The last mechanic I went to torqued these to hell...what are the chances he also tightened my spark plugs this much?
Never again...my other mechanic never overtorqued things this much.
this post was submitted on 17 May 2026
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I got myself one of these, and now that's easy. Definitely one of my favorite tools. Even if I don't end up using it all that often, it saves so much effort and work when I do need it.
Though you'd probably want a 240v version in Sweden.
Considered one of those a few times. I have an air wench from stanley. The only tool I regretted buying. Could not even dent butter on a warm sunny day (/s). Bought an wider hose, modded the wrench.... much better but still not good.
Maybe time to go electric then ......
IMO, electric is so much more convenient, especially corded electric. Just plug it in, and it's ready to go, every time. No worrying about air pressure or hose length, no worrying about batteries being able to hold their charge or not. It's as simple as can be and just always works.
(Though, actually, the first one I got had a defective trigger switch on it and stopped working after the first few times. But I was able to return it and get a replacement. Though the replacement looked the same, they'd definitely updated the trigger switch because it felt different to press -- firmer and more clicky. And the replacement one has been 100% reliable since then.)
I worked at a professional oil change shop for about 5 months back in 2005. Texaco, if you must know, but regardless..
One thing they completely forbid is any electric tools, those can cause a spark and potentially an explosion. Every tool we used was air powered (or simple hand powered), with the air pump and massive air tank off in another room altogether.
Granted, we weren't torquing starter bolts or lug nuts or anything like that, but still, a properly equipped shop will have one or more air impacts complete with torque limit settings. And even then they're supposed to slightly under-torque the air impact, and finish torquing with a manual torque wrench.
Dropping a steel wrench on a concrete floor can cause a spark. Why would you shop have flammable liquids without proper storage?
Air tools are cheaper. The spark issue is bullshit.
Our shop had 4 massive 500 gallon proper steel tanks to store most of our common fluids, stored down in the pit. There isn't a single dry spot of pavement in the pit, there's always a thin layer of oil on the floor, and top side floor was coated with rubber tread grip, so hard pressed to have a dropped tool generate a spark either in the pit or top side.
The air tools thing was mostly about powering the pumps on those massive tanks, plus the occasional customer that comes in for an oil change but doesn't know they have a fuel leak..
True ... but for the amateur mechanic, you'll probably be fine as long as you avoid using electric tools near any major fuel leaks.