Technical Impact wrench - repair or replace?

I have a NAPA impact wrench I’ve been using for 30+ years that suddenly stopped working. It sounds like it is running on low air pressure, it turns slowly and does not energize the hammers.

The manual mentions a filter/screen under the air connection but the fitting seems to be frozen/seized in the handle and I can’t get it to turn.

The manual also gives a part number for a repair kit but the local NAPA store hasn’t responded to my request.

I’d hate to toss it for some minor repairable problem.

 

As much as I do not want to say this but...... Go to Harbor Freight and buy one of the Earthquake impacts. You will never look back.

 

It can be repaired and last another 30 more years....

 

My only experiment with repairing an impact didn't work out. A friend was doing a deep clean and purge of things in his shop. I got an old IR impact and bought a repair kit. Installed it as best as I thought was correct and it still doesn't have much break-away torque at all. I break bolts/nuts loose with a breaker bar, sometime using a cheater pipe, and if I use the impact it's only to speed some nuts or bolts on or off, always using a ratchet to do final tightening. I've put up with not having a working impact for years but as much as I dislike throwing things away I'm cleaning now and might just toss the old impact in the scrap metal, recycling bucket today.

If you get yours working, more power to you!

Lynn

 

I would think that after 30 years of service it's just worn out. Time for an upgrade.
I know you probably want one that's air driven but, consider replacing it with a battery powered impact wrench. There are many great ones on the market. Plus, you can carry it in your trunk in case you have a flat tire on the road. Makes things a lot easier. Look here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=bes....69i57j0l7.11407j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

When I worked at Napa they had a lifetime guarantee on all their tools. Maybe that has changed..

 

Take it apart, see what's wrong with it....

then go buy a new one.

 

It could be the screen ,,,but I suspect your problem is in that little turn knob on the side .
There are not a lot of parts inside an impact,,,,and I’m certain that air fitting bushing is pretty tight .
But it can all easily be taken apart,,,it’s already inoperable,,,you can’t hurt it more .

Oh yeah,,,if all else fails,,,,,like the man said,,,,my Earthquake works great .
The new ones are really bad dudes .

Tommy

 

i have a old snap-on impact,when it starts to get tired,i give it a squirt of Marvel Mystery Oil. it clears it self out and works like a new one.I have run some brake cleaner through it first to clean it out,the vanes get gummed up,and wont spin to let the air work.I never use the air tool oil,i find it helps to gum it up faster.Try it and see if it helps,you have nothing to lose. Harvey

 

Depends upon how much you're attached to it. Unless you are confident of your ability to rebuild (assuming you can get a kit), your time and money will be better spent with a replacement.

 

Like Squirrel stated, take it apart and have a look see. On a side note , i went to a garage sale years ago and bought a like new Chicago Electric (Harbor Freight)1/2 impact and it will take off a rusted lug nut off a rusted stud with no effort . The nice thing is the switch is a rocker style that you control the forward/reverse and has a lot of torque .

 

That is a re- branded Ingersoll Rand ir231.
Parts are readily available.
Hammer pins are the common thing to break. Cheap to repair.

 

it does look just like my 30 year old Mac....

btw, how have you treated it? Regular oiling? nice dry clean air?

 

When did you last oil it.?

Ben

 

My old boss used to say, "If I can't fix it I can F it up so no one can fix it"

 

The problem with battery operated tools is..........the battery . They're never ever charged when you need them ....

 

I started with a DeWalt 20V Max brushless drill, worked great and very strong- so got the sawzall- also great. 6-1/2" circular saw-check. So tried the 1/2" impact- and it is stronger than my IR air gun. In fact, not sure where the IR is.. When I go somewhere with the duallie and trailer, the DeWalt gun and impact sockets go with me with the jack and spare

 

At my age , my times not worth much + I try to fix everything because I have no money to buy new..........Kit ? I fix stuff with wd40 , duct tape and whatever I can find that will work , bailing wire , epoxy , the list goes on ......

 

If you have been using it for that long , tearing it down should be enjoyable .

 

They are rebuildable, and it might just have stuck vanes, or air leak inside. Try running Marvel Mystery Oil in through the air inlet. Letting it soak for a while. Sometimes, that will loosen it up enough.

 

I'd say if it worked good one day and then started messing up the next I'd bet a stuck and or dirty vanes.

First thing I do is no air, pull the trigger, insert carb cleaner or brake clean nozzle deep into air inlet and pull trigger until fluid and dirt come out vents. After a minute or so I then go to wd40 for a minute or so.

Once I've done that, I hook up the air hose and pull the trigger. Let it run a few seconds then hit reverse, do it a couple times. Once that's done then I put either trans fluid or air tool oil thru it and pull the trigger, forward-reverse a few times and it's usually good to go.

If that doesn't work, rebuild time or replacement....

 

PB Blaster makes an air tool conditioner that cleans them out pretty well ....

 

speaking of batteries, they ususally cost as much or more than the tool they're powering...

 

That looks like an Ingersol Rand, probably relabeled for NAPA. They are good impacts, I'd get it rebuilt.

 

If air blows through it with no anvil action, the problem is in the hammer side, not the motor side. Counter intuitive, I know.

 

Did ya paint it metal flake, stripe it and chrome the wheels while you were at it?

 

IR used to have a repair center in White House TN. Had a friend of a friend that worked there. I understand they did factory rebuilds and did not charge outrageous prices. I have several IR air tools and would get that built. No way I'd do a HF impact-if anything goes wrong you'll never get parts for that.

 

Been busy today, just saw replies, in no particular order-

Oiled regularly, dry air maybe not so much.

Had it apart, nothing broken, everything clean but oily, no dirt/sludge. No stuck, broken vanes.

Tried to take air valve off, it is held on with small hex socket, can’t turn it

Motor spins, but slow, sounds like it’s running on about 30 psi, wonder if I’ve got an air supply problem?? Blow gun seem to work OK but maybe not enough volume.

Gonna take it apart again, try to blow air back thru valve and inlet in slight chance something is clogging air passages in gun.

Thanks to all for replies.

 

Like most stuck things, "HEAT IS MAGIC"!

Many air tools have fittings that are installed with some type of sealer. To break the bond, heat the housing where the fitting goes in. You're not trying to melt it, just warm it enough to 1) make the sealer give up and 2) expand the aluminum housing away from the steel fitting. I use the '3 times is the charm' method. Heat it, let it cool to the touch, do it again and on the third heating unscrew the fitting. If that doesn't work, send it to me and I'll remove the fitting and send it back, no charge!

If you have a temperature gun, 350 is the good number for aluminum.