Air ratchet, which one? (Ingersoll rand Only)

[iwannadie]

I am thinking about getting an air ratchet to add to my air tools collection. I am trying to decide which would suit my needs the best. I am sticking to ingersoll rand only and 3/8".

They have their mini 1105 TiMaxx that seems cool but only has 30 ft lbs of torque. The bigger 1207 max has 65 ft lbs but is rather huge. I can't decide which is the better trade off, less power and small or big and powerful ha.

Does anyone have hands on experience with either and can give some input? Is torque really that important or is it more about speed and ability to get in tight places? I've never used an air ratchet but something tells me that I need one.

 

[Jeepman401]

I would go for the 1207, and later on get a 1/4 drive air ratchet.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

in my experience if you want an air ratchet, you're looking for something quicker and easier than doing it by hand. i've used smaller under powered air ratchets and they irritated me so much i switched back to using a standard ratchet. grabbing a breaker bar to loosen bolts then switching to the air ratchet gets old real fast.

i would go with the bigger one if you can deal with the bulk.

 

[Mnkyboy]

I have a bigger 3/8" (can't remember the model #)ingersoll but i rarely use it. 65 ft lbs just isn't enough and the thing is crazy loud.

My Aircat 3/8" has 90 ft lbs and runs circles around my Ingersoll,with half the noise

 

[yossarian19]

I use a "blah" Craftsman model it it does about 80% of what I ask it to. If it had more power, I'd do a lot more with it.
Get the beefier ratchet and you'll be surprised how often you use it - I know this from borrowing my boss's on occasion and watching how much he can get done with his.

 

[bails85]

it all depends on what youre working on. the smaller one is nice in a tight spot and it has some punch to it. ive never had a problem with my i.r. if i need more power i just turn up the air.

 

[iwannadie]

I can't think of the last time I used a 1/4 drive ratchet on anything. I see a lot of people praise the 1/4 air ratchets and claim to use them all the time but on what? I obviously work on the XJ a lot so that's the sorta work my air ratchet will see.

65 ft lb sounds like a lot to me even if it's an over inflated number it should zip off most XJ fasteners that other wise would not need a breaker bar. If I would normally be able to turn a bolt off by hand I would want an air ratchet that could do that for me.

There's been many recent cases of trying to tighten or loosen a bolt and having to use two hand to hold the socket while working the wrench. I am thinking it would be nice to just hit it with the air ratchet and zip things right on/off.

I think I will go with the bigger model first and see how it goes.

 

[bails85]

what do you take off on your xj that requires a shit load of torque. i have used my cheap ass 15dollar h.f. impact for the past 3 years and have done everything i need to on my jeep with out any problem. the only thing i can see needing a bigger impact for is the wheels and the engine pulleys other than that.....?

 

[Ogrebonz]

"what do you take off on your xj that requires a shit load of torque"

Everything that's been exposed to road salt..

But then, that's what the 2131 impact and the toches are for.

*Sigh* I love life in the rust belt...

 

[bails85]

my jeep came from missouri. i know all about rust and road salt. but i never have had a problem breaking a bolt loose. especially if its that rusted. i would rather not snap it with a big impact. i just work at it witha small one till it comes loose.

 

[iwannadie]

Well, considering it's an air ratchet and not an impact gun I don't see why this has gone to that topic. I have my ingersoll rang thunder gun for all my impact needs.

The air ratchet will hopefully replace my hand ratchet for any fastener needs just to speed things up, not break stuck bolts loose as it's not an impact.

 

[Shorty]

I've never used the air ratchet for torquing a bolt/nut on or off-- they will aid in the speed in which you do things, but you still want to loosen with something designed for that and final tighten things with a torque wrench or suitable tool.

OP- get the one that will fit where you need it and has the highest capacity to speed your projects up.

 

[iwannadie]

I've never used the air ratchet for torquing a bolt/nut on or off-- they will aid in the speed in which you do things, but you still want to loosen with something designed for that and final tighten things with a torque wrench or suitable tool.

OP- get the one that will fit where you need it and has the highest capacity to speed your projects up.

I always use a torque wrench to assemble for sure. For things like let's say shot mount bolts or brake caliper mounting bolts that are not on tight, wouldn't the air ratchet have the power to loosen them? I am just in my mind thinking if I have to have a hand wrench to loosen every fastener before using the air ratchet that will negate any time saved by having the air tool.

I understand some things will be too tight or just seized and will need broken free first but I was hoping most common things will come right off with the air ratchet? Or, maybe I am underestimating the time saved even with having to hand loosen and then switch to the air ratchet.

 

[bails85]

i feel like a dumbass now. i tought we were tallking about impact guns.

 

[iwannadie]

For things like let's say shot mount bolts or brake caliper mounting bolts that are not on tight,

That should have said Shock mount, not shot mount. Guess my pain meds from the scratched cornea had other ideas :scottm: .

 

[old_man]

I don't understand everybodys problem with torque. I use the air ratchet the same as any other ratchet to break something loose, the air just spins it of a lot easier once it is loose. When putting on a nut or bolt, I spin it down until the air can't go any tighter and then just grab the ratchet and tighten it down the extra half turn or so.

My hands are calibrated for torque. The only thing I use a torque wrench on are head bolts and ring gear bolts, etc.

 

[bails85]

My hands are calibrated for torque. The only thing I use a torque wrench on are head bolts and ring gear bolts, etc.
__________________

me too. ill join the badass club.

 

[iwannadie]

I need a torque wrench for everything. I don't trust my hands lol. I tend to over tighten everything so if I can find torque specs I get out the torque wrench no matter how small and insignificant the fastener may seem.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

my hands have three settings. snug, feels right tight, and bastard tight. Anything 3/8 or less diameter gets snug, anything over 5/8 diameter gets bastard tight. in between those two gets feels right tight. unless there are bearings or gaskets involved I don't worry too much about torque settings.

I have broken a few bolts in my time but those have all been old bolts re-used and have been of small caliber.

 

[iwannadie]

I decided to go ahead and order the 1105MAX based on recommendations here and elsewhere not to focus on torque and go with something smaller, since I'll be breaking things by hand anyway.

Today I was replacing a starter in our 95 lexus sc300 and it was such a pain. I could get a wrench on the 2 bolts but had no room to turn them more than 1/16th of a turn at a time. In my mind I kept thinking, if only I had the air ratchet.... So I clicked the order button as soon as I was done ha. I picked up a legacy 2' swivel whip to go with it which should be handy.