I found a great tool to make changing tires go quickly.
12V Impact Wrench
Its cheap, but it actually works! I also picked up a racing jack from HF for $80. Much better than using my scissor jack and a wrench...
That's cool but i really have trouble believing that a $20 impact wrench is going to last very long, or work that well... I'd rather invest in a cordless impact from Mac or Matco (f--- Snap-On!!).
Arrival Blue 04 LS Sport
Eco
Turbo
Megasquirt
'Nuff said
Well, those are in the $200 range, so of course they are going to be better made and last longer. I'd get one too if I could afford it. I'll let you guys know how the long term use goes with my cheap one.
thats pretty sweet i might look into one myself
Although I give a certain amount of clout to anything Harbor Freight sells.
I had a wal-mart "rally" 1/2in impact that I used for autocross for almost 2 seasons and it still works great. I dropped it so part of the plastic shell is now missing. But other than that I can change tires faster than anyone else without one.
however the new snap-on impact may also be effective for more than just tire changes. It costs more ala $300+ but it's torque rating is getting close to its air-powered counterparts.
Also be weary when purchasing an electri impact. MANY so their tourque in inch pounds instead of foot pounds, which is extremely misleading IMO.
Which would make it great for track side repairs when air isn't available.
What goes in my boot when heading to an autocross:
-Sears Aluminum Racing Jack
-Wal-mart(Rally) corded 12v impact wrench
-breaker bar
-toolbox of miscelaneous oddness that can fix weird problems in a flash, formerly my car audio toolbox, you'd be surprised how much stuff will fit in a small toolbox.(everything from sockets to a tire repair kit, even extra battery terminals)
-tarp, for when it rains
-Chris
That one is rated at 150 ft. lbs. It spins up and then does an impact about once every second. It takes a couple seconds to break my nug luts loose, but it does work and spin pretty fast once the nut is loose.
i can change my tires using a pump jack, breaker bar, and torque wrench in 10min flat. both fronts too. id rather get a little bit of a workout then have that thing wear out on me and be stuck.
I used to race cars, now I race myself.
5K PB: 24:50
10K PB: 54:26
sorry, a torque wrench also goes in there.
10 minutes isn't too shabby for by hand, good for you. Trust me tho, using the electric impact is at least 2x as fast if your really going for how fast someone can switch out tires.
He wouldn't be stuck, I'm assuming he takes a regular with him as well. Doing it the "work out way" gets old really quick if you've been to as many autocroses as I have. Anything to speed the tire changeout and give me more time for coursewalking helping out etc... is money well spent IMO.
-Chris
i go to the track at least 2x a month in the summer. sometimes more. doing it by hand never gets old to me. plus its easier to prevent a stud from breaking doing it by hand. already had that happen and i dont wanna do it again.
I used to race cars, now I race myself.
5K PB: 24:50
10K PB: 54:26
yes breaking a stud at the track is a pisser hahaha
The one, the only, ME.
04eco wrote:yes breaking a stud at the track is a pisser hahaha
I've done that one before. But yes, I always take a set of tools with me just in case something happens to my p.o.s. With my autocrosses, we usually have to change tires out in the dirt and I only had a scissor jack. It took me about 20 min to change tires like that. With an impact and a real jack it only takes me about 10min. 10 minutes makes a HUGE difference when you are standing out there in humid 95 degree weather.
Zach wrote:10 minutes makes a HUGE difference when you are standing out there in humid 95 degree weather.
Or... rain... or 30 weather for degree snowcrosses (thank you philly region!)
-Chris
i use a racing jack by craftsman and a tourqe wrench. 3 pumps and the car is up in the air. much better than the scissor jack i as using
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
What I'm thinking of trying next year is breaking them loose by hand, then just using my 18V cordless drill to spin them off and back on, then torque by hand (with a proper torque wrench of course). Even so, with my somewhat crappy jack (though not as bad as a scissor jack LOL) it take me about 20 minutes including unpacking/repacking the car
CACC BC Region - DSP
http:www.victoriamotorsports.ca
I use a electric impact wrench from harbor freight.
Its 24 volt and 255 ft/lbs of tq. It works better then most of my air impacts.
Its about a year old and is working fine but I don't believe it will last forever as I only paid 79.99 1/2 off. Most good ones make less power and cost 300+ but its great so far.
Man, that seems like a fantastic price for that impact...
I do it the way that oldskool24 does it.
-Drive up on wood blocks so I can fit the jack under the rockers
- Lift up the whole side of the car at a time
- Crack them with a breaker bar
- Spin them off then on again with my 18V cordless (start them by hand to not cross thread)
- Torque by hand with a snapon.
I did 5 sets of tires changes like this in one day this summer. The weather kept changing between rain and sunny/dry in-between each run! Everyone found it very amusing...until I was faster
