Harbor Freight impact wrench

[Jim in LA]

Picked up a Bauer electric(AC) 1/2 impact wrench for $89. Supposed to have 1050 breakaway ft. pounds torque. I have a 1/2 to 3/4 adapter and a 3/4 1 11/16 socket. I hope I can get my bush hog blades off. Soaking with 50/50 acetone- ATF. Tried a 600 ft lb.breakaway 1/2 air impact and got one loose but could not drive the bolt out. 296 BH about seventeen years old.

 

[J Hamilton]

I had to use a 3/4 breaker bar and a 6' rod to get mine to come loose. And to get the bolts out, I have some 1 inch brass rods that I put through the hole in the deck on the bolt and a few good whacks with a sledge and they dropped right out.

 

[rustred]

I cant see that happening with a 1/2 inch drive impact. Especially the price told the story. Plus the more adapters and extensions being used also decreases its power. Thats a 3/4 inch drive impact job. Plus knowing the make up torque would be nice to know but thats a big nut.

 

[Andy Wickiser]

I've had one since they were introduced. It's a good tool to have in the arsenal. Let us know if it works for your application I'd guess it will.

I also know all the bad points. It's big and heavy, not good for tight spaces, need straight shot. Can't feather the trigger, all or nothing, trouble with jumping off/torquing off smaller nuts and bolts (lack of control). On mine sometimes I get it all set up on a nut and the trigger sticks no-go but it's probably a defect on mine. Very frustrating if I'm on my back in an awkward position holding up a heavy tool.

 

[Butch(OH)]

When you get the nuts loose do not remove them but run them up even with the end of the bolt. Next place a jack under the blade holder or stump jumper as close to the head as you can but not under it. Give the jack enough to allow some up pressure. A bunch of light huts with the wrong punch will bugger the threads for sure. I have a piece of 3 round stock about 8 long to use as a punch, you need something similar. Mine sits flat on the nut without anyone holding it. Hit it HARD and the bolts will move, then remove the nut and tap the bolt out

 

[Stephen Newell]

I think it's easier to leave the blades on and sharpen with an angle grinder. I use an engine hoist or the front loader of another tractor to lift the bush hog to work on it.

 

[kcm.MN]

I bought that same HF impact wrench, but for about half the price ($46). Saw it on Amazon. Checked the specs, compared the pics with precision, then finally ordered. All I can say is, WOW! I have to be careful with it. It has already torqued off 2 of the lug bolts from my skid loader, and I wasn't even trying! :shock:

This will be a good experiment. Will be great to see if it has the power to remove blades from a rotary mower.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

The blades on my JD lawn mower and two 6 ft woods finish mowers seem to have self tightening nuts.

Someone on YT suggested that I torque the nuts to 50 lb-ft. That seemed to prevent the nuts from over tightening.

I have to put a 3 inch pipe over the blade and another pipe over the breaker bar. Thank God both pipes are aluminum.

Not sure if this helps.

 

[miangus]

Rusted is correct that's 3/4 drive territory and I would heat it up with a torch.

 

[Texasmark]

That's what I do. Quick job and no hassle.....well the hassle is getting up off the creeper I was lying on....old bones don't work as good as they used to.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I don't have a bush hog type mower but I was using my 1 inch impact to tighten the 1-3/4 nuts on the disc gang bolts and when I would not move anymore we would wack it with the sledge at the other end while the wrench was rattling on it. Never came loose when done and have not rechecked them and probably won't since you have to take the gang off to get to the bolts. I also use it ti tighten the nuts on the truck wheels.

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 19:59:52 10/03/23) Picked up a Bauer electric(AC) 1/2 impact wrench for $89. Supposed to have 1050 breakaway ft. pounds torque. I have a 1/2 to 3/4 adapter and a 3/4 1 11/16 socket. I hope I can get my bush hog blades off. Soaking with 50/50 acetone- ATF. Tried a 600 ft lb.breakaway 1/2 air impact and got one loose but could not drive the bolt out. 296 BH about seventeen years old.

I did one in the Spring. 1/2" Milwaukee, 3/4 drive socket, 3/4 to 1/2 adapter. Used full power and no penetrating oil. The nuts didn't react for a few seconds then came right off. I did something similar to what Butch did. Put the nuts back on and hit them with a BFH. Supported the tips of the blades with a floor jack. One bolt took a couple more cracks than the other. I was surprised it went as easy as it did as the blades were installed at birth, 30 years ago. The biggest problem with the Milwaukee is it will stretch and snap a bolt if you don't use the right power setting. The HF impact is likely similar. There's little difference between the Milwaukee 1/2 and 3/4 impacts. Just an anvil change so in reality you're working with the same tool. Just need to use an adapter up or down to get the job done.

 

[Stephen Newell]

If you take the top link loose you can raise the bush hog almost vertical. No need for a creeper.

 

[redtom]

I find with impacts, every joint you add reduces power. Such as adding an adapter or an extension. Anything other than socket direct to impact.

 

[Jim in LA]

I was concerned about the adapter and the extension
subtracting some power. I have been able to get the nut off
of one blade but not able to drive out the bolt. I used a six
foot length of 1 1/4 pipe on 3/4 drive ratchet handle with
seven inch extension, but the other nut hasnt budged. As I
said I and soaking it with penetrant every day. Saturday
may be my lucky day. If push comes to shove, I will stand
the mower on end.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If you couldn't break it loose with a 3/4 drive and a breaker bar, soaking it is a waste of whatever you're soaking it with. It needs HEAT. Heated up to cherry red, buzzed off with the impact, then tossed in the bucket of old bolts.

Anything you put between the impact and the socket is going to reduce the capability of the impact severely. I don't know where you'd find a 1-11/16" socket for a 1/2" drive, though.

For the pins, I would suggest an air hammer. Specifically the Chief air hammer from Harbor Freight. It's quite a thumper. Several times now it rattled out bolts that I whaled away on with a sledge and could not get to move.

 

[Jim in LA]

I usually raise up the mower, support it with jack stands and then sit on the ground( oh my aching back!) and sharpen them with a 4 1/2' angle grinder which is time consuming. my 7' grinder broke and I have never replaced it.

 

[4435]

https://www.gpsocket.com/products/category.phtml/individuals_and_attachments/1_2/

drill down to fractional sockets. I purchased a 1-11/16" deep in 1/2" drive. Tom

 

[Hemmjo]

In addition to eliminating extensions between the impact and the nut, you also HAVE to hold the blade from moving in order to full torque from the impact. If the blade moves at all, while using the impact, it does not matter how much torque the tool can deliver, the nut will never even feel.

It is like the suspension in you car, you never feel most of them, because the suspension soaks up all of that force.

 

[Mule Meat]

(quoted from post at 04:50:31 10/04/23) I bought that same HF impact wrench, but for about half the price ($46). Saw it on Amazon. Checked the specs, compared the pics with precision, then finally ordered. All I can say is, WOW! I have to be careful with it. [b:8cbb480c24]It has already torqued off 2 of the lug bolts from my skid loader[/b:8cbb480c24], and I wasn't even trying! :shock:

This will be a good experiment. Will be great to see if it has the power to remove blades from a rotary mower.

Ever heard of Wheel Torque Extensions??

Get a set, learn how to use'em and you won't be breaking lug bolts or studs.