that out the way. However if the charge is low on the battery I do not feel you get a consistent torque each use, so I would just zip them up gently with the gun then use a good quality torque wrench (Snap on ?)for the final setting. Hope this helps. Still learning and still lovin' the Caterham experience. Cheers Rob
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At the risk of sounding REALLY stupid, wouldn't a socket chucked into a cordless drill/driver do the job? IF you did the job of first loosening / final tightening by hand? I understand the clutch on them wouldn't handle the torque required by a wheel nut, but, if that's done by hand, the rest could be left to the machine?
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There is only one that I have seen that does the whole job, crack hot dirty wheel nuts, undo them, do them up then finally tighten them to a prset torque. This is a makita jobbie, proper kit though so serious cash. If you walk round the paddock on a top rally you will see virtually every WRC team using them, that inlcudes Ford's WRC, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Citroen etc etc. They're unmistakeable as they have a separate battery pack and about 2 foot of cable linking it to the gun, so not really cordless.

 

The doing up torque is the important thing to me, otherwise you need a torque wrench too and if you're doing this then why not do it all by hand? I was told the torque setting isn't actually torque it's a preset number of hammers from the impact once it's tight, I guess if you have consistent threads and lube then you can equate the two. Ironically enough the latest WRC cars have titanium studs and alloy wheel nuts and the mechanics are now told not to tighten them with a gun, they nip them up and tighten with a torque wrench, full circle.....

 

Last time I saw one for sale it was £450 from Hockley's. It's not on Makita's web page and it's not in their catalogue but I'm told they still make them for special order. Still looking.

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I'm glad Dippy asked the stupid question before I did. I was beginning to wonder whether one of those 12 or 18 volt cordless drivers would do the job - as long as you can get adequate attachments to fit the impact sockets.

 

Looks like I'll get the Mrs to get me one of these machine mart ones. If it packs up I haven't lost anything 😬

 

I think the 200+ ones are for pros and I wouldn't want to look like I knew what I was doing.

 

Thanks for your advice. Matt.

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Matt

 

you can get the attachments for normal chucks from Screwfix for around £9 you get one of each 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 (I've got a spare unused set I could sell you!)

 

 

I have used a cordless drill with the above and they do do the leg work but you will need to loosen the nuts first and use a torque wrench to tighten them.

 

I also have one of the Machine Mart ones which is OK but doesn;t feel like it will last forever!

 

Mark

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Yes you can use a cordless drill, the only drawback is that they are not as robust as a proper cordless impact gun (mine is rubber coated, which seems to recognise it will get dragged around on concrete) , drills run slightly faster, and cannot do 95 % of the tightening or all of the removing. The last 5% should always be done by hand.
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