An impact wrench is a vital power tool for loosening nuts, fasteners, and screws. Eventually, it helps to tighten those as well. Yeah, that’s a no-brainer. In this article, we are going to discuss an impact wrench repair troubleshooting process step by step.
The impact wrench is widely used in the automotive industries and in those households that own four-wheelers. You may hear a few other common names, such as Rattle Gun, Air Impact Wrench, and Torque Gun.
As this worthwhile device is electric, it is bound to malfunction. You couldn’t help but encountering some typical issues with an impact wrench.
Rationally, it is way better to deal with such occurrences than seeking help from the manufacturer or a pro. Here we will try to troubleshoot those problems together. Let’s dive deep into it.
Problems You May Come Across
While working with an impact wrench, occasional problems may arise. Those can easily bother you, especially when you are in a hurry.
Imagine you are in the middle of the road in your vehicle. Heading towards an awesome camping spot, miles away. Meanwhile, any of the tires of the car betrayed you.
You got no option left but changing the tire. But in that situation, your impact wrench is running slow or providing an impact close to zero.
How would you feel?
That is why you need to check everything before you make a plan. And yes, your impact wrench as well.
What are the problems you may face?
– The impact wrench runs slowly or barely spins.
– It is creating no impact.
– The device emits Moisture
Let’s troubleshoot these issues with minimal effort.
Slow Running Impact Wrench
Your impact wrench is supposed to work but not running as per your expectation.
Therefore, you need to know what is causing the issue before looking for the solution. We have found some reasons and ways of troubleshooting those.
Air Compressor Pressure
If the impact wrench is refusing to run or starts slowly, one of the reasons could be the air compressor.
So, it would be a dumb decision to overlook the air compressor and start disassembling the machine right away.
Evaluate if the device is taking enough airflow from the compressor. When the pressure is not sufficient, then the wrench won’t work properly. As simple as that.
Most of the time, the air hose is not connected properly, which leads to a weak pressure supply. All you have to do is to ensure the air hose is connected with the compressor precisely.
Now there can be a leak on that hose, which is resisting sustainable air pressure. If it is leaking, then consider changing the air hose. Now the question may arise, how could I know the accurate air pressure?
Well, you can check the manual that comes along with the impact wrench.
It Could Be Dust and Grit
There is no such ambiance, which is prime for using an impact wrench. Consequently, your machine may be running slowly because of grit and dust.
To get rid of such trouble, you need to use cleaning agents and oil recommended by the manufacturing company. After cleansing the inside portion, don’t forget to lubricate it.
Otherwise, all your effort will end in smoke.
Mechanical Issues
The slow running issue could be a mechanical failure where you have no option but to replace the parts. The ball bearings and rotor blades are key parts to speed up the wrench. The blades or the bearing can be worn-out.
As the damaged parts are no help for the device, you should replace those parts with a newer one. Here it would be best if you took the impact wrench to the service center.
Not Enough Impact from the Impact Wrench
The impact of the tool won’t be the same if you are not maintaining it with care. When you are not lubricating the motor routinely, the impact will likely fall.
Because of the slow impact, the machine won’t deliver enough force to loosen or tighten the screws. Accordingly, it should be in good condition as well.
So, first, you should check the regulator that is responsible for maximizing the impact. The setting should be made so that you can have the most impact out of it. Turn the regulator to maximum, if you haven’t done that yet.
If the tool is giving service for quite some time, you should evaluate its overall condition. Because after years of service, the motor is likely to get rusty.
Moreover, the impact mechanism can’t be as same as before. Therefore, it is time to make a new best friend and keep memories of the current one.
Moisture is the Killer for Impact Wrench
When you turn on the impact wrench and find out moisture coming out from the tool, that’s a wake-up alarm for you.
Because here you should assume there must be water inside the compressor tank. Once you ignore the situation, it will radically turn the impact wrench into a metal crap.
There are two possible reasons for occurring such phenomena.
Not Draining Out the Water
Emitting moisture can be an indicator that the compressor tank is filled with water. This usually happens when people don’t drain the air tank properly or even at all.
Thus, water vapor gradually fills the tank. Open the air compressor tank to pour the water out. There should be a drain valve for extracting the water.
After that, put some oil on the tool and keep running it for a couple of minutes. Soon all the moisture will emerge from it.
Air Hoses May Contain Water
You are quite sure about the air tank that there is no water. However, the moisture is coming from inside anyway. That means the airlines or air hoses is containing water. Now, you know what to go, right?
Detach the hose and drain all the water out whenever your job is done. Consequently, you don’t need to go through this further.
Even you can install an air dryer, which will reduce the moisture in the first place. Apart from this, installing a water filter is also could be a great idea.
Final Takeaways
Electric tools like impact wrench are prone to problems. No matter how hard you try, you have to face them now and then.
This guide is intended to enlighten you about those problems along with the procedure of troubleshooting them. We hope that this article on “impact wrench repair troubleshooting” was helpful for you. If you still encounter difficulties with the device, don’t hesitate to give us a buzz!
